Showing papers in "Journal of Construction Engineering and Management-asce in 2013"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors performed an in-depth analysis of the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders in managing cost overruns in the Australian construction industry, and found that robust control procedures and adequate programming, along with efficient design and effective site management are the most critical factors.
Abstract: The subject of poor cost performance has been widely published in the mainstream project and construction management literature. Nevertheless, the underlying responsibilities of the key stakeholders (clients, consultants, and contractors) in managing this chronic problem in the Australian construction industry remain unclear. By performing an in-depth analysis of the roles and responsibilities of these key stakeholders, this research is intended to unfold the industrywide perception of cost performance being heavily reliant on the contractor's performance alone. Based on a thorough literature review and relevant industry inputs, 73 attributes associated with cost performance were identified for investigation. Based on the relative importance weighing technique on 48 selected attributes, planning and scheduling deficiencies have the highest impact on cost performance from clients, consultants, and contractors' perspectives. Confirmatory factor analy- sis on the combined responses across all three groups suggests that robust control procedures and adequate programming, along with efficient design and effective site management, are the most critical factors. These factors are primarily associated with the responsibilities of contractors and consultants for managing cost overruns in projects. However, the client's responsibility in facilitating effective management of these factors within the project environment is crucial. Multivariate regression analysis performed on eight factors' scores highlighted the influence offive significant factors (p < 5%) on managing cost overruns. The findings are expected to abridge a significant knowledge gap by shifting the priorities in cost estimation and management practices across all industry sectors. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862 .0000621. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
258 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a survey was conducted to determine the existing trends of BIM application in general as well as its use as a tool in sustainable design and construction and the survey results indicated that although the majority of the respondents believed that sustainable design practices were of impor...
Abstract: The use of building information modeling (BIM) has provided a means of increasing total project quality, providing accurate quantity take-offs, and improving scheduling, consequently diminishing total project contingencies and costs. Although BIM is a recent development, a lot of research has been conducted in order to further enhance the capabilities of BIM in design and construction. However, there has been very little research done so far on the effect that BIM has on sustainable construction practices. Hence, the goal of this research is to investigate the perceptions of the use of BIM for sustainable design and construction among designers and constructors. A survey was developed and administered through the Internet to determine the existing trends of BIM application in general as well as its use as a tool in sustainable design and construction. The survey results indicated that although the majority of the respondents believed that sustainable design and construction practices were of impor...
233 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the performance of integrated project delivery (IPD) projects compared to projects delivered using the more traditional design-bid-build, design-build and construction management at-risk systems and showed statistically significant improvements for IPD.
Abstract: Integrated project delivery (IPD) is an emerging construction project delivery system that collaboratively involves key participants very early in the project timeline, often before the design is started. It is distinguished by a multiparty contractual agreement that typically allows risks and rewards to be shared among project stakeholders. Because IPD is becoming increasingly popular, various organizations are expressing interest in its benefits to the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) industry. However, no research studies have shown statistically significant performance differences between IPD and more established delivery systems. This study fills that missing gap by evaluating the performance of IPD projects compared to projects delivered using the more traditional design-bid-build, design-build, and construction management at-risk systems, and showing statistically significant improvements for IPD. Relevant literature was analyzed, and a data collection instrument was developed an...
232 citations
TL;DR: The concept mapping research method was applied to develop this framework on the basis of input from 25 experts in academia, industry, and government as mentioned in this paper, and Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses were used to organize the experts' input into six categories defining social sustainability in construction projects: stakeholder engagement, user considerations, team formation, man- agement considerations, impact assessment, and place context.
Abstract: This research identifies 50 processes and categorizes them into a framework for integrating and evaluating social considerations in construction projects. These processes focus on the planning and design phases because they offer the greatest potential for influencing project performance. The concept mapping research method was applied to develop this framework on the basis of input from 25 experts in academia, industry, and government. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses were used to organize the experts' input into six categories defining social sustainability in construction projects: stakeholder engagement, user considerations, team formation, man- agement considerations, impact assessment, and place context. Although previous research has recognized social sustainability as a series of processes, this study is the first to integrate them into a comprehensive framework. Practitioners can benefit from this framework, which will enhance existing sustainability assessment methods and help address the challenge of developing truly sustainable projects. This framework also provides academics with a tool for introducing students to social sustainability in construction projects. Future research could use this framework as a baseline, developing metrics using the processes included in the framework. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000566. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Sustainable development; Social factors; Design; Planning; Construction; Safety. Author keywords: Sustainable development; Social factors; Design; Planning; Construction; Safety.
