Application framework for safety-centric construction acceleration planning
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 24 January 2022
Issue publication date: 8 May 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Previous research regarding shaping factors and major causes behind accidents in the construction field is reviewed. In particular, a hypothetical model is established to correlate activity time, cost and safety in the context of construction activity acceleration planning. Two demonstration cases are presented to illustrate the proposed theoretical model in the context of critical activity expedition planning. Further, a third case uses a 100-activity project to perform the global level total project time and cost analysis, identifying specific activity acceleration plans that would materialize the shortened total project time at the lowest total project cost.
Design/methodology/approach
This research proposes a safety-centric application framework to guide construction acceleration planning at both activity and project levels while taking sufficient preventive measures against safety hazards and accidents. As planning construction acceleration by factoring in safety constraints inevitably drives up cost, it is imperative to control increases in activity costs at the local level in connection with schedule acceleration planning while at the same time not compromising on safety. This research also addresses this critical question through performing global level total project time and cost analysis.
Findings
An application framework is proposed for guiding a planner through identifying accident shaping factors, obeying schedule acceleration rules and accounting for safety-related costs in attempts to mitigate hazardous situations on-site at both activity level (local) and project level (global), resulting in (1) minimizing the increase of total project cost in schedule acceleration while at the same time not compromising on safety at individual activities; (2) producing specific execution plans on each individual activity in terms of the amount of time to crash and the associated activity cost.
Originality/value
This study is original in developing theories and methods for evaluating the impact of safety constraints upon construction time and cost in activity acceleration planning and project time-cost analysis. The research fills a gap in knowledge in terms of how to factor in sufficient safety constraints while achieving project time and cost objectives on construction acceleration planning at both activity and project levels.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The presented research is substantially funded by Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Future Grants Program of the Government of Alberta, Canada. The authors sincerely thank Jitender Kumar, Sasan Nasiri and Ali Bayesteh for conducting validation case studies and providing valuable first-hand information and constructive feedback to this research.
Citation
Mahdavian, S., Lu, M. and Pereira, E. (2023), "Application framework for safety-centric construction acceleration planning", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 30 No. 4, pp. 1401-1422. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-03-2021-0195
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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