Showing papers in "Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology in 2019"

Mapping out research focus for robotics and automation research in construction-related studies: A bibliometric approach

Abstract: The adoption of robotics and automation (R&A) within the construction industry has been adjudged as slow, despite the possibility of it reducing the high risk posed on health and safety of humans by the activities of the industry. The call for research and development in this area of technology to improve its adoption in the delivery of construction projects is evident in past studies. Thus, this paper aims to conduct a review of R&A in construction-related fields with a view to revealing the area of focus of past studies.,A bibliometric approach was adopted for this study, and data used were gathered from the Scopus database. Keywords such as “robotics”, “automation” and “construction” were used to extract papers from the database. VOSviewer was used to prepare a co-authorship and co-occurrence map based on the bibliographic data gathered.,The findings revealed that focus is placed on construction automation, industrial robots and application, robots’ systems and designs, robotics in earthworks, and robots’ control and information system. Furthermore, currently, research focus in this area is tending towards a more digitalised application of R&A especially in the areas of 3D manufacturing.,The findings of this study are limited due to the use of a single database.,Despite its limitations, the findings open a knowledge gap that can be explored in developing countries particularly in Africa to improve construction delivery in the continent through R&A.,The study adopted the bibliometric approach in mapping out research focus in R&A – an aspect of digital technology that has not been given considerable attention in recent bibliometric and scientometric studies.

Awareness and challenges of building information modelling (BIM) implementation in the Yemen construction industry

Abstract: This paper aims to investigate the awareness of construction practitioners of the adoption of building information modeling (BIM) and identification of the dominant challenges of implementing BIM in the life cycle of a construction project.,This study was sequentially conducted in the following in three main phases: a preliminary study of archival literature, where a rigorous study of the literature was conducted to identify the challenges of adopting BIM in the construction industry which was to be applied later to the challenges in the case of the Yemen construction industry; data collection, where data were collected using a questionnaire survey targeting 123 Yemeni construction practitioners working in managerial and technical levels; and data analysis, where data were analyzed using descriptive analysis by calculating the average index and standard deviations. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software.,The results show that the most critical challenges to adopt BIM are financial restrictions, lack of BIM knowledge, improper introduction of BIM concepts, lack of awareness of BIM benefits and no governmental enforcement. The study recommends policymakers and construction players to consider the challenges for a better introduction of BIM in the Yemen construction industry.,This research focuses on the awareness and challenges of implementing BIM in the Yemen construction industry.,The findings of this study will help policymakers develop more constructive strategies to reduce the challenges and introduce governmental agendas towards the widespread use of the BIM concept and technology in the Yemen construction industry. The study suggested an in-depth investigation into the current curriculum in the Yemen universities and recommended the introduction of BIM concept in engineering courses.,This study focused on the challenges of implementing BIM and the role of the social aspect in the issue.,From the extensive review of previous findings, this paper concentrates on the challenged to the implementation of BIM in the Yemen construction industry. There are lack of investigative studies that focus on the introduction of new technologies to advance the Yemen construction sector. Therefore, the findings help the authority to diagnose and address the sources of these challenges and introduce new solutions to the industry.

Barriers to the adoption of green certification of buildings: A thematic analysis of verbatim comments from built environment professionals

Abstract: This paper aims to identify the key barriers to the adoption of green certification of buildings in Ghana.,The study adopts face-to-face and telephonic interviews with ten built environment professionals, using a semi-structured interview guide. Qualitative responses to the interview were thematically analysed using NVivo 11 Pro analysis application software.,The findings suggest that “lack of information on existing green buildings”, “lack of incentives”, “conservative nature of Ghanaians”, “lack of active government participation”, “inadequate human resource”, “lack of awareness of the benefits”, “cost and financing” and “lack of legal backing” are the eight key barriers that hinder the adoption of green certification of buildings.,The research is limited to built environment professionals registered with their appropriate professional bodies. The findings cannot be generalized and extended to other developing countries that do not share similar characteristics and context with Ghana.,Practically, this study highlights, for the benefit of the construction industry and the government, the critical barriers to the adoption of green certification of buildings in Ghana. Identification of these barriers provides a pathway for the provision of pragmatic solutions towards the adoption of green buildings in Ghana.,Findings of the research make significant contribution to the debate on the barriers to the adoption of green certification of buildings. Four out of the eight barriers (inadequate awareness of the benefits of green certification of buildings, inadequate human resource, conservative nature of Ghanaian and lack of information on existing green buildings) identified are unique in the context of other related studies and advanced knowledge on the subject matter.