219 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors aim to derive the critical success factors (CSFs) for four questions commonly asked by companies in the first wave of BIM adoption: (1) What are the CSFs for adopting BIM in a company? (2)What are theCSFs for selecting projects to deploy BIM, and (3) what are the CFSs for selecting BIM services? (4) CFSS for selecting company-appropriate BIM software applications.
Abstract: Suggestions abound for successful adoption of building information modeling (BIM); however, a company with limited resources cannot adopt them all. The factors that have top management priority for successful accomplishment of a task are termed critical success factors (CSFs). This paper aims to derive the CSFs for four questions commonly asked by companies in the first wave of BIM adoption: (1) What are the CSFs for adopting BIM in a company? (2) What are the CSFs for selecting projects to deploy BIM? (3) What are the CSFs for selecting BIM services? (4) What are the CSFs for selecting company-appropriate BIM software applications? A list of consideration factors was collected for each question, based on a literature review, and then refined through face-to-face interviews based on experiences of BIM experts. An international survey was conducted with leading BIM experts. From the 206 distributed surveys, 52 responses from four continents were collected. This study used quantitative data analysis...
209 citations
TL;DR: A mixed-methods research approach was used to identify and define elements of the safety management process that can be measured and monitored during the construction phase, and to describe resource requirements for measurement, monitoring, and response, and specific management actions required when any indicator fails to satisfy a desired value.
Abstract: When constructing and updating the built environment, ensuring the safety of all parties involved is of utmost importance. Traditionally, safety has been measured and managed reactively, where actions are taken in response to adverse trends in injuries. Alternatively, safety-related practices can be measured during the construction phase to trigger positive responses before an injury occurs. Despite the potential benefits of such strategies, few have been identified in the literature and there has yet to be an organized effort to codify and investigate these methods. A mixed-methods research approach was used to (1) clearly identify and define elements of the safety management process that can be measured and monitored during the construction phase, (2) describe resource requirements for measurement, monitoring, and response, and (3) describe specific management actions required when any indicator fails to satisfy a desired value. To produce internally and externally valid and reliable results, da...
174 citations
TL;DR: The goal of this research was to compile a framework for BIM education that lays out the necessary topics and the levels of achievement required at each stage of degree programs.
Abstract: As building information modeling (BIM) becomes increasingly standard practice in the construction industry, universities providing construction engineering and management education seek to incorporate BIM concepts and skills in their degree programs. The goal of this research was to compile a framework for BIM education that lays out the necessary topics and the levels of achievement required at each stage of degree programs. Industry’s requirements for graduate engineers were elicited through surveys, workshops, analyses of job advertisements, and in-depth interviews. An outline of 39 topics in three broad classifications was established. Targets for competency in each topic were developed using the cognitive domain of Bloom’s taxonomy, which expresses the learning objectives on six levels (from understand to evaluate). Gap analysis, which compared the state of the art in leading universities to industry requirements, led to the compilation of a framework for the development of BIM content for un...
162 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive list of construction-safety strategies from relevant literature and supplementing it with input from an expert panel is presented, with interviews with representatives from 57 projects in the United States to determine which strategies were implemented on each project.
Abstract: The construction industry has experienced a great deal of safety improvement after the Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970. In the last twenty years, improvements have been made largely due to safety interventions that exceed compliance with government regulations. Researchers have long attempted to identify the most effective safety programs. However, studies in the past focused only on a small subset of potential injury-prevention options. In addition, to date, there has yet to be a study that documents a comprehensive list of safety strategies implemented by industry-leading companies. This research addresses this knowledge gap by creating a comprehensive list of construction-safety strategies from relevant literature and supplementing it with input from an expert panel. Once the strategies were identified (n=104), the research team conducted interviews with representatives from 57 projects in the United States to determine which strategies were implemented on each pr...
141 citations
TL;DR: The statistical characteristics of cost overruns experienced from contract award in 276 Australian construction and engineering projects were analyzed in this article, where the skewness and kurtosis values of the cost overrun are computed to determine if the empirical distribution of the data follows a normal distribution.
