Construction Management Process Research Articles

Evaluation Method for Performance of Formwork Process of Construction Industry

Resource and material costs are significant proportion of total construction cost in civil and construction engineering. The purchase of these resources and materials need to coordinate with different suppliers. The selection of suppliers plays an important role in construction process management. This research will focus on delivery and try to define an index of performance of formwork process to evaluate the suppliers. Moreover, the index also provides a convenient and effective way to evaluate various suppliers′ performance of formwork process at the same time. This paper uses Boyle′s rate of tallied tolerance of index of process capability and Taguchi Loss Function as a non-dimensional equation to define an index of performance of formwork process that has the rate of as scheduled delivery as basis. In addition, this paper also refers to Vännman′s method to develop an analysis chart of performance of multi-formwork process to compare the performance of every supplier. When implementing the analysis method developed by this paper into practical examples, it is very convenient and accurate to express the relationship between the index of performance of formwork process and rate of as scheduled delivery.

Modeling the Construction Management Process to Support Situational Simulations

Construction managers are decision makers who administer nontrivial processes. The replacement of highly experienced construction managers and other construction professionals is a laborious process for the industry. This paper introduces a conceptual framework for the construction management practice that serves as the foundation for the development of situational simulations. Situational simulations are temporally dynamic clinical exercises with the objective of exposing participants to rapidly unfolding events and the pressure of decision making. The application of situational simulations provides construction managers and other decision makers the opportunity of experiencing and responding to risky events without endangering the success of real projects, further enhancing their decision-making skills. The construction management conceptual framework includes a process, a product, and an information model. The analysis of a basic mathematical representation of the process model is the focus of this paper.

Reengineering of Construction Management Process

Applying the business process engineering philosophy, this study focuses on developing a construction management process reengineering (CMPR) method to improve the efficiency of construction management. The CMPR method includes four phases, namely, process representation, process transformation, process evaluation, and reengineering activity. Using CMPR, inefficient operations within a construction company working process can not only be identified, but a new rational operation process can also be developed to improve management efficiency. In this way, the competitive ability of a construction company is also increased. This study argues for the need of a new research agenda in construction management in general. This is illustrated by information technology within construction—in particular, by examining the potential application of the reengineering philosophy. The research possibilities are identified and tested based on the implementation of the CMPR method. To some extent, this study establishes a n...

Integration of Data Warehouse into Knowledge-based System on Construction Management Decision Making

During the construction management process, an important issue is ta furnish construction managers with information about and insight inta the existing data with a view to facilitating more efficient decision making without interrupting the daily work of an on-line transaction processing system. With the recent advances in artificial Intelligence technology, the integration of data warehause into knowledge-based system (KBS) is a feasible solution. Data warehouse technology, which has not been applied to construction management, is a new database branch. It is meaningful ta experiment and gauge the full scope of its capability in this specific problem domain. This paper describes a prototype integrated KBS, which has been developed using a commercially available microcomputer-based expert system shell VISUAL RULE STUDIO, on construction management decision making. VISUAL RULE STUDIO acts as an ActlveX Designer under the Micrasoft Visual Basic programming environment, with hybrid knowledge representatian approach under object-oriented design environment. The coupling enables the right data to be tracked down and furnishes the necessary information in a direct, rapid and meaningful way. Through custom-built interactive graphical user interfaces, construction managers can view data from various perspectives with significantly reduced respanse time to queries, thus rendering more efficient decision making. Illustrative sample sessions using the system are also presented.

