Modular Construction Projects Research Articles

Open BIM exchange on Blockchain 3.0 virtual disk: A traceable semantic differential transaction approach

Abstract Building information modeling (BIM) has become prevalent in construction engineering management. However, the efficiency of traditional file-based BIM exchange between multidisciplinary teams remains low due to the transmission of redundant data from mostly unchanged BIM objects. Additionally, the traceability of changes between BIM files is limited. This paper proposes a traceable semantic differential transaction (tSDT) approach for open BIM exchange, which minimizes data redundancy and enables semantic-level traceability of BIM changes. Furthermore, openBIMdisk implements the tSDT and provides a Blockchain 3.0 virtual disk to support efficient, traceable, and secure BIM exchanges across multiple blockchain services. A pilot study of a modular construction project demonstrated the effectiveness of tSDT and open-BIMdisk. Experimental results indicated that tSDT achieved minimal BIM redundancy for storing and restoring all BIM changes, using a sheer 0.007% of disk space on average. openBIMdisk facilitated BIM version management and object-level semantic traceability with a response time of 5.3 ms. The contributions of this paper are twofold. First, tSDT offers a novel and efficient approach for semantic BIM change traceability. Second, openBIMdisk provides BIM practitioners with a Blockchain 3.0 application featuring intuitive and user-friendly interfaces for BIM exchange.

Research on Vibration Comfort in Modular Construction

This paper focuses on the vibration problem of the first modular school construction project in Guangming District, Shenzhen. Field tests were conducted on modular classrooms under jumping scenarios to obtain vibration acceleration time–history curves, and the fundamental frequency of the modular classroom floors was determined using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Subsequently, tests under walking and running scenarios were carried out to collect vibration acceleration time–history curves. By comparing the measured peak vibration accelerations with the limits specified in existing standards, potential vibration comfort issues in the modular classrooms were identified. A FES (finite element simulation) approach was employed to develop a comprehensive model of the modular school under investigation and to analyze its vibration comfort across the tested scenarios. This modeling effort served to validate the accuracy of the experimental measurements obtained from field testing. Finally, the vibration comfort of the modular classroom floors was further analyzed using finite element simulations. The results indicate that the modular classroom floors have significant vibration comfort issues.

Próba aplikacji metod zarządczych celem optymalizacji kosztów budownictwa modułowego.

Nowadays, many management methods are used in the implementation of investment processes. Their common attribute is optimising the total cost of implementing an investment project by reducing all types of costs at each stage of the process. This is particularly important if the investment process is very complex since it is implemented according to the idea of modular construction. The aim of this study is to identify those modern management methods that improve the investment process by leading to the optimisation of the costs involved. These methods refer to the management process of the investment project (Agile Scrum Method, Kanban Method, Lean Construction Method) or directly to the management of the costs generated by the project (Activity-Based Costing). Together these methods will contribute to optimising the total cost of the project. Moreover, their applicability means they can be directly implemented or modified in any investment project that utilises modular construction. The features of the mentioned methods were identified and adapted to the specificity and requirements of the investment process in modular construction using the desk research method. As a result, it has been noticed that the use of management methods such as Agile Scrum, Lean Construction and ABC are crucial in the implementation of modular construction projects due to their ability to streamline processes, increase cost and time efficiency, and enable flexibility in the event of changing requirements.

Optimal Location for Tower Crane and Dynamic Trailer Parking in High-Rise Modular Building Construction Project

Optimization of tower crane positioning is essential in precast building construction to ensure that a crane is in the right position to offer the best value for placing precast elements. The first goal is the optimization of transportation distances made by tower cranes, which will address the issues of efficiency and cost. This is done in a way that provides for minimization of the distances that lie between the trailer parking where elements are parked, the tower crane, and the construction installation point. However, current research fails to address the dynamic movement efficiency of trailers, especially when handling multiple trailers and several models of tower cranes, making this scenario an optimization problem that is classified as NP-hard due to the likelihood of causing a combinatorial explosion. This work endeavors to present a new mathematical model that has been applied to the Genetic Algorithm (GA). The ideal demand-generated model is designed to solve the optimal model and position of tower cranes and the prospective positioning of trailers for parking. The feasibility and applicability of the method exploited in the study are also established through a project case study. When adopting the proposed planning model compared to the earlier planning scale, comparisons highlight a small yet significant saving of 6% in time and cost when lifting elements instead of providing them from the trailers by setting up a new on-site stockyard. In addition, a great deal of enhancement is also observed in the final solution aspects, where the developed GA has even reduced the operational time and cost by half a percent each. The results of this research offer best-practice approaches to the position analysis of tower cranes in precast building construction to bring scalability and cost optimization to bear on the construction business.