5D BIM: An investigation into the Integration of Quantity Surveyors within the BIM Process

Abstract: This paper aims to investigate the integration of a quantity surveyor (QS) role and practice within the building information modelling (BIM) process to enable better implementation of five-dimensional building information modelling (5D BIM) (D is a result of the data/information dimension integrated in a BIM model). It proposes the use of a “level of development and level of detail” to provide a structured approach for QSs’ integration within the BIM process for an improved implementation of 5D BIM.,This paper uses semi-structured interviews with QSs from academic and industry in the UK. A total of 20 face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with two groups (industrial and academic) of ten participants from the West Midlands region in the UK. The interview questions have focussed on gaining perspectives on BIM, BIM and government protocols for the QS profession, expectations and challenges when implementing 5D BIM.,The findings show that BIM is perceived differently, and limitation of information obtained from the 3D models in BIM reduce the reliability of 5D BIM for QSs and implementing of 5D BIM needs an understanding of BIM workflow and information requirements.,Although the findings reveal many of the complexities that face QSs within the BIM process and the shortfalls of 5D BIM technology, the results may lack generalisation. Thus, future research seeks to test the proposed framework further.,This paper elicits implications of shortfalls that impact the implementation of 5D BIM technology and the complexities that face QSs within the BIM process.,This paper reveals the need to understand the process of integrating stakeholders and their information requirements for better implementation of technologies within BIM.

Contractors’ perceptions of the effects of cash flow on construction projects

Abstract: This paper aims to evaluate Nigerian contractors’ perceptions regarding the effects of positive and negative cash flow during construction projects, with a view to establishing effective strategies for cash flow management.,A desktop-based literature review is used to develop a cross-sectional questionnaire survey which uses Likert items to elicit responses from construction professionals on: the reasons for cash flow problems; the impacts of negative and positive cash flow; and the potential solutions for improving cash flow on construction projects.,The study finds that delay in payments, difficulty in obtaining financial aid and inadequate budgetary control are the causes of cash flow problems during construction projects. Cumulatively, these issues result in project delays, reduced profit margins and in the worst scenarios, abandoned projects.,There has been limited research into the effects of positive and negative cash flows on construction projects in Nigeria and indeed, the wider geographical location of West Africa. This study addresses this observed dearth and consequently advances methods and solutions to deal with the problem of poor cash flow management in the Nigerian construction industry.

Minimizing the environmental impacts of mega infrastructure projects: Australian public transport perspective

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the innovative approaches to further reduce the environmental impacts during the construction of mega transportation infrastructure, particularly for Australia.,As part of this research, the Sydney Metro was exploited as a case study. This included reviewing the elements of reducing the environmental impacts for the Sydney Metro.,This research has found that there are six elements of reducing the environmental impacts of the Australian public transport infrastructure process. Moreover, this research also found that for the Sydney Metro, first, the logistic planning and optimisation was carefully developed followed by the remaining five elements.,The originality of this research consists of carefully examining the Sydney Metro’s environmental implications including its on-going EIA and EPA compliance.

The role of knowledge sharing in supply chain success

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive and detailed review of the state-of-the-art mechanisms of knowledge sharing (KS) in the supply chain (SC) field, as well as directions for future research. Briefly, this paper tries to offer a systematic and methodical review of the KS mechanisms in the SC to provide a comparative summary of the selected articles, to collect and describe the factors that have the influence on KS and SC, to explore some main challenges in this field and to present the guidelines to face the existing challenges and outlining the key areas where the KS mechanisms in SC can be improved.,In the current study, a systematic literature review up to 2018 is presented on the supply chain’s mechanisms of KS. The authors identified 21,907 papers, which are reduced to 25 primary studies through the paper-selection process.,The results showed that the KS in SC helps to increase the success of the organizations, improve employee performance, increase competitive advantage, enhance innovation and improve relationships between supplier and consumer. However, there were some weaknesses, such as staff resistance to share knowledge in the SC because of fear of job loss.,There are several limitations to this study. This study limited the search to Google Scholar. There might be other academic journals where Google does not find their paper and they can offer a more complete picture of the related articles. Finally, non-English publications were omitted from this study. It is possible that the research about the application of KS in SC can also be published in other languages. In addition, more studies need to be carried out using other methodologies such as interviews.,The paper presents a comprehensive structured literature review of the articles’ mechanisms of KS in SC. The paper’s findings can offer insights into future research needs. By providing comparative information and analyzing the current developments in this area, this paper will directly support academics and practicing professionals for better knowing the progress in KS mechanisms.

