Multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) is considered as a complex decision-making (DM) tool involving both quantitative and qualitative factors. In recent years, several MCDM techniques and approaches have been suggested to choosing the optimal probable options. The purpose of this article is to systematically review the applications and methodologies of the MCDM techniques and approaches. This study reviewed a total of 393 articles published from 2000 to 2014 in more than 120 peer reviewed journals (extracted from Web of Science). According to experts’ opinion, these articles were grouped into 15 fields. Furthermore, these articles were categorised based on authors, publication date, name of journals, methods, tools, and type of research (MCDM utilising research, MCDM developing research, and MCDM proposing research). The results of this study indicated that in 2013 scholars have published articles more than in other years. In addition, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method in the individual tool...

/pdf/multiple-criteria-decision-making-techniques-and-their-1j6wsyweg7.pdf

Multiple criteria decision-making techniques and their applications – a review of the literature from 2000 to 2014

https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/preview/909609/1.%20ADVEI-D-16-00028R2.pdf

Big Data in the construction industry

Rapid advancement of technology continues to leverage change and innovation in the construction industry. Continued digitization of the industry offers the opportunity to totally reinvent contemporary construction design and delivery practice for future development. Building Information Modelling (BIM) within the context of Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) has been developing since the early 2000s and is considered to be a key technology. Despite major technical advancements in BIM, it has not been fully adopted and its definitive benefits have not been fully capitalized upon by industry stakeholders. The lack of widespread uptake of BIM appears to be linked to the risks and challenges that are potentially impeding its effectiveness. This paper aims to discuss the reality of BIM, its widespread benefits and current level of uptake. The risks and challenges associated with the adoption of BIM, as well as recommendations regarding how future BIM adoption could be developed are also highlighted.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) uptake: Clear benefits, understanding its implementation, risks and challenges

Enhancing environmental sustainability over building life cycles through green BIM: A review

https://repositorio.unican.es/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10902/6160/A%20review%20of%20application%20of%20multi-criteria%20decision%20making%20methods%20in%20construction.pdf?sequence=1

A review of application of multi-criteria decision making methods in construction

The probability of schedule overruns for construction and engineering projects can be ascertained using a ‘best fit’ probability distribution from an empirical distribution. The statistical characteristics of schedule overruns occurring in 276 Australian construction and engineering projects were analysed. Skewness and kurtosis values revealed that schedule overruns are non-Gaussian. Theoretical probability distributions were then fitted to the schedule overrun data; including the Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Anderson–Darling and Chi-Squared non-parametric tests to determine the ‘Goodness of Fit’. A Four Parameter Burr probability function best described the behaviour of schedule overruns, provided the best overall distribution fit and was used to calculate the probability of a schedule overrun being experienced. The statistical characteristics of contract size and schedule overruns were also analysed, and the Wakeby ( AU$101 m) models provided the best distribution fits and were used to calculate schedule overrun probabilities by contract size.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1057%2Fjors.2013.29.pdf

Probability distribution fitting of schedule overruns in construction projects

Selection of optimal roofing materials is very important but it is a complex and onerous task as varieties of materials are available for housing roof construction. In order to select suitable materials, an extensive range of criteria would need to be considered. This paper presents the framework and the development of a knowledge-based decision support system for material selection implemented in roofing material selection domain, called 'Knowledge-based Decision Support system for roofing Material Selection and cost estimating' (KDSMS). It was developed to facilitate the selection of optimal materials for different roof sub elements. The system consists of a database and knowledge base that is equipped with an inference engine. The former is used to store different types of roofing materials with assigned attribute values. The later is used to hold qualitative and quantitative knowledge which were collected from domain experts and other technical literatures such as building regulations, price guide book and product catalogues. The proposed system employs the TOPSIS (Technique of ranking Preferences by Similarity to the Ideal Solution) multiple criteria decision making method to solve materials selection and optimisation problem. This study utilised the available roofing materials in the UK housing market in developing the system reported. The main contribution of the developed system is that it provides a tool for the architects, quantity surveyors or self house builder to select optimal materials from a wide array of possibilities for different roof sub elements and also to estimate the conceptual cost for the roof element in the early stage of building design.

Product-cost modelling approach for the development of a decision support system for optimal roofing material selection

One of the major methods of managing construction risks in the Nigerian construction industry is the insurance method. On the basis of data from some selected construction sites in Nigeria, this paper evaluates the effectiveness of the method. Also it identifies, through a questionnaire survey, the various insurable construction risks perceived to be encountered in the Nigerian construction industry and the types of insurance policy employed in managing them. High importance is placed by the construction industry on site security, construction risk, and health and welfare requirements, and the use of an all-risk insurance policy is the most prominent method for managing the identified risks. Finally it is concluded that there is a correlation between insured sum and actual replacement cost when there are losses or damages. However, the insurance claims settled could cater for only 61.1% of the replacement cost of on-going construction works studied.

/pdf/an-evaluation-of-the-use-of-insurance-in-managing-3sgnbvxrat.pdf

An evaluation of the use of insurance in managing construction risks

Previous attempts have been made to model cash flow forecast at the tender stage using net cash flow, value flow and cost flow approaches Despite these efforts, significant variations between the actual and modelled forecasts were still observable The main cause identified is the issue of risk inherent in construction Using the cost flow approach, a model is developed to assess the impacts of risk occurring during the construction stage on the initial forecast cost flow A questionnaire survey and case study approach were employed As a first step, a questionnaire survey was administered to UK construction contractors to determine the significant risk factors impacting on their cost flow forecast Using mean ranking analysis, the survey yielded 11 significant risk factors The second stage of data collection involves the collection of forecast and actual cost flow data from case study projects to establish their variations at predetermined time periods Using the significant risk factors identified in 

Artificial neural network cost flow risk assessment model

Bills of quantities have been documented to exist in some form or another as far back aswhen the Egyptian pyramids were being constructed. In spite of that age long history, thebills of quantities (BOQ) seems to be the most misinterpreted aspects of buildingdocumentation today. The pros and cons of the bills of quantities have been deliberatedon for many years and have generated strongly held and differing views. Whilst this isrecognised, the essence of this study is to evaluate the reliability of bills of quantities inbuilding project procurement. The study was carried out using secondary data from somerecently completed building projects within the Northern Ireland construction industry.Using secondary data from completed projects, the budgetary reliability of the bills ofquantities in building project procurement was investigated. Data analysis was carried outusing percentage deviation of final account figures from the bills of quantities. Furtheranalyses were carried out using root mean square deviation and relative mean absolutedeviation methods of analyses. Results showed that the budgetary reliability of the billsof quantities seems to vary depending on project types. Whilst a deviation of -3 to 4%was obtained on housing projects analysed, the deviation on educational projects wasbetween -4 and 17% whist on commercial project, it came out to be between -20 and 20%and in the case of refurbishment projects, a deviation of between -11 and 37% wasobtained. This seems to suggest that the more complex a project is, the less reliable it is touse the BOQ to guarantee cost certainty.

Henry Odeyinka

Papers

Probability distribution fitting of schedule overruns in construction projects

Product-cost modelling approach for the development of a decision support system for optimal roofing material selection

An evaluation of the use of insurance in managing construction risks

Artificial neural network cost flow risk assessment model

An Evaluation of The Budgetary Reliability of Bills of Quantities In Building Procurement