Planning Of Construction Projects Research Articles

Leveraging Technology to Improve and Streamline Operations in the African Construction Sector: A Case-Based Approach

The advent of innovation in tools, materials and techniques has transformed the planning, management and execution of construction projects. Globally, the construction sector has been embracing digital technologies to enhance efficiency, reduce cost and ensure sustainability to overcome challenges and meet evolving demands in the industry. Using a case-based approach, this study shows instances from South Africa of how the construction process is being revolutionised through the deployment of cutting-edge technologies to improve and streamline operations. The approach provides an introductory background on how technology has affected construction with an extensive literature review providing clarifications and insights on construction activities, processes and key technological advancements, in addition to highlighting their importance. Findings from the cases revealed that the projects deployed one or more forms of project management software, such as RIB Software, Autodesk Revit, Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Procore, and Aconex. It was further found that these deployments enhanced collaboration and communication, improved design coordination and clash detection, and enabled efficient resource allocation and project planning among stakeholders. The study concludes that construction activities play a key role in economic development. Sustainable construction practices would require the adoption and implementation of state-of-the-art technological solutions in the 4th Industrial Revolution that will aid the totality of construction management processes. As evidenced in the various projects, the effectiveness of construction management software in streamlining the construction process is a testament to the critical role of technological advancement as a driver of sustainability.

An Investigation on Construction Project Development Planning Delays in South Africa

This article aims to determine the causes of the delays in South African construction project planning, discussing the centralised hierarchical planning system factors, multiple agencies/spheres of government regarding building-permit approval factors, and systems and spheres of government/multiple agencies for improving preconstruction project planning in South Africa. It also describes a one-stop centre as a framework for improving South African preconstruction planning. The nature of planning in South Africa is influenced by many legislative measures. The delays being experienced in the educational infrastructure project have attributed to the backlogs currently existing in the delivery of basic education infrastructure. This study was conducted using a quantitative research design technique to assess the secondary data findings through primary data gathered on about 106 construction industry operatives. The primary data collected from the 106 construction operatives focused on architects, engineers, surveyors, and contractors. The researchers conducted a pilot survey with experts/professionals before an industry-wide survey as a questionnaire pretest. The finalised questionnaire was used as a data-gathering technique in the quantitative study approach. A focus group discussion was held to validate the findings. The collected information was then subjected to quantitative analysis in SPSS Version: 29.0.2.0 to verify the veracity of the research. According to the findings, a one-stop centre would enhance systems and sectors of government/multiple agencies and prevent preconstruction project-planning delays in South Africa. A centralised hierarchical planning system is essential for reducing preconstruction-planning delays and multiple agencies/sectors of the government delaying building-permit approvals. The critical research contribution is in that expanding on what is already known about preconstruction project planning in South Africa, this study shows how crucial it is to identify and understand the factors that influence preconstruction project planning in that country. The limitation, however, is that, regarding South Africa, the available literature indicates that there is a problem with systems responsible for approving construction projects. In conclusion, by proposing a structure known as the one-stop centre (OSC) to address the issues that lead to delays in preconstruction project planning in South Africa, this study offers a significant contribution.

Research on the Cost Control of Green Building Project Based on the Application of Renewable Energy

Promoting and optimizing green building projects based on renewable energy applications means that green building projects require more investment than traditional buildings. Green buildings using renewable energy are different from conventional construction cost control. Full-life cycle cost management is a way to analyze and manage the planning, construction, operation, maintenance, and residual costs of construction projects. It would be best if you had the law. This study uses mathematical models combined with relevant accounting theories and research methods to analyze the overall situation of green building cost control based on the application of renewable energy.