Analyzing environment sustainability enablers using fuzzy DEMATEL for an Indian steel manufacturing company

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Environmental Sustainability Enablers (ESEs) for an Indian steel manufacturing company to select the appropriate set of ESEs for implementing and enhancing environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach A methodology using fuzzy Decision-Making Trail and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) is proposed to analyze ESEs capturing multiple experts’ qualitative judgments on their mutual impacts. It is applied to an Indian steel manufacturing company to understand the salient features of the concept. Findings The relevant 18 ESEs were classified into cause and effect group and also interactions (i.e. influencing and influenced) of each ESE with other ESEs were evaluated. It was observed that the five ESEs (i.e. competitors’ environmental sustainability strategy, environmental compliance certification, government regulations and incentives, influence of external factors and air pollution controlling system) are the most prominent in the cause group. Research limitations/implications The results obtained are specific to an Indian steel manufacturing company and it cannot be generalized for steel manufacturing sector. However, the current paper can show direction to carry out such work in other manufacturing companies. Practical implications The proposed methodology will be helpful for allocating efforts and resources to enhance the impact of ESEs for successful achievement of environmental sustainability. Originality/value No such paper has been reported in the literature with an objective to develop structural framework for Indian steel manufacturing company to improve environmental sustainability.

Assessment of health and safety culture maturity in the construction industry in developing economies: A case of Ghanaian construction industry

Abstract: The degree to which accidents happen or are prevented in any organisation is the function of both the health and safety culture and the safety culture maturity level of the organisation. Therefore, this paper aims to determine the state of health and safety culture in the construction industry in developing economies and to assess their category on the safety maturity ladder using the Ghanaian construction industry as an example. This is to help construction companies in developing countries become conscious of the state of health and safety in the industry so they can be motivated to improve along the ladder.,In total, 250 contractors made up of 155 building contractor,s and 95 road contractors took part in the survey. The sample size was determined by Yamane’s (1967) formula with stratified simple random sampling technique adopted in selecting the companies in the survey. This paper also uses (Guttman Scale) Scalogram analysis to measure the state of health and safety culture in the Ghanaian construction industry.,The results show that health and safety culture of the Ghanaian construction industry is at the first level, the pathological stage. Even though Ghanaian contractors have health and safety policies and codes of conduct in place, safety is not seen as a key business risk. Consequently, management and most frontline staff do not emphasise the importance of integration of safety measures in the various activities on the site. Thus, safety is not seen as unavoidable and a part of the construction activity.,The findings of this study inform state authorities, consultants and contractors of areas that they need to focus more on improving health and safety culture in developing countries. This would go a long way in protecting construction workers in the industry.,This study, to the best of the authors’ current knowledge, is the first of its kind in the Ghanaian construction industry. The study brings to the fore the actual state of health and safety in the construction industry in developing countries such as Ghana. The value of the findings lies in the fact that it will provide the motivation for construction companies in developing countries to develop a commitment to safety, and to provide appropriate and effective safety improvement techniques to progress to the subsequent stages of the safety culture maturity ladder.

Occupational stress management for UK construction professionals: Understanding the causes and strategies for improvement

Abstract: Purpose: The increasing awareness of stress as an issue in the construction industry, and the increased realisation of the more effective approach of preventing stress as opposed to treating mental health has placed a great responsibility on industries that rely heavily on the performance of their workforce. In line with this, this research aims to investigate the causes of stress as well as the best strategies for improving professional resilience and stress management proficiency in the construction industry. Design/Methodology: Using exploratory sequential mixed method research design, the top factors that cause stress, mitigate stress, and to build resilience are identified and discussed. Findings: The findings show thematic similarities in the causes of stress, by displaying a reoccurring theme relating to the quality and lack of information, as well as poor communication among the construction professionals. This implies that poor collaboration and “over-the-wall syndrome” of the construction industry does not only contribute to defective output and reworks, it also has significant impacts on the health and well-being of the professionals. Recommendations are made on how to mitigate stress in the industry, by addressing its root-causes and implementing the identified mitigation strategies. This includes a realistic approach to budgeting and project duration, as well as improved communication and collaboration. Value: Finding of this study could help in mitigating stress and mental health concerns that are currently plaguing the construction industry.