Evaluating Modular House Construction Projects: A Delphi Method Enhanced by Conversational AI

This study focuses on evaluating modular house construction projects, which is a critical segment within sustainable building practices. Despite the significant advantages of modular construction, such as enhanced resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact, existing research often overlooks its unique attributes and constraints. Our objectives were to identify crucial parameters for a comprehensive evaluation of modular construction, particularly emphasizing sustainability, and to explore how an advanced conversational AI tool, ChatGPT, can assist in modular building assessments. We employed the Delphi method to define these parameters and integrated ChatGPT to develop a robust assessment methodology. This approach allowed us to harness AI-driven insights to enrich the evaluation process. Our findings suggest that ChatGPT delivers high-quality results comparable to those produced by experts in modular building assessments. ChatGPT formulated a detailed description of the evaluation scale for each criterion, effectively outlining the guidelines for evaluating modular house projects. To illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed methodology, we applied it to a real-world modular house project in Lithuania, demonstrating how this approach can significantly contribute to advancing sustainable construction practices.

An Integrated Project Delivery-Based Supply Chain Management for Modular Construction in the Philippines

This study explores the enhancement of Supply Chain Management (SCM) efficiency in the Philippines' modular construction sector through Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). It highlights the critical alignment of SCM success factors with IPD principles, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in modular construction projects. Quantitative analysis via surveys among modular construction professionals assesses IPD's impact on SCM efficiency, uncovering a positive correlation between IPD adoption and compliance with SCM success factors, particularly in larger organizations. This reveals the benefits of early collaboration and shared management practices. The research proposes a comprehensive framework tailored to the Philippine construction industry to optimize SCM efficiency by integrating modular construction with IPD principles. This strategy aims to tackle unique organizational and individual challenges, offering insights for improving SCM practices through IPD. The study paves the way for superior project delivery in developing economies and calls for future research into IPD and SCM risks, the influence of organizational structures, and the role of emerging technologies and cultural factors in modular construction.

Exploring the feasibility of using modular technology for construction projects in island areas

Scholars widely agree that modular technologies can significantly improve environmental sustainability compared to traditional building methods. There has been considerable debate about the viability of replacing traditional cast-in-place structures with modular construction projects. The primary purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of using modular technology for construction projects in island areas. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the potential problems and suitable solutions associated with modular building project implementation. This study is accomplished through the use of qualitative and quantitative methods. It systematically examines desk research based on the wide academic literature and real case studies, collating secondary data from government files, news articles, professional blogs, and interviews. This research identifies several important barriers to the use of modular construction projects. Among the issues are the complexity of stakeholder engagement, limited practical skills and construction methodologies, and a scarcity of manufacturing capacity specialised for modular components. Fortunately, these unresolved challenges can be mitigated through fiscal incentives and governmental regulations, induction training programmes, efficient management strategies, and adaptive governance approaches. As a result, the findings support the feasibility of starting and advancing modular building initiatives in island areas. Project developers will likely be more willing to embrace and commit resources to initiate modular building projects. Additional studies can be undertaken to acquire the most recent first-hand data for detailed validation.

Revolutionising the 4D BIM Process to Support Scheduling Requirements in Modular Construction

Given the heightened importance of revolutionising 4D BIM-based construction scheduling in modular construction, it has become vital to explore how 4D-BIM could be integrated with the lean concept. Therefore, this research aims to develop a lean-integrated process model to revolutionise the 4D BIM-based construction scheduling in modular construction projects. A case study approach was used to obtain the data. The data was obtained using semi-structured interviews with construction scheduling professionals, site observations, and extracts from the BIM model used within the selected case in the UK. Findings showed that conventional (component/object based) 4D BIM supersedes conventional scheduling methods in terms of foreseeing potential implications during design and construction. The findings also showed that lean-integrated 4D BIM in modular construction have different considerations when compared with component/object-based scheduling. A lean-integrated 4D BIM process model was developed from the analysis and it was validated using an interactive workshop with eight participants from two UK construction companies and two modular construction manufacturers. The developed process model identified a number of considerations for 4D BIM in modular projects including constructability, operations, health and safety risks and time. This study suggested the further potential of 4D BIM in scheduling for modular construction projects.

