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The maintainability of urban spaces has become critical with rapid urbanization to create an effective and safe environment for the increasing population. The absence of scientific studies exploring the factors that affect urban space maintainability (USM) has hindered the incorporation of maintainability aspects during the urban space planning and designing stages. This paper aims to establish critical factors for USM.

Qualitative content analysis is performed under an abductive approach to developing USM factors. A bibliometric search is conducted using databases including Scopus Elsevier, Emerald Insight, Science Direct, IEEE XPLORE and the American Society of Civil Engineers. The selected primary data set comprises journal papers on USM published after 2000. Seventy-three journal articles are selected through a comprehensive screening procedure and subjected to further analysis. The literature findings are processed via a software-assisted systematic coding and visualizing of the key data using NVivo 12 software. The coded USM factors are validated based on experts’ consensus statements by conducting an expert focus group discussion.

Twelve critical factors are established for USM; they include six design stage-related factors, one construction stage-related factor and five operational stage-related factors.

Established USM factors give an insight into the main focus areas when incorporating maintainability into urban spaces.

The authors establish a set of maintainability factors for urban spaces based on the life cycle stages. USM factors such as vegetation management, interdepartmental coordination and work zone safety draw attention to context-specific aspects of USM.

The purpose of this paper is to identify enablers for setting up relationally integrated value networks (RIVANS) for total facilities management (TFM) as a holistic approach to bridge the Project Management (PM) phase to the facilities management (FM) phase, aiming for better service delivery while optimizing the life-cycle cost. These enablers are proposed as required driving forces for the industry to bridge current gaps through RIVANS for TFM so as to improve the value of the facility and deliver better value to its stakeholders over its life span.

A literature review elicited 11 typical better values that could be achieved by suitably linking the PM and FM supply chains in general. While these were tested in parallel research exercises in Hong Kong, the UK and Singapore, this paper reports on the specific findings from Sri Lanka, where a Web-based questionnaire survey was conducted to identify potential better values for proposed relational networks (including the clients, consultants, contractors and suppliers in the supply chain). Better values were then clustered under principal domains/components using factor analysis to establish synergetic enablers.

In total, 11 significant better values for TFM were identified and four enablers were extracted as building long-term integrated networks, establishing a common resource pool linking PM and FM, enhancing sustainability of TFM and developing a similar protocol between PM and FM.

The study carried out in this paper contributes to knowledge by identifying drivers to bridge the gap between PM and FM to best achieve clients’ long-term aspirations through a holistic life-cycle approach. Furthermore, all stakeholders in TFM can revisit their practices to establish and strengthen the identified enablers.

This paper proposes strategies for adopting Industry 4.0 in achieving sustainable manufacturing, by overcoming barriers in the Sri Lankan manufacturing sector.

A conceptual model of sustainable manufacturing and Industry 4.0 was proposed based on a comprehensive literature review and validated through experts' inputs. The model was illustrated using three case studies to assess the relationships between sustainable manufacturing and Industry 4.0 in the Sri Lankan manufacturing context. Furthermore, possible strategies were proposed to overcome current barriers identified from case studies.

The case studies showcase that there is a considerable gap in Industry 4.0-enabled sustainable manufacturing in the Sri Lankan manufacturing sector due to several barriers. Thus, experts' knowledge-based strategies to overcome those barriers are proposed.

The conceptual model provides a holistic view of maturity levels of sustainable manufacturing measures directly connected with Industry 4.0 technologies. The study was limited to investigating the application of Industry 4.0 for sustainable manufacturing in leading apparel manufacturing organisations in Sri Lanka.

The conceptual model can be used as a framework to guide practitioners in implementing Industry 4.0-enabled sustainable manufacturing. The proposed strategies in addressing barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption towards sustainable manufacturing can be directly applied to achieving better sustainable manufacturing performance.

This study is an informative guide to encourage the Sri Lankan manufacturing industry to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies in achieving sustainable manufacturing, using the knowledge of relationships between Industry 4.0 and three dimensions of sustainable manufacturing, possible barriers and strategies.