Combining BIM and Strategic Management for Efficient Planning and Execution of Construction Projects

Construction projects are faced with a range of challenges. These can be addressed significantly by combining Building Information Modeling (BIM) and strategic management (SM) right from planning to execution phases of construction projects. This study argues that these two problem-solving mechanisms can be leveraged in combination for the attainment of efficient planning and execution of construction projects. It draws evidence from secondary data, sourced from the internet and subjected to systematic review and thematic and content analyses. The descriptive analysis done proves BIM and SM to be indeed capable of ensuring efficient planning and execution of construction projects, when duly deployed and the constraints to their application tackled sufficiently. The study concludes that the combination of BIM and SM produces more results and guarantees efficient planning and execution of construction projects much more than when either of them is used alone. Organizations and institutions are charged to resort to combining these strategies as well as others in finding solutions to problems such as those confronting construction projects.

Addressing Environmental and Regulatory Challenges in Construction Project Planning.

Addressing Environmental and Regulatory Challenges in Construction Project Planning.

The Bibliometric Study of Flood Discharge by Unit Hydrograph Method Nakayasu Synthetic (HSS) and Soil Conservation Service (SCS)

Urban territorial expansion and forest disclosure are two examples of large-scale modifications necessary because of population growth and the rising demand for land. The paper analyzes the various facets of urban development and the essential role that hydrology plays in planning construction projects and water infrastructure. Hydrology study becomes essential for engineers designing and developing structures involving water resources, especially when flood conditions arise. The paper explores two commonly used flood hydrograph approaches, the Nakayasu Synthetic and the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Unit Synthetic, concentrating on the design of flood discharge and its significance in flood management. The study provides insight into the feasibility of existing hydrograph techniques for determining flood discharge and is based on bibliometric data from earlier studies.

Optimizing Construction Engineering Management Using Metaheuristic Methods and Bayesian Networks

The construction of buildings invariably involves time and costs, and disruptions impact ongoing construction projects. Crisis situations in management strategies, structural confusion, and financial miscalculations often arise due to misguided decision-making. This article proposes a method that combines the learning of Bayesian Networks and heuristic techniques to optimize decision-making processes in construction scheduling. As an innovative approach in order to enhance construction management, the functioning of biological, molecular, and physical objects and nervous systems is considered, applying bionic features to mimic their efficiency and precision, thereby optimizing construction processes and improving coordination and decision-making. Bayesian Networks are used for probabilistic analysis, and heuristic methods guide quick decision-making. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of Bayesian Networks and heuristic methods in data analysis and decision-making in construction engineering. The developed algorithm can be successfully applied to both erecting and planning construction projects.

From process-based to technology-driven: a study on functionalities as key elements of collaborative planning methods for construction projects

With the advancement of emerging technologies, significant attempts have been made to develop collaborative planning methods and to involve as many project stakeholders as possible in the construction project planning and control process. However, inadequate consideration has been paid to the characteristics, goals, and principles underlying these methods to meet the needs of collaboration for project planning between project teams. To deal with this, a multi-stage methodology was carried out to achieve the aims of this study. The first step was identifying collaborative planning methods and their functionalities in the construction sector. Further, a quantitative analysis based on Social Network Analysis (SNA) was conducted to determine the most frequently utilized functionalities in collaborative planning methods. The results revealed that process-based collaborative planning methods’ functionalities prioritized process and people-related characteristics such as team trust and promise, as well as social interactions, whereas technology-driven methods highlighted visualization along with collaboration and communication as a key element of collaborative planning. Subsequently, this study contributes to the body of construction project planning and control knowledge from both theoretical and practical perspectives by enhancing the understanding and sensemaking of project stakeholders towards the underlying concepts and objectives of collaborative planning methods.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ БРИТАНСЬКИХ СИСТЕМ ВИМІРЮВАННЯ В БУДІВНИЦТВІ ТА ЇХ ВПРОВАДЖЕННЯ НА ДОРОЖНІХ ОБ’ЄКТАХ В УКРАЇНІ