Abstract: The statistical characteristics of cost overruns experienced from contract award in 276 Australian construction and engineering projects were analyzed The skewness and kurtosis values of the cost overruns are computed to determine if the empirical distribution of the data follows a normal distribution The Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Anderson-Darling, and chi-squared nonparametric tests are used to determine the goodness of fit of the selected probability distributions A three-parameter Frechet probability function is found to describe the behavior of cost overruns and provide the best overall distribution fit The Frechet distribution is then used to calculate the probability of a cost overrun being experienced The statistical characteristics of contract size and cost overruns were also analyzed The Cauchy (
139 citations
TL;DR: This paper presents an analytical and quantitative comparison of photogrammetic, videogrammetric, and time-of-flight-based methods with respect to accuracy, quality, time efficiency, and cost.
Abstract: As-built spatial data are useful in many construction-related applications, such as quality control and progress monitoring. These data can be collected using a number of imaging and time-o...
129 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an empirical inquiry into the relationship between safety and quality, testing the null hypothesis that there is no statistical relationship among quality performance indicators and safety performance indicators, was conducted.
Abstract: It is well established that the project cost, quality, safety, and duration are the four critical elements that contribute to project success. Past literature has established theoretical relationships between construction safety and quality on the basis of opinions of industry experts. This is the first empirical inquiry into the relationship between safety and quality, testing the null hypothesis that there is no statistical relationship among quality performance indicators and safety performance indicators. To test this hypothesis, empirical data were collected from 32 building construction projects, ranging in scope from $50,000 to $300 million dollars. Several quality metrics (e.g., cost of rework per $1M project scope and rate of rework per 200,000 worker-hours) were used as predictor variables and first aid and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable injury rates were used as response variables. Linear regressions among the predictor and response variables showed that...
TL;DR: In this paper, critical success factors (CSFs) are used to support and measure the success of a strategic and tactical approach to project execution with the intent of ensuring success of the project.
Abstract: Critical success factors (CSFs) are used to support and measure the success of a strategic and tactical approach to project execution with the intent of ensuring the success of the project ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed an anatomy of construction disputes, identifying the key factors contributing to the happening of construction dispute, and providing an example on the use of the anatomy through a dispute occurrence likelihood evaluation exercise.
Abstract: Disputes have been identified as one of the epidemics of the construction industry. Many studies have found that risks, uncertainties, inadequate contract documentation, and behavioral factors are notable dispute sources. Many have described disputes with reference to the subject matter. This approach is pragmatic but has not yet lead to any form of conceptualization. The study contributes to the construction dispute research domain in (1) proposing an anatomy of construction disputes, (2) identifying the key factors contributing to the happening of construction disputes, and (3) providing an example on the use of the anatomy through a dispute occurrence likelihood evaluation exercise. The proposed anatomy distinguishes two types of construction dispute: contractual and speculative. Contract incompleteness is the root cause and underpins both types of construction disputes. In addition, task and people factors fuel contractual and speculative disputes, respectively. The proposed anatomy is arrange...
TL;DR: In this article, an improved AHP (IAHP) is proposed to improve CM consistency by using a sorting and ranking methodology, and the results of comparing AHP with IAHP by MATLAB simulation show that IAHP is more suitable for solving MCDM problems when the number of elements or factors is 5 or more.
Abstract: The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach has been widely used in multicriteria decision making (MCDM). It is very difficult to meet the consistency requirement of a comparison matrix (CM) in AHP. The authors analyze the reasons for inconsistent CM in AHP and propose an improved AHP (IAHP) to improve CM consistency by using a sorting and ranking methodology. The results of comparing AHP with IAHP by MATLAB simulation show that IAHP is more suitable for solving MCDM problems when the number of elements or factors is 5 or more in MCDM. A case study is presented to illustrate the performance of IAHP when applied to risk iden- tification during an open-cut subway construction. The application results show that IAHP is superior to AHP in terms of CM consistency, information extraction effectiveness, and convenience in practical implementation. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000605. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Risk management; Construction management; Statistics. Author keywords: Risk identification; Analytic hierarchy process (AHP); Improved analytic hierarchy process; Construction management; Quantitative analysis; Statistical analysis.
TL;DR: In this article, the mediating role of communication in the trust-project performance relationship was investigated and effective information flow was found to be the versatile mediator of the trust relationship among all of the significant mediation models.