Barriers to the incorporation of BIM into quantity surveying undergraduate curriculum in the Nigerian universities

Abstract: Purpose – In developing countries, adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) concept within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) curricula in universities is a relatively new effort and subsequently, studies on the status of BIM implementation in universities are rare. This study, therefore, becomes imperative with a view to identifying and examining the barriers to the incorporation of BIM into quantity surveying (QS) undergraduate curriculum in the Nigerian Universities. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted a questionnaire survey, which was targeted at the academia and students from two selected universities offering QS honours degree programme. Data collected were analyzed using mean score, Mann-Whitney test and factor analysis. Findings – The study identified 30 barriers and the analysis of the ranking revealed that 17 (out of 30) identified barriers were considered as the most serious barriers. The study, through factor analysis, grouped the 30 identified barriers into six major factors. Practical implication – The findings provide greater insights and empirical evidence on the major barriers to implementation of BIM education in developing countries. Originality/value – The identified barriers are relevant not only to QS education but also to other related disciplines within the AEC context. These findings would be of great value to academic staff and university management board to develop strategies for incorporating BIM into AEC disciplines curricula in developing countries at large. Keywords: BIM, barriers, curriculum, higher education, developing countries

An ensemble-based model for prediction of academic performance of students in undergrad professional course

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a prediction model to study the factors affecting the academic performance of students pursuing an undergraduate professional course (BCA). For this purpose, the ensemble model of decision tree, gradient boost algorithm and Naive Bayes techniques is created to achieve best and accurate results. Monitoring the academic performance of students has emerged as an essential field as it plays a vital role in the accurate development and growth of students’ critical and cognitive thinking. If the academic performance of students during the initial years of the graduation can be predicted, different stakeholders, i.e. government, policymakers, academicians, can be helped to make significant remedial strategies. This comprehensible practice can go a long way in shaping the ideologies of young minds, enhancing pedagogical practices and reframing of curriculum. This study aims to develop positive steps that can be taken to enhance future endeavours in the field of education. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was prepared specifically to find out influential factors affecting the academic performance of the students. Its specific area of investigation was demographic, social, academic and behavioural factors that influence the performance of the students. Then, an ensemble model was built using three techniques based on accuracy rate. A 10-fold cross-validation technique was applied to access the fitness of results obtained from proposed ensemble model. Findings The result obtained from ensemble model provides efficient and accurate prediction of student performance and helps identify the students that are at risk of failing or being a drop-out. The effect of previous semester’s academic performance shows a significant impact on current academic performance along with other factors (such as number of siblings and distance of university from residence). Any major mishap during past one year also affects the academic performance along with habit-based behavioural factors such as consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Research limitations/implications Though the existing model considers aspects related to a student’s family income and academic indicators, it tends to ignore major factors such as influence of peer pressure, self-study habits and time devoted to study after college hours. An attempt is made in this paper to examine the above cited factors in predicting the academic performance of the students. The need of the hour is to develop innovative models to assess and make advancements in the present educational set-up. The ensemble model is best suited to study all factors needed to accomplish a robust and reliable model. Originality\value The present model is developed using classification and regression algorithms. The model is able to achieve 99 per cent accuracy with the existing data set and is able to identify the influential factors affecting the academic performance. As early detection of at-risk students is possible with the proposed model, preventive and corrective measures can be proposed for improving the overall academic performance of the students.

Microscoping the challenges of sustainable construction in developing countries

Abstract: This paper aims to present the result of an assessment of the challenges of sustainable construction (SC) in two developing countries (Nigeria and South Africa). This was done with a view to improving sustainable project delivery, which is a problem among most developing countries.,The study adopted a quantitative survey approach with questionnaire used as the instrument for data collection from quantity surveyors, construction and project managers from both countries. Data analysis was done using a four-step analysis approach and relevant descriptive and inferential statistics were adopted.,The study revealed a considerable level of awareness of SC and involvement in the use of the same among the assessed professionals. Also, it was discovered that SC materials are mostly used in the aspect of surface finishing and masonry construction. Further findings revealed that resistance to change, client’s preference, fear of the increased cost of investment and inadequate knowledge and understanding of the concept of sustainability are some of the major challenges of SC in these countries.,The strength of this study lies in the assessment of happenings from two developing countries and its recommendation can to a large extent promote improved SC in developing countries particularly in Africa were construction activities are similar.