Evaluating the Circular Economy Potential of Modular Construction in Developing Economies—A Life Cycle Assessment

Circular economy (CE) is an emergent concept that promotes resource circularity in multiple product systems. Modular construction (MC), an evolving construction technique, which includes an off-site manufacturing environment, increasingly supports CE strategies such as reuse due to the elevated potential for design for disassembly (DfD). Design-stage environmental assessments are paramount in aiding the early decision making of modular construction projects to successfully plan and implement DfD strategies. Research on synergising modular construction, circular economy and environmental sustainability is rare in developing economies. Thus, the current study aims to conduct a design-stage life cycle assessment of a DfD and linear versions of a modular building unit in Sri Lanka to evaluate the potential environmental benefits. The life cycle assessment results highlight that the DfD strategy has the lowest environmental impacts in all categories, with a 63% reduction in global warming potential and an approximately 90% reduction in terms of human toxicity compared to the linear version. Further, it showed the elevated potential of reuse compared to recycling practices in improving the environmental performance. Sensitivity assessment revealed that steel was the most sensitive to the change in reuse percentage among main building materials. The analysis outcomes highlight the importance of long-term thinking, architectural design creativity and industrial and technology development to uptake the CE-driven MC in the Sri Lankan context. Finally, strategies are proposed to support the CE approach in MC in developing regions. Both quantitative and qualitative outcomes provide a basis for construction industry stakeholders, academia, and policy makers to explore further and promote modular construction practices to enhance the circularity of building materials and components in developing regions.

Data-driven integration framework for four-dimensional building information modeling simulation in modular construction: a case study approach

Abstract Modular construction is becoming more popular because of its efficiency, cost-saving, and environmental benefits, but its successful implementation necessitates detailed planning, scheduling, and coordination. Building information modeling (BIM) and four-dimensional (4D) simulation techniques have emerged as invaluable tools for visualizing and analyzing the construction process in order to meet these requirements. However, integrating distinctive data sources and developing comprehensive 4D BIM simulations tailored to modular construction projects present significant challenges. Case studies are used in this paper to define precise data needs and to design a robust data integration framework for improving 4D BIM simulations in modular construction. The validation of the framework in a real-world project demonstrates its efficacy in integrating data, promoting cooperation, detecting risks, and supporting informed decision-making, ultimately enhancing modular building results through more realistic simulations. By solving data integration difficulties, this research provides useful insights for industry practitioners and researchers, enabling informed decision-making and optimization of modular building projects.

Multi-criteria decision-making model for risk management in modular construction projects

The modular sector needs a precise guide to determine the most efficient risk management approaches. The main research objective of this study is to develop a multi-criteria decision-making model to find the most efficient risk management approach according to the relevant risk criteria. The risk criteria and risk management approaches for modular construction projects were also identified and classified within this scope. A systematic literature review, semi-structured interviews, and open-ended questionnaires were performed for identification and classification purposes. For ranking and quantifying the identified risks and risk approaches, as well as developing the decision-making model, the Delphi method and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) were conducted. A two-round Delphi method, with eleven experts, was conducted to achieve efficient performance scores of the identified risk management approaches. The percentage standard deviation decreased, Relative Importance Index (RII), Cronbach’s alpha, and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (Kendall’s W) were calculated to ensure the outputs’ reliability, validity, and agreement level. The AHP method opted to quantify the Delphi method outputs, solve the multi-criteria decision-making process, and develop the multi-criteria decision-making model for risk management of modular construction projects. Triangulation results show that the critical risk categories are supply chain, health and safety, stakeholders, and governmental support. Lean principles such as the Last Planner System, Value Stream Mapping, Just in Time, and Kaizen are top-rated risk management approaches. This research’s novelty is identifying and analyzing crucial risk categories, providing the relevant risk management approaches ranked according to efficiency performance, and presenting a decision-making model as a guideline for risk management of modular construction projects.

Exploring stationary and major modular construction challenges in developing countries: a case study of Egypt

PurposeThis study aims to identify the most significant barriers and the stationary barrier to modular construction (MC) implementation and promote MC widespread use. By doing so, the construction industry can leverage the benefits of MC, such as faster construction times, improved quality control, reduced waste and increased sustainability.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a Gini’s mean analysis approach to identify the stationary barriers hindering the MC adoption in residential projects. The research focuses on the Egyptian context and uses a questionnaire survey to gather data from professionals in the construction industry.FindingsAccording to the survey findings, the top five significant MC barriers are inability to modify the design; contractors asking for high bidding prices (higher initial cost); scepticism, conservation and resistance of clients to innovation and change; transportation restrictions; and lack of a one-size-fits-all tool for the design. In addition, Gini’s mean of dispersion demonstrated that the stationary barrier that faces MC adoption is the apprehension that architectural creativity will suffer because of MC.Practical implicationsThe identified obstacles could be useful for decision makers in countries that have not yet adopted MC and may aid in the planning process to manage the risks associated with MC projects. The paper stresses the significance of devising techniques to overcome these barriers and proposes several methods to tackle these challenges.Originality/valueThis study fills the knowledge gap by identifying the stationary barrier and emphasising the potential risks associated with MC barriers. Furthermore, it suggests several strategies for overcoming and reducing these barriers in developing countries residential projects.