Abstract: Project performance is often regarded as the ultimate indicator of project success. Trust is considered the most important catalyst for performance. Thus, trust and project performance is intrinsically linked. Construction project development involves extensive information exchanges. Timely and effective transfer of relevant information is critical in view of the mutual dependent nature of construction activities. Effective communication reduces dispute arising from misunderstanding. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the mediating role of communication in the trust-performance relationship. Five significant mediation models were identified. Effective information flow is found to be the versatile mediator of the trust-project performance relationship among all of the significant models. This implies that the improvement of information flow would likely achieve satisfactory performance.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored ways to prevent unsafe acts of workers and reduce the likelihood of construction accidents occurring by identifying the significant behavior and condition factors and their impacts on accident types.
Abstract: Unsafe acts of workers (e.g., misjudgment or inappropriate operation) become the major root causes of construction accidents when they are combined with unsafe working conditions (e.g., work surface conditions or weather) on a construction site. The overarching goal of the research presented in this paper is to explore ways to prevent unsafe acts of workers and reduce the likelihood of construction accidents occurring. The study specifically aims to (1) understand the relationships between human behavior related and working condition related risk factors, (2) identify the significant behavior and condition factors and their impacts on accident types (e.g., struck by/against, caught in/between, falling, shock, inhalation/ingestion/absorption, or respiratory failure) and injury severity (e.g., fatality, hospitalized, or nonhospitalized), and (3) analyze the fundamental accident-injury relationship on how each accident type contributes to the injury severity. The study reviewed 9,358 accidents that o...
TL;DR: The experiments showed that BIM should be introduced not only as a topic in its own right, but more importantly, also as a tool for performing the engineering tasks taught within design, analysis, and management courses.
Abstract: The construction industry needs graduate engineers with knowledge and skills in building information modeling (BIM). A detailed set of 39 topics required for BIM competence in construction management, together with specific targets for competency in each topic, was recently compiled on the basis of research into the needs of industry. However, only a handful of universities have introduced BIM topics into their curricula for construction engineering and management (CEM) students. A set of guidelines for the integration of BIM topics into CEM curricula has been developed and tested at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The BIM education interventions in four out of seven courses were planned, implemented, and evaluated over three semesters. The experiments showed that BIM should be introduced not only as a topic in its own right, but more importantly, also as a tool for performing the engineering tasks taught within design, analysis, and management courses. Further, knowledge of the soft ...
TL;DR: In this paper, a maturity assessment of enterprise risk management (ERM) adoption in construction firms is presented, which helps them to identify weak areas of their ERM implementatio.
Abstract: Construction firms have been seen as prime candidates for enterprise risk management (ERM) adoption The ERM maturity assessment helps them to identify weak areas of their ERM implementatio
TL;DR: Several cutting-edge computer vision algorithms are integrated with spatiotemporal information, and background knowledge to develop a framework, called server-customer interaction tracker (SCIT), which recognizes and measures the dirt loading cycles.
Abstract: Real-time monitoring of heavy equipment can help practitioners improve machine-intensive and cyclic earthmoving operations. It can also provide reliable data for future planning. Surface ea...
TL;DR: In this paper, a structural equation model is tested on data collected by means of a survey administered to construction owners to identify methods to minimize the transaction costs borne by the construction owner.
Abstract: The actual cost of a construction project is comprised of not only production costs, but also transaction costs. Transaction costs include but are not limited to the costs of preparing the bidding package, estimating, drawing up a contract, administering the contract, and dealing with any deviations from contract conditions. Transaction costs constitute an important part of the construction owner’s budget. However, understanding transaction costs is difficult because of the inconsistency and ambiguity in defining transaction costs in the literature. The objective of this paper is to identify methods to minimize the transaction costs borne by the construction owner. A structural equation model is tested on data collected by means of a survey administered to construction owners. The findings indicate that the transaction costs borne by the owner can be minimized if the owner minimizes the uncertainties inherent in the transaction environment by (1) ensuring the engineering design is as complete as p...
TL;DR: The aim of this research is to empirically measure the benefits of BIM as a learning tool in real-life construction tasks and to identify the learning curves of two situations—construction tasks with and construction tasks without BIM.