Energy efficiency for cooling buildings in hot and dry regions using sol-air temperature and ground temperature effects

Abstract: In hot and dry climates, air conditioning accounts for a large portion of total energy consumption; therefore, this paper aims to investigate the impact of sol-air temperature and ground temperature on the loss of cooling energy in hot and dry regions of Iran.,In line with this objective, the values of sol-air temperature along different directions and ground temperature at different depths were assessed with respect to climatic data of Yazd City. The impact of sol-air temperature and ground temperature on the rate of heat loss was investigated. So, energy loss of the walls aligned to four primary directions was calculated. This process was repeated for a 36 m2 building with three different shape factors. All analyses were conducted for the period from May to September, during which buildings need to be cooled by air conditioners.,Numerical analyses conducted for hot and dry climate show that sol-air temperature leads to a 41-17 per cent increase in the wall’s energy loss compared with ambient temperature. Meanwhile, building the wall below the surface leads to a significant reduction in energy loss. For example, building the wall 400 cm below the surface leads to about 74.8-79.2 per cent energy saving compared with above ground design. The results also show that increasing the direct contact between soil and building envelope decreases the energy loss, so energy loss of a building that is built 400 cm below the surface is 53.7-55.3 per cent lower than that of a building built above the surface.,The impact of sol-air temperature and ground temperature on the cooling energy loss of a building in hot and dry climate was investigated. Numerical analysis shows that solar radiation increases heat loss from building envelope. Soil temperature fluctuations decrease with depth. Heat loss from building envelope in an underground building is lower than that from building envelope in a building built above the ground. Three different shape factors showed that sol-air temperature has the maximum impact on square-shaped plan and minimal impact on buildings with east-west orientation.

Economic and technical feasibility studies: technologies for second generation biofuels

Abstract: In 2008, a number of Southern African countries cultivated about 900,000 ha of Jatropha, with a number of biodiesel plants ready for production; however, none of the projects succeeded. In 2014, KiOR advanced biofuel Energy Company in the USA announced bankruptcy due to incompetent technology. Studies disclose that the reasons for biofuel plants failure are not only due to lack of incentives and unclear policies but also due to lack of economic feasibility and low production yields. This paper aims to review the techno-economy assessment of second-generation biofuel technologies. The purpose of this paper is to summarize specific techno-economic indicators such as production cost, technology efficiency and process life cycle analysis for advanced biofuel technology and to narrate and illustrate a clear view of what requires assessment to deploy a feasible advanced biofuel technology. This study also reviews assessment of biomass supply chain, feedstock availability and site selection criteria. The review also elaborates on the use of different processes, forecasting and simulation-modeling tools used in different techno-economic analysis studies. The review provides guidance for conducting a technical and economic feasibility study for the advanced biofuels energy business.,The aim of this review is, therefore, to evaluate the techno-economic feasibility studies for the establishment of viable industrial scale production of second-generation biofuels. It does so by grouping studies based on technology selection, feedstock availability and suitability, process simulation and economies as well as technology environmental impact assessment.,In conclusion, techno-economic analysis tools offer researchers insight in terms of where their research and development should focus, to attain the most significant enhancement for the economics of a technology. The study patterns within the scope of techno-economics of advanced biofuel reveal that there is no generic answer as to which technology would be feasible at a commercial scale. It is therefore important to keep in mind that models can only simplify and give a simulation of reality to a certain extent. Nevertheless, reviewed studies do not reach the same results, but some results are logically similar.,The originality of this article specifically illustrates important technical and economic indicators that should be considered when conducting feasibility studies for advance biofuels.

Employers’ perception of employability skills among built-environment graduates

Abstract: Universities have become training centres or “academic hubs” where skilled labour for societal and global consumptions are continuously produced. More so, the quality of teaching (pedagogy) provided by universities is essential in enhancing the skills, expertise and competencies of students who are required to meet the needs of the construction industry after graduation. Hence, the purpose of this study is to assess employers’ level of satisfaction with the employability skills of built-environment graduates in Nigeria.,A quantitative approach was adopted for this study with close-ended questionnaires administered to respondents drawn from professionals in the Nigerian construction industry. Out of 150 questionnaires disseminated, 131 were completed and 126 were usable, signifying an 87% response rate. Data from this research were analysed using descriptive and exploratory factor analysis.,Employers are seemingly satisfied with the sound academic record of built-environment graduates. They also affirmed their contentment with graduates’ willingness to learn and the way they achieve tasks with positive results. However, they expressed their dissatisfaction with the graduates’ prior work experience, communication skills and technical competencies in handling industry tasks effectively.,Data was collected from construction professions across two cities – Abuja and Lagos. Because of the limited budget allocated for this study, other regions were not considered. Because of time and financial implications, it was extremely impossible to visit all 36 states. It is, therefore, impossible to generalise the results of this research to the larger population. In generalising the results on a larger scale, the study would have to factor in a more diverse sample to ensure it is more representative. A more diverse sample may mitigate any possible bias that may arise from a self-administered questionnaire.,From the survey results obtained from the respondents, it was observed that general knowledge about local and global trends, management skills, teamwork skills, work experience, communication skills, critical thinking skills, numeracy skills and civic responsibility are among the major non-academic skills lacking among built-environment graduates. This places significant pressures on universities in Nigeria to revisit and revamp its curricula in developing these skills among students who require them to thrive in the construction industry.,Although the subject of employability has been adequately discussed across various fields (accountancy, psychology, management, business, marketing, etc.), there exist limited research studies in the built-environment context, a gap, which this study aims to fill. This study also provides several approaches through which employability skills can be developed.