Occupational stress among professionals in construction industry is increasing considerably due to faster economic development projects in many developing countries. Reportedly, construction professionals are the third most affected group after miners and police officers. Hence, the study aims to explore profession-specific occupational stressors, their impact on professional and the prevention strategies in place at an organizational level. The study is further focused to identify specific prevention strategies that can be implemented at the organizational level.

A questionnaire-based survey was performed among construction professionals such as project managers, engineers and quantity surveyors involved in large construction projects to identify occupational stress causing factors pertinent to construction professionals, their impact and occupational stress prevention strategies. Stress prevention strategies at primary, secondary and tertiary levels were analyzed to establish the stress prevention framework for large organizations.

Eleven occupational stress causing factors were identified to be significant in creating negative impact at work. Further, 13 resultant impacts of negative stress were recognized. Three primary prevention strategies, three secondary prevention strategies and a tertiary prevention approach were identified using a factor analysis to manage these occupational stresses at the organizational level.

Impact of occupational stress on construction professionals that may cause poor performance of the industry can be controlled by effectively managing and controlling the negative stresses.

Under-reporting of occupational accidents is a common problem in many countries. This is mainly because of the shortfalls in accident reporting and recording systems. Construction industry being a hazardous industry, the rate of accidents is higher compared with other industries and apparently a high rate of under-reporting. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the rate of under-reporting, significant reasons for under-reporting and identify the shortcomings in the existing accident reporting system in Sri Lanka in aiming to recommend efficient mechanisms for occupational accident recording and reporting to construction industry.

Both secondary and primary data were tapped to gather required data. The secondary data were extracted from the records available in year 2014-2015 at the office of the commissioner for workmen’s compensation and the industrial safety division of the Department of Labor (DoL) to analyze the rate of under-reporting. The primary data were obtained through expert interviews to explore the gaps in reporting system and to identify mechanisms to reduce under-reporting.

The findings revealed 80 per cent of construction accidents are under-reported. Eight gaps in the current accident recording and reporting system and key recommendations at organizational and national level for its improvements were identified.

The findings provide an insight of occupational safety and health (OSH) practices in construction industry and it can be used as an eye opening flash for safety law-makers and practitioners to revisit the existing regulations and practices.

Factory acceptance testing (FAT) in the construction industry has been severely hampered due to restrictions in cross-border travel resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, virtual FAT (vFAT) became a popular substitute for physical FAT. However, the credibility of vFAT is being questioned because it was adopted without much scrutiny. Hence, this study is aimed at investigating vFATs and re-engineering the FAT process to suit an effective vFAT environment.

A comprehensive literature search on FAT procedures was followed by two stages of expert interviews with eight leading subject experts and a case study. The findings were analysed using code-based content analysis on NVivo software.

Strengths of vFATs include “reduction in cost and time consumed”, “flexibility for more participants” and “faster orders”. Most emphasized weaknesses include “lack of reliability” and “lack of technology transfer”. vFAT has mostly increased test reliability by “improving accessibility” and has decreased reliability by “restricting physical touch and feel observation of the equipment”. A four-step vFAT process was developed with a noteworthy additional step called “Pre-FAT Meeting”.

The scope of this study is limited to the Sri Lankan construction industry. Expansion of the geographical area of focus is recommended for future studies.

The findings of this study unveil a vFAT process, which is timely and beneficial for construction practitioners to optimize and enhance the effectiveness of vFATs which are currently conducted in a disarranged manner.

The factors contributing to maintenance cost include the life‐long environmental factors that the building is exposed to during its useful life as well as parameters relating to the design, construction and maintenance processes. The performance of risk associated with these factors decides the future maintenance requirements of buildings. Ignoring these risks factors generally result in high maintenance costs. The purpose of this paper is to identify the maintainability risk factors and their implications on maintenance costs.

A survey based methodology was used to establish the risks factors of building maintainability. A sample of high‐rise buildings was selected to evaluate these risk factors that were identified through an extensive literature review and survey of substantive experts. Further, these risks factors were applied to a real case study.

A total of ten risk factors of maintainability were identified in relation to high‐rise buildings. They were analyzed using a case study and the implications on maintenance cost were evaluated. The results show that there is a considerable reduction in maintenance cost when these risks are minimized.