Abstract: Over the past years, people’s understanding of building information modeling (BIM) in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry has improved significantly. Building information modeling can be diversely recognized as a virtual design and construction environment, a communication vehicle among stakeholders, a lifelong information model, or an education platform that can be used in universities and colleges. Building information modeling can also be used as a learning tool that can aid project teams in familiarizing themselves with a construction task before commencement of the task on-site. Yet, little effort has been made to measure the benefits of this kind. The aim of this research is to empirically measure the benefits of BIM as a learning tool in real-life construction tasks. The learning curves of two situations—construction tasks with and construction tasks without BIM—are identified by following a series of analytical processes. The two learning curves are compared and ...
TL;DR: In this paper, a questionnaire survey was conducted in the repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition (RMAA) sector in Hong Kong and three safety climate factors of the RMAA works were identified: (1) management commitment to occupational health and safety (OHS) and em...
Abstract: The accident record of the repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition (RMAA) sector has been alarmingly high; however, research in the RMAA sector remains limited. Unsafe behavior is considered one of the key causes of accidents. Thus, the organizational factors that influence individual safety behavior at work continue to be the focus of many studies. The safety climate, which reflects the true priority of safety in an organization, has drawn much attention. Safety climate measurement helps to identify areas for safety improvement. The current study aims to identify safety climate factors in the RMAA sector. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the RMAA sector in Hong Kong. Data were randomly split into the calibration and the validation samples. The RMAA safety climate factors were determined by exploratory factor analysis on the calibration sample. Three safety climate factors of the RMAA works were identified: (1) management commitment to occupational health and safety (OHS) and em...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a more accurate and frequent construction progress tracking method for project systems such as cost, schedule control, and billing, which is based on the conventional progress track.
Abstract: Accurate and frequent construction progress tracking provides critical input data for project systems such as cost, schedule control, and billing Unfortunately, conventional progress track
TL;DR: In this article, the authors conducted a survey of senior and mid-level managers in the building sector to understand the reasons and benefits of using the Last Planner System of Production Control (LPS).
Abstract: The number of construction project managers initializing the use of the Last Planner System of Production Control (LPS), an operating system for project management designed to optimize work flow and promote rapid learning, is rapidly increasing, motivated by industry trends and testimonials of its perceived benefits. This study, limited to the building sector, is a systematic literature and testimonial search of the perceived motivations and benefits or challenges for choosing LPS. It substantiates the claims of those perceptions through a structured survey of senior and mid-level managers. Quantitative statistical tools infer that practitioners who use LPS experience more reliable planning, better supply chain integration, and less work flow time. However, managers who directly implement LPS are faced with external resistance from clients and subcontractors, and feel that their organization does not offer the necessary incentives for adopting LPS, indicating a possible clash of paradigms. The case studies and testimonials were available in the literature referenced in the paper, but the survey and the method for analysis are new and have not been published elsewhere, either wholly or in part. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000606. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Construction management; Surveys; Planning. Author keywords: Percent plan complete (PPC); Last planner system; Five whys; Daily huddle meetings; Six sigma; Reasons charting and constraint analysis.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the results of a study to explore the perceptions of the Hong Kong construction participants toward the CWDCS after three years of implementation, which revealed no consensus among professionals in the building industry.
Abstract: A considerable amount of solid wastes is generated every year from construction and demolition (C&D) activities in Hong Kong. The C&D waste can be classified into inert and noninert wastes, in which the inert waste is normally disposed of in public fills as reclamation materials and the noninert waste is dumped at landfills. Under the current waste generation trend, all landfills and public fills in Hong Kong will be used up within a few years. To tackle this problem, in December of 2005, the Hong Kong Government implemented the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme (CWDCS) to provide financial incentives to C&D waste generators to reduce waste and encourage reuse and recycling. This paper presents the results of a study to explore the perceptions of the Hong Kong construction participants toward the CWDCS after three years of implementation. The study was conducted by a survey with follow-up interviews to experienced professionals in the building industry. The results revealed no consensus ...
TL;DR: The latest efforts by authors to design and test a novel methodology for multimodal-process data capturing, fusion, and mining that provides a solid representation of the real engineering system are described.
Abstract: In order to develop a realistic simulation model, it is critical to provide the model with factual input data based on the interactions and events that take place between real entities. However, the existing trend in simulation of construction fleet activities is based on estimating input parameters such as activity durations using expert judgments and assumptions. Not only may such estimations not be precise, but project dynamics can influence model parameters beyond expectation. Therefore, the simulation model may not be a proper and reliable representation of the real engineering system. In order to alleviate these issues and improve the current practice of construction simulation, a thorough approach is needed that enables the integration of field data into simulation modeling and systematic refinement of the resulting models. This paper describes the latest efforts by authors to design and test a novel methodology for multimodal-process data capturing, fusion, and mining that provides a solid...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared two delivery methods, design-bid-build and design-build, for highway and bridge construction projects at the lowest cost and in the shortest time period.
