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Article
Publication date: 1 September 2002

Carl T. Haas and Young‐Suk Kim

Infrastructure construction has experienced significant recent advances in automation. Such advances will only accelerate in the future. They are founded on enabling technologies…

1128

Abstract

Infrastructure construction has experienced significant recent advances in automation. Such advances will only accelerate in the future. They are founded on enabling technologies such as positioning systems, advanced control methods, and graphical interfaces. This paper begins by describing the relevance of these enabling technologies to automation in infrastructure construction. It then focuses on classes of applications, including earth moving, compaction, road construction and maintenance, and trenchless technology. Because of the less regulated, relatively repetitive, and well‐financed nature of such work, it is likely to experience quicker progress than other application domains.

Details

Construction Innovation, vol. 2 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 September 2016

Shahin Karimidorabati, Carl T. Haas and Joel Gray

Current processes to manage changes are subject to failure since they are heavily dependent on human discipline. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and quantify the…

1861

Abstract

Purpose

Current processes to manage changes are subject to failure since they are heavily dependent on human discipline. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and quantify the difference between levels of automation of change management processes and to provide input for determining the use of automation systems for change management.

Design/methodology/approach

Three generations of change management processes are defined to represent progressive practices used in major capital projects over the past few decades. Discrete event simulation was used to model these processes to capture their behavior and compare their performance according to time and compliance metrics. An oil and gas megaproject served to validate the findings of this modeling and analysis.

Findings

The results showed that automated processes can bring more compliance and real-time traceability, but not a significant time reduction in the change process. This contributes to the understanding of the impact of workflow-based automation on construction process performance. The validity of the conclusions are limited by the breadth of sectors studied and the inability to capture off-line time allocations of the personnel involved. Future research may build on the work presented here by studying additional processes such as requests for information, project change notices, requests for scaffolding, and interface management in various industry sectors.

Originality/value

A new approach for modeling and evaluating construction management process automation is contributed and the specific results of the paper indicate that automated workflow-based change management processes should be implemented in megaprojects.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 23 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 April 2021

Qian Chen, Bryan T. Adey, Carl T. Haas and Daniel M. Hall

The dynamic nature and complexity of construction projects make it challenging to ensure that the engineer-to-order (ETO) materials supplied onsite match changing needs. The quick…

Abstract

Purpose

The dynamic nature and complexity of construction projects make it challenging to ensure that the engineer-to-order (ETO) materials supplied onsite match changing needs. The quick and efficient communication of required changes in material fabrication, delivery and use, due to changes in the design and construction schedules, is needed to address the challenges. This study aims to provide a novel integrated management framework with its embedded informatics to help major stakeholders efficiently absorb agility during communication to deal with required changes and improve workflows.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated management framework is developed that integrates the milestones in look-ahead plans and structured iterative processes for major supply chain stakeholders to quickly disseminate information emanating from changes in design, schedules, production and transportation. A prototype system is devised including the informatics to support the framework, which consists of BIM-RFID functional modules and a central database and uses a client-server architecture. The usefulness of the prototype is illustrated using a construction of part of a fictive but realistic high-rise building.

Findings

The integrated management framework with the informatics provides major stakeholders with the ability to coordinate their activities efficiently and stimulate their agility (measured by process time) in planning and controlling material information. Although only a fictive example was used, it is shown that the use of the system is likely to result in a substantial reduction in the time required to deal with required changes when delivering ETO materials onsite (by 18% in the example).

Research limitations/implications

The functionalities of the prototype system can be easily scaled up to coordinate changes in the design and scheduling of other types of materials. More functional developments are needed to show the extent of the possible improvement for entire construction projects. Future work should focus on investigating the possible improvements for other types and sizes of construction projects, and eventually in real-world construction projects.

Practical implications

By fitting the look-ahead plans into structured iterative processes through digital data sharing, stakeholders increased their capability to quickly capture required change information and resolve associated problems. This is particularly useful for the management of ETO supply chain processes, where prefabricated elements such as ductwork, plumbing, and mechanical systems typically have to be modified because of last-minute design and schedule changes.