Automatic work package sizing for cost-effective modular construction

The accurate determination of work package size is crucial for cost reduction and achieving efficient mass production in modular construction (MC) projects. However, effectively balancing sizing and cost poses a significant challenge due to the absence of a precise trade-off method. This paper describes an automatic work package sizing (AWPS) method in MC production to optimize work package sizing while minimizing costs. First, the multi-stakeholders-oriented MC production process is modeled to identify the tasks in MC production. Second, critical factors affecting the size of work packages are identified and analyzed. Then, a dynamic programming algorithm is developed to merge the tasks to work packages at a minimal cost. The AWPS method is validated in a case study, and the results show that the AWPS can effectively package production tasks while reducing costs by 1.28%–16.25% compared with traditional task-organizing methods.

Influence of Ventilation Openings on the Energy Efficiency of Metal Frame Modular Constructions in Brazil Using BIM

Construction projects demand a higher amount of energy predominantly for heating, ventilation, and illumination purposes. Modular construction has come into the limelight in recent years as a construction method that uses sustainable building materials and optimizes energy efficiency. Ventilation openings in buildings are designed to facilitate air circulation by naturally driven ventilation and could aid in reducing energy consumption in construction projects. However, a knowledge gap makes it difficult to propose the best dimensions of ventilation openings in buildings. Hence, the aim of this work is to empower the decision-making process in terms of proposing the best ventilation opening dimensions toward sustainable energy use and management in buildings. A novel framework is presented herein to evaluate the impact and propose the best dimensions of ventilation openings for metal frame modular construction in Brazil, using building information modeling. The ventilation openings were constructed and their dimensions evaluated in eight Brazilian cities, based on the bioclimatic zone (BioZ) classification indicated in ABNT NBR 15220: Curitiba (1st BioZ); Rio Negro (2nd BioZ); São Paulo (3rd BioZ); Brasília (4th BioZ); Campos (5th BioZ); Paranaíbe (6th BioZ); Goiás (7th BioZ); and Rio de Janeiro (8th BioZ). The study results show that the energy consumption of the same building model would vary based on the dimensions of ventilation openings for each BioZ in Brazil. For instance, modeling the same modular construction unit in the city of Rio Negro could consume around 50% of the energy compared to the same unit constructed in the city of Rio de Janeiro, using the small opening sizes based on the smallest dimensions of the ventilation openings. Similarly, modeling the construction unit in Curitiba, São Paulo, Brasília, Campos, Paranaíba, and Goiás could reduce energy consumption by around 40%, 34%, 36%, 18%, 20%, and 16%, respectively, compared to constructing the same building in the city of Rio de Janeiro, using the small opening sizes based on the smallest dimensions of the ventilation openings. This work could help practitioners and professionals in modular construction projects to design the best dimensions of the ventilation openings based on each BioZ towards increasing energy efficiency and sustainability.

Unexpected Challenges in the Modular Construction Implementation: Are UK Contractors Ready?

Despite the growing attention given to modular construction in the UK, a lack of investigation into the practical challenges and limitations experienced by contractors has been noted. Hence, this study aims to critically assess the feasibility of volumetric modular construction from the perspective of contractors who have applied this method in real-world projects. The study adopted a qualitative research approach using a case study technique and selected two modular construction projects in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, as case studies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine professionals from the contracting organisations involved in these projects in addition to project document reviews from the selected cases and data analysis using a content analysis approach. The study found that while modular construction can be costly, it is appreciated by contractors for its ability to reduce construction schedules and save costs. However, program delays, skill gaps, and reduced design flexibility pose significant challenges. This study offers unique insights into the practical challenges and limitations of volumetric modular construction and provides recommendations for improvement. Its contribution to the body of knowledge is significant as it sheds light on the trade-offs involved in using modular construction and highlights the need for further research to enhance its application in real-world projects.