Introduction. The article provides an overview of international measurement systems for works and services on the example of Great Britain, the peculiarities of their application, the main advantages and disadvantages. Using the example of the Standard Method of Measurement in Civil Engineering (CESMM), the article discusses how such systems can contribute to accurate measurements, time and resource savings in road construction. The experience of applying CESMM4 on road facilities in Ukraine is also considered. Problem statement. In construction in general, the use of international measurement systems is crucial for optimizing processes and improving the quality of project implementation. According to the requirements of the modern construction sector, the ability to generate bill of quantities (BoQ) according to international standards defines a new stage in the planning and implementation of construction projects. The use of international measurement systems allows not only to standardize the scope of work and services but also ensures objectivity in the preparation of tender proposals. Obtaining information on the scope of work without prices according to international standards guarantees equality and objectivity in the evaluation and selection of a contractor. This approach also helps to unify communication between all participants in the construction process, which, in turn, increases the level of mutual understanding and promotes the implementation of modern technologies and best practices. However, today there is no clarity on the detailed measurement and description of construction works, as even within one country there are a number of systems for measuring works and services.

Fuzzy Optimization Model for Decision-Making in Single Machine Construction Project Planning

Scheduling for a construction project with a limited number of machines is a critical and well-studied problem. Most studies assume that task processing times are exact; in practice, delays frequently occur, rendering the initial work plan invalid. Therefore, adaptability is crucial to the success of a project. This work introduces a fuzzy optimization model for the planning of construction projects executed simultaneously and having only one backhoe. The model assumes imprecise task processing times, represented by triangular fuzzy sets, that accept delays up to a permitted degree of tolerance. The model solution obtains a fuzzy work plan. This is a robust plan that supports incidents (delays). A method to apply the model was created. The fuzzy model can help construction companies reduce delays in the delivery of their projects and avoid excessive penalties. The model was implemented in the CPLEX solver, which can quickly obtain an optimal solution for small and medium instances. For large instances, the model must be solved with metaheuristics. This scientific contribution is important for future work since it consists of the application of fuzzy optimization in a specific area of civil engineering.

Simulation of autonomous resource allocation through deep reinforcement learning-based portfolio-project integration

Resource allocation has always been a critical challenge for construction project planning, and it affects the cost, duration, and quality of the projects. However, current methods mainly focus on a single project and lack integrated planning and optimization across a construction company's multiple projects. This paper describes a simulation of an Autonomous Resource Allocation (ARA) model using Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) agents and methods like Double Deep Q-Networks and combined experience replay to develop and test ARA algorithms based on data harvesting from the Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The results show that DRL can successfully perform ARA by capturing the complex interactions among resource allocation features, without needing retraining when situations change. It shows promising future possibilities for construction companies to improve resource utilization and project performance for larger and more complex construction projects.

Sustainability-Based Value Engineering Management as an Integrated Approach to Construction Projects

The integration of sustainability standards and value engineering methods in public education projects is a significant concern, as it ensures the well-being and sustainability goals of students, lecturers, and employees. This study aims to enhance sustainability within public education campuses by utilizing value engineering processes that establish a balanced correlation between the available budget costs and the sustainability costs that affect educational objectives, strategies, and the overall sustainability of the environment. In order to evaluate the integration of value engineering and the sustainability rating system “LEED protocols” for schools, the study utilized HAP (Hourly Analysis Program) software to perform numerical analysis, with the objective of improving environmental efficiency and cost-effectiveness in school buildings from the perspective of both male and female students. By applying this approach to all engineering disciplines, systems, and materials involved in the project, the study achieved impressive results, including a reduction in energy usage by 53.67%, a cost reduction of 27.48% from the total project budget, and 13 points earned in credit C1 and credit C2 in the Energy and Atmosphere EA category in LEED 2009. These findings are of great importance for the planning and execution of construction projects, specifically in the context of educational infrastructure, and provide valuable insights into the construction and renovation of school buildings, which can be used to enhance the safety, functionality, and aesthetic appeal of these facilities.