Originality/value

Unlike traditional information technology (IT) based supply chain management practices, this research is characterized by a process-centered management framework that provides explicit decision points over iterative planning processes for major stakeholders to manage material information. The iterations through digital data sharing allow stakeholders to quickly respond to last-minute changes on site, which fundamentally achieves workflow agility in the construction supply chain context.

Details

Construction Innovation , vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2014

Yelda Turkan, Frédéric Bosché, Carl T. Haas and Ralph Haas

Previous research has shown that “Scan-vs-BIM” object recognition systems, which fuse three dimensional (3D) point clouds from terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) or digital…

Abstract

Purpose

Previous research has shown that “Scan-vs-BIM” object recognition systems, which fuse three dimensional (3D) point clouds from terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) or digital photogrammetry with 4D project building information models (BIM), provide valuable information for tracking construction works. However, until now, the potential of these systems has been demonstrated for tracking progress of permanent structural works only; no work has been reported yet on tracking secondary or temporary structures. For structural concrete work, temporary structures include formwork, scaffolding and shoring, while secondary components include rebar. Together, they constitute most of the earned value in concrete work. The impact of tracking secondary and temporary objects would thus be added veracity and detail to earned value calculations, and subsequently better project control and performance. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Two techniques for recognizing concrete construction secondary and temporary objects in TLS point clouds are implemented and tested using real-life data collected from a reinforced concrete building construction site. Both techniques represent significant innovative extensions of existing “Scan-vs-BIM” object recognition frameworks.

Findings

The experimental results show that it is feasible to recognise secondary and temporary objects in TLS point clouds with good accuracy using the two novel techniques; but it is envisaged that superior results could be achieved by using additional cues such as colour and 3D edge information.

Originality/value

This article makes valuable contributions to the problem of detecting and tracking secondary and temporary objects in 3D point clouds. The power of Scan-vs-BIM object recognition approaches to address this problem is demonstrated, but their limitations are also highlighted.

Details

Construction Innovation, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2003

Lynn Ann Carley, Carl T. Haas, John D. Borcherding and Paul M. Goodrum

Multiskilling refers to a labour utilization strategy in which workers learn multiple skills in one or more trades outside of their primary trade. Over 700 non‐union craft workers…

Abstract

Multiskilling refers to a labour utilization strategy in which workers learn multiple skills in one or more trades outside of their primary trade. Over 700 non‐union craft workers across the USA were surveyed as part of a research effort. The data collected show that a slight increase in the breadth of skills positively impacts a worker’s hourly wage, but only a weak relationship was found between multiskilling and more continuous employment.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 10 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 1 March 2011

Herbert Sherman, Barry Armandi and Adva Dinur

Scandia, Inc., is a commercial vessel management company located in the New York Metropolitan area and is part of a family of firms including Scandia Technical; International…

Abstract

Scandia, Inc., is a commercial vessel management company located in the New York Metropolitan area and is part of a family of firms including Scandia Technical; International Tankers, Ltd.; Global Tankers, Ltd.; Sun Maritime S.A.;Adger Tankers AS; Leeward Tankers, Inc.; Manhattan Tankers, Ltd.; and Liuʼs Tankers, S.A. The companyʼs current market niche is the commercial management of chemical tankers serving the transatlantic market with a focus on the east and gulf coast of the United States and Northern Europe. This three-part case describes the commercial shipping industry as well as several mishaps that the company and its President, Chris Haas, have had to deal with including withdrawal of financial support by creditors, intercorporate firm conflict, and employee retention. Part A, which was published in the Fall 2010 issue, presented an overview of the commercial vessel industry and set the stage for Parts B and C where the firm℉s operation is discussed.