Process for Selecting Strategies for Rehabilitation of Rigid Pavements Under High Traffic Volumes

Many highway facilities are experiencing rapid deterioration because of high traffic volumes and service lives that have been extended beyond the facility design life. State highway agencies (SHAs) are under pressure to mitigate the resulting poor pavement conditions through maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction (MRR) work while accelerating construction, minimizing traffic disruption, reducing accident risk, and improving public acceptance. SHAs have a range of engineering processes for pavement analysis and design. These pavement-related processes focus on pavement condition and the causes of pavement distresses to identify appropriate pavement treatments. Pavement-related processes determine what is done. Traffic and construction management processes, which are non-pavement-related processes, are also commonly considered to identify how the pavement treatment is accomplished. Little information is available on how to integrate these non-pavement-related processes into the MRR strategy selection process for rigid pavements. A process that integrates both the pavement-related and the non-pavement-related aspects of MRR strategy selection is described. A framework that provides the basis for a review of the literature and the collection of data on current practices is presented. A process modeling technique is used to develop details of the selection process. Case studies were developed by using four projects to validate the process. Practical illustrations from case study projects that demonstrate several key steps of the process with respect to traffic- and construction-related issues that influence selection of the most appropriate MRR strategy for rigid pavements under high traffic volumes are presented.

Application of data warehouse and Decision Support System in construction management

How to provide construction managers with information about and insight into the existing data, so as to make decision more efficiently without interrupting the daily work of an On-Line Transaction Processing (OLTP) system is a problem during the construction management process. To solve this problem, the integration of a data warehouse and a Decision Support System (DSS) seems to be efficient. ‘Data warehouse’ technology is a new database discipline, which has not yet been applied to construction management. Hence, it is worthwhile to experiment in this particular field in order to gauge the full scope of its capability. First reviewed in this paper are the concepts of the data warehouse, On-Line Analysis Processing (OLAP) and DSS. The method of creating a data warehouse is then shown, changing the data in the data warehouse into a multidimensional data cube and integrating the data warehouse with a DSS. Finally, an application example is given to illustrate the use of the Construction Management Decision Support System (CMDSS) developed in this study. Integration of a data warehouse and a DSS enable the right data to be tracked down and provide the required information in a direct, rapid and meaningful way. Construction managers can view data from various perspectives with significantly reduced query time, thus making decisions faster and more comprehensive. The applications of a data warehousing integrated with a DSS in construction management practice are seen to have considerable potential.

A comparative evaluation of construction and manufacturing materials management

Construction materials management especially in major projects is an important and complex function in need of substantial improvements. In manufacturing, unlike in construction, the function is extensively studied, highly developed formal systems and techniques for performing it exist. The potential value of the work that has gone into that formalization, as well as the techniques produced, for resolving the need for improving materials management in construction seems evident from similarities of the function in the two industries. Although there is some awareness of it, this potential is largely unexplored. This paper reports on a study carried out to explore this potential through a comparative evaluation of construction and manufacturing materials management processes. The research reveals that materials management of manufacturing can assist in formalizing that of construction and some of the developed detailed techniques can be adapted or readily applied.

Using Colors to Detect Structural Components in Digital Pictures

This article describes a method of recognizing the presence of structural components in a digital picture taken at a construction site. The objective is to introduce image recognition into the construction management process in order to enhance the control of the performance at a construction site. The developed system can detect a component in a picture through its color and position. An algorithm capable of tracing the edges of a shape in a digital picture is introduced. A procedure to collect objects using this edge detector is presented. A complete description of procedures written in Delphi 5 to store a set of objects detected in a picture is included. The component‐recognition engine presented in this article is an important part of a system called PHOTO‐NET that was designed to monitor progress in a construction site and as such constitutes a unique application in the context of construction management.

SPICE: a business process diagnostics tool for construction projects

The construction sector is under growing pressure to increase productivity and improve quality, most notably in reports by Latham (1994, Constructing the Team, HMSO, London) and Egan (1998, Rethinking Construction, HMSO, London). A major problem for construction companies is the lack of project predictability. One method of increasing predictability and delivering increased customer value is through the systematic management of construction processes. However, the industry has no methodological mechanism to assess process capability and prioritise process improvements. Standardized Process Improvement for Construction Enterprises (SPICE) is a research project that is attempting to develop a stepwise process improvement framework for the construction industry, utilizing experience from the software industry, and in particular the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), which has resulted in significant productivity improvements in the software industry. This paper introduces SPICE concepts and presents the results from two case studies conducted on design and build projects. These studies have provided further in‐sight into the relevance and accuracy of the framework, as well as its value for the construction sector.