Developing an integrated digital delivery framework for designing and planning construction projects: a review of interoperable digital technologies

The emergence of industry 4.0 has given rise to the application of various digital technologies in the construction industry (CI). However, the integration of these different digital technologies towards the delivery of project objectives has been hampered over the years, especially at the design and planning stages of construction. Thus, the concept of integrated digital delivery (IDD) has been proposed as a means of integrating digital technologies to enhance construction process workflows and productivity through collaboration. This study conducted a critical review of extant literature of IDD application in the CI to identify the technologies which can be readily integrated at the design and planning phase of IDD. This study aims at proposing a system architecture design for the application of digital technologies at the design and planning phase of IDD. To achieve this aim, the study employed a systematic review to analyze 63 papers obtained from Scopus and Web of Science databases. Subsequently, content analysis was used to ascertain prospects and opportunities for integrating and interoperating the identified technologies. This study identified BIM, VR/AR, Digital Twin, Big Data and CPS as the most prominent interoperable technologies for digital design and planning in IDD. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a framework for integrating and adopting these technologies at the digital design and planning phase to improve project performance. This serves as a roadmap for the adoption of digital tools in digital design and planning.

Profit evolution for residential construction projects according to project characteristics

The following research paper analyzes the evolution of financial variables considered in residential real estate projects in Quito, Ecuador. The analysis depends on the general characteristics of each project, from 2006 until the present. Specifically, the analysis relates the profitability of a series of projects with their type, total size in square meters, and general costs of construction, among other factors. For this, 344 real estate business plans were studied to obtain general information of the construction, and later categorized according to financial variables established. Usually, the initial planning of construction projects is not fully accomplished, due to such factors as the owner, design, location, or financial reasons, among others. As demonstrated, the misuse of resources has caused delays in the construction process, leading to economic loss. Essentially, the financial planning must provide a detailed explanation of the behavior of the variables affecting the proposed project's viability and financial efficiency. These variables must achieve optimal and positive annual profitability for the project to be successful. The results obtained for general and annual profitability find that general characteristics, such as type and size, affected profitability by increasing chronologically. Additionally, it was found that general profitability was most beneficial for a specific type of building and house, regarding its size, which is an essential financial factor to consider when investing or carrying out the construction of any real estate project.

Pengaruh Clash Detection Pada Proses Perencanaan Biaya Pada Laboratorium PUT

One effort to avoid repetitive work due to errors in construction project planning can be detected from the start by implementing BIM (Building Information Modeling) which can carry out collision analysis (Clash detection) in each discipline of structural work, architecture, MEP and other disciplines. Before the existence of BIM, clashes that occurred in the building construction process were one of the factors causing work costs to increase. So implementing Building Information Modeling is one effort to avoid these problems. In this research, clash detection analysis will be carried out in the PUT Lab building in the structural, architectural and MEP work disciplines. The stages carried out in this research were first carrying out 3D Modeling using Autodesk Revit software on the PUT Lab building, then carrying out clash detection analysis using Autodesk Naviswork software and calculating the cost budget plan for each job affected by clash detection. After carrying out clash detection, clashes can be found that occur in the structural, architectural and MEP work disciplines which after calculating the budget plan can save work costs of up to 80 million rupiah.

ASSESSING THE USE OF AI FOR IMPROVING SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.

Artificial intelligence is a discipline that is expanding rapidly across practically all sectors, and its applications have been shown to boost worker productivity. Businesses in the construction sector have been sluggish to adopt new technologies and AI systems, making it one of the sectors that has lagged behind in the digital age. Construction projects are special undertakings that are frequently extremely big, complicated, and safety-critical, making it challenging to bring change and necessitating the use of conventional procedures. Construction project planning involves a wide range of expertise areas and several stakeholders, all of which must be in agreement for the project to be successful. A promising technical development, artificial intelligence is predicted to significantly enhance project management for building projects. Despite these encouraging advantages, AI has not been fully investigated owing to a number of reasons, including its high implementation costs, the requirement for data preparation, the absence of AI techniques, and the lack of experienced employees. This research, which is a pioneer in this field, evaluates the potential of artificial intelligence to assist project managers and other associated professions in effectively planning and managing construction projects. In order to accomplish this goal, structured online survey questionnaires were used in a mixed method research design to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. This gave researchers an in-depth understanding of the subject and helped them identify the difficulties that professionals and organizations faced, as well as suggested ways to incorporate AI into their workflow. The research was effective in building a framework for AI specialists to use in order to create future AI solutions for construction project planning. It also proved helpful in understanding the demands of construction project professionals and organizations.