The research was limited to the USA and its six biggest cities. The results presented are predominantly qualitative and the results rely on extensive evaluation.

The paper provides useful information to the designers and users on the maintenance problems related to buildings. Also it highlights critical risk conditions that should be considered to minimize maintenance costs.

Concrete structures undergo early and fast deterioration, which causes defects such as cracks, water leaks and delamination, resulting from a lack of or inefficient maintenance practices. To improve this behaviour, this paper aims to develop a maintenance strategy benchmarking model for concrete structures.

Fuzzy logic toolbox on MATLAB R2018a was used to develop the proposed model and it was applied to two cases. A comprehensive literature search was done to review common concrete defects, their impact on the performance and functionality of the structure, effectiveness of maintenance strategies and previous maintenance benchmarking models. The literature findings were further validated through expert interviews which have been incorporated in the model.

Case study results show that preventive maintenance (PM), predictive maintenance (PdM) and corrective maintenance (CM) strategies are required more or less in similar combinations for maintenance of concrete roof structures. The best combination for case 1 is 36.42% PM, 35.40% PdM and 28.18% CM, and for case 2 is 35.93% PM, 35.08% PdM and 28.99% CM. According to suitability, they can be ranked as PM > PdM > CM.

This model will contribute as a comprehensive decision-making tool for building/facility managers. The findings further carry a strong message to those who practice only CM in their buildings.

A case is made for developing “Relationally Integrated Value Networks for Total Facilities Management” (RIVANS-TFM) by synergistically connecting significant stakeholders of the project management (PM) and facilities management (FM) phases to deliver substantially better value for the end users of built infrastructure. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

A structured questionnaire survey enabled identification of typically significant stakeholders in the PM and FM phases. In total, 14 key stakeholders were identified through t-test analysis in this Sri Lankan study. Semi-structured interviews unveiled relationships among the aforementioned stakeholders and the findings were used to develop the “required” RIVANS-TFM, as well as the “existing” RIVANS-TFM, using the UCINET social network analysis software package. Social network theory of relationships was applied to analyze the networks in terms of “Structural Holes” or missing links and “Brokerage Potentials.”

Structural holes analysis highlighted the existing setup to be more vulnerable to missing links than the “required”/targeted setup. Furthermore, brokerage potentials analysis revealed that owners, project managers, facility managers, maintenance engineers, main contractors, designers, principal consultants, and other specialist consultants can act as “brokers” to bridge the gaps or minimize structural holes, thereby uplifting and reinforcing the existing network to deliver better performance and value in TFM.

By revealing existing and required levels of integration of each stakeholder in RIVANS-TFM, clients are provided a great opportunity to identify the stakeholders who should be engaged more, or less – in order to best achieve clients’ long-term aspirations and project objectives. Furthermore, the findings also indicate appropriate levels of stakeholder relationships to target, in order to maintain efficient flows of information, material and services in the supply chains while enhancing TFM life-cycle values.

The aim of this research study is to develop a risk-based framework that can quantify maintainability to forecast future maintainability of a building at early stages as a decision tool to minimize increase of maintenance cost.

A survey-based approach was used to explore the risk factors in the domain of maintainability risks under tropical environmental conditions. The research derived ten risk factors based on 58 identified causes related to maintainability issues as common to high-rise buildings in tropical conditions. Impact of these risk factors was evaluated using an indicator referred to as the “maintenance score (MS)” which was derived from the “whole-life maintenance cost” involved in maintaining the expected “performance” level of the building. Further, an ensemble neural network (ENN) model was developed to model the MS for evaluating maintainability risks in high-rise buildings.

Results showed that predictions from the model were highly compatible and in the same order when compared with calculations based on actual past data. It further showed that, maintainability of buildings could be improved if the building was designed, constructed and managed properly by controlling their maintainability risks.

The ENN model was used to analyze maintainability of a high-rise building. Thus, it provides a useful tool for designers, clients, facilities managers/maintenance managers and users to analyze maintainability risks of buildings at early stages.