Details

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2574-8904

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 June 2020

Qian Chen, Bryan T. Adey, Carl Haas and Daniel M. Hall

Building information modelling (BIM) and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies have been extensively explored to improve supply chain visibility and coordination of…

1603

Abstract

Purpose

Building information modelling (BIM) and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies have been extensively explored to improve supply chain visibility and coordination of material flow processes, particularly in the pursuit of Industry 4.0. It remains challenging, however, to effectively use these technologies to enable the precise and reliable coordination of material flow processes. This paper aims to propose a new workflow designed to include the use of detailed look-ahead plans when using BIM and RFID technologies, which can accurately track and match both the dynamic site needs and supply status of materials.

Design/methodology/approach

The new workflow is designed according to lean theory and is modeled using business process modeling notation. To digitally support the workflow, an integrated BIM-RFID database system is constructed that links information on material demands with look-ahead plans. The new workflow is then used to manage material flows in the erection of an office building with prefabricated columns. The performance of the new workflow is compared with that of a traditional workflow, using discrete event simulations. The input for the simulations was derived from expert opinion in semi-structured interviews.

Findings

The new workflow enables contractors to better observe on-site status and differences between the actual and planned material requirements, as well as to alert suppliers if necessary. The simulation results indicate that the new workflow has the potential to reduce the duration of the material flow processes by 16.1% compared with the traditional workflow.

Research limitations/implications

The new workflow is illustrated using a real-world-like situation with input data based on expert opinion. Although the workflow shows potential, it should be tested on a real-world site.

Practical implications

The new workflow allows project participants to combine detailed near-term look-ahead plans with BIM and RFID technologies to better manage material flow processes. It is particularly useful for the management of engineer-to-order components considering the dynamic site progress.

Originality/value

The research improves on existing research focused on using BIM and RFID technologies to improve material flow processes by showing how the workflow can be adapted to use detailed look-ahead plans. It reinforces data-driven construction material management practices through improved visibility and reliability in planning and control of material flow processes.

Article
Publication date: 5 August 2019

Yidnekachew Tesmamma Daget and Hong Zhang

The industrialized housing system (IHS) is regarded as an effective building philosophy based on off-site construction techniques to achieve rapid and cost-effective housing…

Abstract

Purpose

The industrialized housing system (IHS) is regarded as an effective building philosophy based on off-site construction techniques to achieve rapid and cost-effective housing development. The purpose of this paper is to develop a multi-criteria decision-making support system (DMSS) model for the evaluation of housing systems to select the relevant decision factors and to identify the types and characteristics of suitable IHSs for application in a mass housing development.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi-criteria DMSS model with the analytical hierarchy process was designed. Based on the literature review and also the response of the ten experts’ interviews, 30 decision factors were identified for evaluation. In addition, 5 IHSs were considered as a case study for testing the model. Then, 30 professionals participated in a questionnaire survey conducted to evaluate the priority vector importance level of the decision factors and housing systems.

Findings

The result of the decision-making process showed that the top three decision factors are customer needs, supply chain and the construction industry. In addition, both precast concrete beam and slab blocks, as well as agro stone panels are identified as suitable housing systems. The systems have the characteristics of being lightweight, easy to produce and erect, and cost-effective, and they use local input resources and semi-skilled labor. The findings also revealed the potential and practicality of the model among multiple alternatives across multiple decision factors.

Research limitations/implications

The study has faced the limitations of available professionals and experts who have rich experience in the application of IHSs. In addition, there were few types of alternative IHSs and limited practice of IHSs implementation in large-scale housing construction. These challenges caused limitations to the relevant data collection. In order to address these challenges, all the available experts from the different sectors of the construction industry with the experience of IHSs construction are invited to participate and the available alternative IHSs in the market are selected for evaluation.

Practical implications

The rational evaluation method used to determine the important decision factors and the general characteristics of the suitable housing systems can help housing developers and decision makers in developing countries to make informed and effective decisions.

Social implications

The findings of the study help to address the challenge of lack of sufficient housing supply to the overwhelming housing demand that exists and identify the most important decision factors and suitable housing systems that can be applied for the rapid and decent large-scale housing developments at an affordable price.