A concept of space for building classification, product modelling, and design

Information about a building's spaces is of interest in every stage of the construction and facility management processes. An organisation 1 In this text, the term `user organisation' denotes the users of a building, their activities and the equipment used. 1 or enterprise is located in and uses the building's spaces, and many of the building's spatial properties are determined on the basis of the user organisation's requirements. The definition of the concept “space” as applied in information systems for building classification and building product modelling today is unclear. A fundamental problem is to reconcile a material and construction method viewpoint with a space-centred viewpoint. In order to enable communication among actors and computer systems in the construction process, the concepts used in model development and the corresponding terms have to be formally defined and standardised. In this article, we analyse the concept of space and suggest a comprehensive definition for the construction context. The identification of a space in a building is based on a spatial view. We introduce the concept of aspectual unit and show how this concept can be used to integrate different aspect views in a conceptual schema. Additionally, we define the user organisation as a thing, which is separate from the building and has spatial properties of its own, so-called “activity spaces”. Finally, we show how space may be represented in a comprehensive conceptual schema.

SPICE: a business process diagnostics tool for construction projects

The construction sector is under growing pressure to increase productivity and improve quality, most notably in reports by Latham (1994, Constructing the Team, HMSO, London) and Egan (1998, Rethinking Construction, HMSO, London). A major problem for construction companies is the lack of project predictability. One method of increasing predictability and delivering increased customer value is through the systematic management of construction processes. However, the industry has no methodological mechanism to assess process capability and prioritise process improvements. Standardized Process Improvement for Construction Enterprises (SPICE) is a research project that is attempting to develop a stepwise process improvement framework for the construction industry, utilizing experience from the software industry, and in particular the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), which has resulted in significant productivity improvements in the software industry. This paper introduces SPICE concepts and presents the results from two case studies conducted on design and build projects. These studies have provided further in‐sight into the relevance and accuracy of the framework, as well as its value for the construction sector.

COMPUTER GRAPHICS ANIMATION FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Computer graphics animation systems provide the ability to integrate on-site engineers* expertise into design systems as well as construction management processes. Computer graphics animation improves coordination and communication among engineering, construction and client organizations. The expedited communication leads to a substantial improvement of quality and productivity in the AEC industry. Computer graphics animation makes it possible to move through the design objects and view the proposed facility interactively in virtual environment. In this way, all participants can work as a team beyond their specific interests. A collaborative work environment is created. The paper introduces the application of computer graphics animation as a tool for the construction management in terms of computer integrated construction, evaluates the role and proposes recommendations for the application. Several pilot trials have been implemented on a dam construction project, on a currently on-going industrial district readjustment project in Osaka, Japan, and on a highway reconstruction project in Kobe. * Member of JSCE, Konoike Construction Co.,Ltd. 3-6-1 Kitakyuhoji-machi, chuo-ku, Osaka 541, Japan ** Member of JSCE, Dr. of Eng. , Professor, Kumamoto University

The construction and development of a library building: Moi University library/faculty building

The management of building development and construction processes in various environments is not similar because of the magnitude, functions, location, materials used, cost and of course use of the building. Similarly, building processes depend on the magnitude of financial involvement, the management of the building process, architecture, construction processes and environmental factors associated with location, politics, economics and culture. Provides a background to and outlines the problems of a building process in which the two authors have participated. Addresses the roles of management/organization/client, the building management committee and donor agency in the management of the building process and evaluates the overall achievement of the construction objectives. Observes that the client should be involved in the construction process at all stages and levels to monitor progress and that any consultancy appointment should involve experts familiar with the construction environment and should include a local consultant. It is equally important to equip the project manager with the necessary knowledge and resources to facilitate a resourceful contribution to the project. Suggests that the information in this paper may interest those involved with similar projects elsewhere.