Abstract: The choice of construction delivery system is one of the most important decisions that a public highway agency will make with regard to a highway, bridge, or transit construction project. Although several research projects have been conducted on the subject of comparing costs and project duration, there has been no study that statistically analyzes these factors specifically for transportation projects, much less one that eliminates the largest variable of all: different public agencies. The objective of the research reported in this paper was to determine which of two delivery methods, design-bid-build (DBB) and design-build (DB), delivers highway and bridge construction projects at the lowest cost and in the shortest time period, and to back up the findings with a rigorous statistical analysis of the data. Data were taken from the databases of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and arithmetically and statistically compared through Levene’s test, the independent samples t-test, the W...
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors developed an integrative understanding of factors affecting individual knowledge-sharing intention in construction teams in Hong Kong and found that professionals' attitude toward knowledge sharing is positively influenced by perceptions of knowledge self-efficacy and feedback, while it has no significant relationships with perceptions of economic reward and enhanced personal relationship.
Abstract: Knowledge sharing among construction team members is important for improving project performance and successful project delivery. This study aims to develop an integrative understanding of factors affecting individual knowledge-sharing intention in construction teams in Hong Kong. Based on the widely accepted theory of planned behavior (TPB), a comprehensive research model and corresponding hypotheses were developed. To test the research model and hypotheses, a questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from pro- fessionals working in construction companies in Hong Kong. Then the data were analyzed by the statistic technique of structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate that professionals' knowledge-sharing intention is mainly determined by their attitude toward and perceived behavioral control over knowledge sharing, but weakly influenced by subjective norms regarding knowledge sharing. The research findings also reveal that professionals' attitude toward knowledge sharing is positively influenced by perceptions of knowledge self-efficacy and feedback, while it has no significant relationships with perceptions of economic reward and enhanced personal relationship. In addition, the results show that information and communication technology (ICT) support has a significant effect on professionals' perceived behavioral control over knowledge sharing. This study is one of the first to use the existing theory of social psychology to examine knowledge-sharing behavior in the construction sector. It provides a new direction for studying knowledge sharing in the construction industry. Based on the research findings, several implications are suggested for construction companies to manage professionals' knowledge-sharing behavior in construction teams. Research limitations and recommendations for future studies are also discussed. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862 .0000607. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the multilevel safety culture and climate to assess a newly launched safety program and found wide acceptance of the program across all three groups, strong management accountability in enforcing safety, and a positive general safety climate among workers.
Abstract: Construction safety culture is becoming a typical proactive safety performance measurement and strategy for safety improvement. However, there is no accepted industry wide definition for safety culture. There is also no clear distinction between safety culture and safety climate. So far, little research has investigated how safety programs can be developed to improve safety culture and climate, which in turn can be used to assess the effectiveness of these programs. This paper presents a study that examined the multilevel safety culture and climate to assess a newly launched safety program. Specifically, three different questionnaires were used to survey 71 top executives, 229 site management personnel, and 350 field workers, respectively. This study found wide acceptance of the program across all three groups, strong management accountability in enforcing safety, and a positive general safety climate among workers. The results demonstrated the program’s overall effectiveness in building positive ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors highlight the state of practice of BIM in the mechanical and electrical industries and find that more than 70% of the contractors that use BIM agree that BIM reduces field conflicts and impr...
Abstract: The North American construction industry has seen a decline in productivity for decades due to various reasons, including a lack of collaboration and the increase in the complexity of systems. These problems are most visible in labor-intensive trades, such as mechanical and electrical construction. Within the last decade, building information modeling (BIM) has emerged as a potential solution to these problems. This paper attempts to highlight the state of practice of BIM in the mechanical and electrical industries. By analyzing responses from an extensive survey and interview process, this paper reaches three key conclusions, namely, (1) 59% of mechanical and electrical contractors that use BIM have 3 years or less of BIM experience; (2) contractors should use one to three BIM staff members and add 1–2% of total project-cost estimates to account for BIM implementation; and (3) more than 70% of mechanical and electrical contractors that have used BIM agree that BIM reduces field conflicts and impr...