Spatiotemporal decoupling between impervious surface areas and ecosystem services.

Impervious surface area, due to its high energy storage and low permeability, hinders the cycles of material and energy between soil and atmosphere, thus affecting the sustainable supply of ecosystem services. It is of great practical significance to explore the influence of impervious surface areas on ecosystem services for territorial spatial planning and ecological construction projects. Correlation analysis and decoupling are used to explore the spatiotemporal variation and interaction between impervious surface areas and six ecosystem services in Hangzhou Bay from 1996 to 2018. The results show that different abundance levels of impervious surface areas are negatively correlated with ecosystem services, and with the increase of the impervious surface areas, the correlation coefficients with ecosystem services gradually decrease; there are mostly weak decoupling (79.2%) and strong decoupling (11.9%) between impervious surface areas and ecosystem services from 2007 to 2018, and the central areas that have achieved urbanization are mostly dominated by strong and weak decoupling, while the peripheral areas of the central cities are dominated by expansive recoupling and expansive connection. These results indicate that the loss of ecosystem services can be mitigated with the continuous advancement of urbanization and the enhancement of land use intensification. Finally, based on the aforementioned results, differentiated control suggestions are proposed, in order to provide insights for the sustainability of the urbanization of Hangzhou Bay and other cities with similar characteristics around the world.

Enhanced planning and scheduling in building construction projects: an innovative approach to overcome scheduling challenges

This article introduces an Enhanced Planning and Scheduling (EPS) approach for complex construction projects with multiple sections, offering an innovative solution to tackle existing planning and scheduling challenges. This research presents a systematic and computational approach to optimize project duration and enhance schedule reliability and productivity. The goal is to overcome the inherent limitations of traditional scheduling methods. The proposed methods have the potential to be integrated with emerging cross-industrial project management strategies to enhance planning and scheduling processes in construction. The EPS method is executed in three stages: the enhanced Milestone, Phase, and Production schedules. Fundamental elements of this methodology encompass work areas, activities categories, labor hours estimation, and planning indicators. Drawing on combinatorial optimization concepts, this study offers industry practitioners an effective, easily-implementable solution. A case study was conducted to assess the application and effectiveness of the Milestone schedule. The results showed a 40-workday reduction in project duration compared to the traditional scheduling methods in Table 4.

Core Capabilities for Achieving Sustainable Construction Project Management

In recent times, sustainability in construction has emerged as a major problem. It is now regarded as one of the essential tools for completing building projects successfully. However, regular planning Construction project methods still don't use modern methodologies. While aims beyond time and money are frequently not regarded appropriately, project management decisions frequently centre on one specific project with well-established goals, such as cost minimization and timeline maintenance. The contribution emphasizes a complex method for planning construction projects and shows how this method may be used for contemporary construction management, including sustainable building practices. Thus, planning is predicated on the idea that, initiatives typically don't happen as isolated incidents but rather as a collection of related projects.

A common data environment for value‐driven data management in German road construction

AbstractIn recent years, the BIM method has been increasingly used in pilot projects for the planning and realization of road construction projects. Due to the strong political demand to expand the applications fields of BIM, there is also an increasing demand for a common data environment (CDE), as the central component of a successful and consistent BIM application [1]. In this context, uniform requirements, which currently exist only to a limited extent, are necessary to implement and successfully use a CDE in road construction. Based on a qualitative research approach questioning employees of state road administrations and a market analysis conducted through a qualitative study with CDE suppliers, a specification book for further CDE usage in road construction is being provided. In this context, functional and non‐functional requirements must be complied in order to implement and use a CDE in road construction successfully. Future research needs to take an in‐depth look at the operational phase and the challenges that arise when most state road administrations implement a CDE area‐wide.