Roadmap for Integrating BIM and Lean Methods Throughout the Lifecycle of Modular Construction Projects

Roadmap for Integrating BIM and Lean Methods Throughout the Lifecycle of Modular Construction Projects

Inhibitors to the Adoption of Building Information Modelling in Modular Construction: A Case Study of the Nigerian Construction Industry

Building information modelling (BIM) adoption transforms how construction projects are delivered. Modular construction (MC) is a modern construction method that drives continuous improvement and value addition globally. BIM and MC offer enormous benefits in enhancing project delivery and attaining sustainable construction. This is a major driving force causing the drift from traditional methods to a more digitised approach anchored on technology. Despite these benefits, the level of sophistication in project delivery and the application of these innovative methodologies are low and housing construction projects are delivered with poor performance outcomes in developing countries like Nigeria. This study assessed the inhibitors to the use of BIM in driving MC and the measures for improving the adoption of BIM in MC project deliveries in Nigeria. A well-structured quantitative questionnaire was administered to construction experts using Snowball sampling techniques via electronic means to collect data. With a response rate of 70% and a reliability index of above 0.80, the collected data were analysed using frequencies, percentages and mean item scores. It was found that the level of BIM and MC was high, but BIM adoption in MC was low. The inhibitors to this low adoption level are the high cost of investment in hardware and software, the comfort with the existing methods and resistance to change, the lack of management support, the complexity of BIM software, the lack of interest in sharing information among stakeholders, the problems with collaboration and the legal issues with multiple designs and fabrication. It is recommended that collaboration between construction and technology firms be encouraged to improve BIM application in MC for better productivity and project outcomes. The government should support the use of modern methodologies in the delivery of projects to help improve infrastructure provision, value addition and citizens’ well-being.

Knowledge graph-enabled adaptive work packaging approach in modular construction

Adaptive work packaging is paramount in helping reduce dynamic gaps between design and manufacturing in modular construction (MC), particularly in mass customization. However, current work packaging methods fail to automatically extract complex semantic relations among work package elements (e.g., products, tasks, and their dependencies) and dynamically reason the implicit semantic knowledge (e.g., the different granularity of semantics) as the project progresses. To address these issues, this study proposes a knowledge graph-enabled adaptive work packaging (K-GAWP) approach to dynamically form semantic-enriched work packages with different granularities. Thus far, this study first models the data of tasks, products, and their spatial relationships for MC production as graphs. Second, a novel multi-granularity knowledge reasoning method (product2task) is developed to map products to tasks in an adaptive manner. Third, a dedicated hierarchical clustering method (task2package) involving multiple features from the dependency structure matrix is proposed for work-package generation (i.e., task knowledge fusion). Finally, the K-GAWP’s performance is evaluated through controlled experiments in a real MC project. The results indicate that the K-GAWP approach performs work packaging in an adaptive, accurate, and efficient manner, thereby improving the distributed planning and control of MC projects.

A Mixed Review of Cash Flow Modeling: Potential of Blockchain for Modular Construction

Cash is considered the most critical resource in construction projects. However, many contractors fail to obtain adequate liquidity due to a lack of proper cash flow management. Therefore, numerous research studies have been conducted to address cash flow-related issues in the construction industry. However, the literature still lacks a comprehensive review of cash flow management, methods and topics, in the construction industry. This study contributes by providing a holistic, up-to-date, and thorough review of 172 journal articles on construction cash flow. To achieve this primary objective, the study applies a mixed review methodology using scientometric and systematic reviews. The scientometric analysis provides the most contributing scholars, the timeline of cash flow research attention, and keywords clustering. On the other hand, the systematic analysis categorizes the cash flow themes, identifies current literature gaps, and highlights future research areas in the cash flow domain. The results show that cash flow analysis gained more research attention in the last two decades, cash flow-based schedule is the most frequent topic in the literature, and optimization techniques are predominant in the literature. Consequently, the study highlights five potential research frontiers. Further, an automated payment framework for modular construction projects using Blockchain-based smart contracts is developed to address some of the literature limitations. This study provides a guideline for future research efforts and raises researchers’ awareness of the latest trends and methods of construction cash flow analysis.

A blockchain 3.0 paradigm for digital twins in construction project management

Construction project management (CPM) is inherently complex and distributed, while digital twin and blockchain are recognized as promising solutions for information-reliant CPM. By learning from the lessons of Blockchain 1.0 and 2.0 paradigms in the literature, such as slow synchronization and failed offline functions, this paper proposes ChainPM as a Blockchain 3.0 paradigm. ChainPM extends Blockchain 2.0 with innovative indexing, query, and analysis function sets for key CPM data. Experimental results from a pilot study of a modular construction project showed that the information synchronization latency was reduced by 99.2% to 99.8%, and query and analytical functions worked equally well without network connections. ChainPM contributes to a novel trend of Blockchain 3.0 paradigms for CPM digital twins, emphasizing indexing key CPM data, combinatorial query, digital authorship, and fast response without downgrading the ‘single source of truth.’ For practitioners, ChainPM addresses key barriers of Internet reliance and information delay to CPM digital twins.