Procurement: A comparative analysis of construction management and traditional building processes

The authors studied the construction management process in such a way as to be able to compare the results with earlier studies of the traditional process. They found that the construction management process solves some of the problems of the traditional process but creates others, particularly when there is a difference between levels of sophistication of the various participants.

Case explorations in construction conflict management

Empirical data from recent studies on conflict in construction projects are presented and discussed. Views of conflict management, collected during interviews with a wide range of practitioners, serve to highlight the importance of conflict as a major component in project management strategy in the construction industry. The occurrence of conflict is shown to be a common and often poorly managed phenomenon in modern construction projects, despite real progress in the organization and administration of construction projects. The research demonstrates a need to re-evaluate construction management processes in order to shift the distribution of conflict occurrences from one that peaks during construction to one that peaks in the earlier formative stages of design when the output of conflict is more likely to be creative and complementary to the overall project aims.

Construction Management: MARTA in Retrospect

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) System is a heavy rail, rapid transit system superimposed on the existing fabric of the Atlanta urban area. The MARTA program presented a unique opportunity to assess changes in the construction management process during a major project characterized by repetitive type contracts and a stable management group. A contract packaging approach was used to break the contract work into biddable packages, large enough to attract major national construction contractors, but small enough to provide real competition. A claims review board was established to process contractors' claims expeditiously. A list of practical management suggestions, compiled as a result of the experience gained from the MARTA construction management program, is included.

Studying the client's role in construction management

Construction industry researchers tend to oversimplify the role of the client in the construction management process. This partly results from the propensity of researchers to use ‘broadcast’ survey method approaches which typically achieve shallow penetration of the client's world. Obtaining access to critical data involves a different relationship between researcher and client. When the client is seen as complex rather than unitary, the history and prehistory of the project loom large. What has occurred in the past can have a crucial effect on the operations of the project team assembled to manage the construction. A pilot study to test the feasibility of obtaining valid information from building clients is described. Twenty ‘points’ or hypotheses about the client's role in construction management are advanced and are to be tested in a forthcoming major study.

THE USE OF SIMULATION MODELS IN CONSTRUCTION.

Keywords UMIST SIMULATION, MODELS, CONSTRUCTION, STOCHASTIC, TECHNIQUES, MANAGEMENT, DISCRETE, EVENTS, DIGITAL, MODELLING, COMPUTERS, SYSTEMS, LANGUAGES, SCHEMATIC, SYMBOLS, REPRESENTATIVE, DIAGRAMS, EXCAVATING, SENSITIVITY, ANALYSIS, CONCRETE, MIXING, DISTRIBUTION, DESIGN, CONTRACTS, METHODS, RESEARCH, INTERACTIVE, BUILDING, EVALUATION, ECONOMICS... Show All

Construction Management: Traditional versus Bureaucratic Methods

This article compares older traditional methods of management in the construction industry with newer, more bureaucratic methods. The theme of the article is that bureaucratic management techniques in construction has an ineffective impact on the construction work. The article outlines the construction work process and traditional styles of construction management. It then examines how the new techniques of computer programming and large staffing have resulted in inefficiencies and irrationalities in attempts to control the construction work process. In the discussion portion of the article the data are related to the notion that human interrelationships are the primary resources in any work organization and, this being especially true for the construction industry, reliance on authoritarian, mechanistic techniques in management results in failure in the attempts of management to control the work process. The author of the article is a construction engineer with twenty-five years experience in the construction industry. He compares his previous experiences as a project manager and project engineer with methods on his present project, a 200 million dollar research and engineering center for one of the major industrial corporations in the United States. The author is currently the chief engineer on his construction project.

Education for the Professional Construction Manager

The definition of the professional construction manager, as recently adopted, is reviewed and examined. Needed skills and knowledge implicit in the definition are identified. The current state-of-the-art in construction education is explored with specific reference to its applicability to the professional construction manager. A case study is made of an existing construction manager organization, through examination of the education and experience backgrounds of its key personnel. Consideration is given to the various methods by which the professional construction manager may acquire or develop the needed skills. Conclusions are drawn as to need for educational developments to support and advance the professional construction management process.