Originality/value

This paper bridges the knowledge gaps that exist regarding the identification and evaluation of IHSs in Ethiopia. This study can help practitioners, housing developers, and decision makers to make informed and effective decisions regarding the evaluation and selection of IHSs.

Article
Publication date: 1 November 2011

J. H. Bickford III

Previous research on classroom uses for political cartoons identified two negative trends: creative stagnation (as teachers utilized them solely for interpretation) and age…

Abstract

Previous research on classroom uses for political cartoons identified two negative trends: creative stagnation (as teachers utilized them solely for interpretation) and age limitation (as researchers suggested they fit best with gifted and older students). Recent scholarship has addressed both trends by enabling young adolescent students to creatively express newly generated understandings through construction of original political cartoons. During such authentic assessment activities, students demonstrated high levels of criticality by using effective and efficient technologies to create original political cartoons, which then elicited constructive whole class interpretative discussions. This prior research did not detail specific methodological steps that positively influenced students’ original political cartoons. This paper compares students’ original political cartoons generated from two methodological approaches that differ in two small, yet consequential steps. One teacher required students to utilize concept maps and substitution lists prior to original political cartoon construction while the other did not. Based on the collected data, these two steps enabled the former teacher’s students to more effectively incorporate intricate and complex encoded messages through the use of abstract symbolism and complementary textual statements. The findings prove meaningful for teachers and researchers interested in enabling students’ creative and critical expressions of historical thinking.

Details

Social Studies Research and Practice, vol. 6 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1933-5415

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 July 2020

Qian Chen, Daniel Mark Hall, Bryan Tyrone Adey and Carl Thomas Haas

Managing stakeholders' reciprocal interdependencies is always a challenging issue. Stakeholders need to find out different ways to communicate information and coordinate material…

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Abstract

Purpose

Managing stakeholders' reciprocal interdependencies is always a challenging issue. Stakeholders need to find out different ways to communicate information and coordinate material flows during the supply chain processes. Many recent studies have advanced construction supply chain coordination from multiple perspectives. However, the field still lacks a comprehensive analysis to summarize existing research, to explicitly identify all the possible enablers for coordination and to investigate how the enablers can be carried out at the supply chain interfaces. To fill the gap, this study aims to conduct a systematic review in order to examine the relevant literature.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review process was conducted to identify and synthesize relevant publications (published in the past 20 years) concerning the coordination of construction supply chain functions. These publications were coded to link main research findings with specific enabler categories. In addition, how these enablers can be used at the interfaces across supply chain processes was reviewed with an in-depth analysis of reciprocal communications between stakeholders at design-to-production, production-to-logistics and production-to-site-assembly phases.

Findings

The coordination enablers were classified into three categories: (1) contractual enablers (including subtopics on relational contracts and incentive models), (2) procedural enablers (including subtopics on multiagent knowledge sharing systems and the last planner system) and (3) technological enablers (including subtopics on linked databases for design coordination, design for manufacturing software platforms and automated monitoring technologies). It was found that interfacing different functions requires a certain level of integration of stakeholders for quick response and feedback processes. The integration of novel contractual forms with digital technologies, such as smart contracts, however, was not adequately addressed in the state of the art.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of the systematic review is limited to the static analysis of selected publications. Longitudinal studies should be further included to sharpen the inductions of enablers considering organizational changes and process dynamics in construction projects.

Practical implications

Different enablers for coordination were summarized in a concise manner, which provides researchers and project stakeholders with a reinforced understanding of various ways to manage reciprocal interdependencies at different supply chain interfaces.

Originality/value

This study constitutes an important input for research on the construction supply chain by illuminating the thematic topic of coordination from inductively developed review processes, which included a holistic framing of the emerging coordination enablers and their use across supply chain functions. Consequently, it closes some identified knowledge gaps and offers additional insights to improve the supply chain performance of construction projects.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 28 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

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