TIS condition monitoring using ANN integration: an overview

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of condition monitoring using artificial neural network (ANN) integration as a part of transportation infrastructure systems. Design/methodology/approach This paper will review the concept of ANNs and its core functions for the optimization (to manage the asset in such a way that the condition does not fall below an acceptable minimum condition) of transportation infrastructure systems, in particular, the maintenance processes. In doing so, a specific and factual example of performance and condition measurement for roads will be also instigated. Findings This paper demonstrated that ANN has many advantages if the problems cannot be solved by the clear algorithm. In addition, ANN has the ability to be instructed to handle large data set. There are various intelligent algorithms available and accordingly ANN is not a new concept. However, the ANN’s overall ability to solve complex and interchangeable system problems (such as one, which is found within the transportation infrastructure systems) is its core advantage. Originality/value Although condition monitoring using ANN integration has been researched extensively, this paper provides additional example of integrated ANN for transportation infrastructure systems.

Design and optimization of heating, cooling and lightening systems for a residential villa at Saman city, Iran

Abstract: Purpose This paper, using energy softwares, designed of Iran and optimized a residential villa in Saman city located in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. Design/methodology/approach Having used the ideas of Climate Consultant software, the basic designing was conducted by Design Builder Software, and the cooling and heating loads and lighting tools and equipment were calculated. Then, the amount of consuming of heating, cooling and lighting load of the building was optimized through insulation of walls and ceiling, using green roof, double glazing UPVC windows, light intensity sensor and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system. Findings Simulation results for the stated scenarios showed an annual reduction in energy consumption of 21.1, 7.9, 26.41, 27.3 and 72.3 per cent, respectively. Also, by combining all the five scenarios, an optimal state was achieved which, from the results, brought about an annual reduction of 86.9 per cent in the energy consumption. Originality/value The authors hope that the results of the current paper could be helpful for designers and engineers in reduction of energy consumption for designing a building in similar climatic conditions.

Post-contract material management and waste minimization: An analysis of the roles of quantity surveyors

Abstract: This paper aims to assess the level of awareness of quantity surveyors in material management and their key roles in waste minimization during the post-contract stage of the project with a view of achieving value for money in their roles.,This involves administering a questionnaire survey to registered members of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, the only recognized professional body of quantity surveyors in Nigeria, within Lagos state. The empirical questionnaire survey succeeds a literature review that isolates the key strategies used by quantity surveyors in material management and waste minimization at the post-contract stage. The validity of the questionnaire was carried out by two experienced construction industry researchers and three experienced professional quantity surveyors to ensure that the questionnaire was not ambiguous and that it consists of the right questions in tandem with the research. The respondents were grouped into consultant’s QS and contractor’s QS.,Key roles of quantity surveyors during the material management process are proper material storage, and material inventory and accounting are the most important material management and waste minimization practices during the institute stage. It revealed that there is a lack of material waste documentation practices during the construction stage. In addition, there is no statistically significant difference in the responses of the two groups. This may be because there is no clear compartmentalization between the practices of the two groups. In addition, these two groups had the same education training, as there is no difference between the educational training of the consultant’s QS and contractor’s QS.,This study assessed the quantity surveyors’ roles with regard to material management and waste minimization. It would add to the scanty research work in this area. The study has also successfully revealed the strategies that are to be adopted by the quantity surveyors to achieve value for money during the post-contract stage.

A conceptual framework for utilising BIM digital objects (BDO) in manufacturing design and production: A case study

Abstract: Purpose: Construction manufacturers predominantly rely upon antiquated manual design and production processes and procedures because they lack technical skills needed to automate working practices. This paper seeks to automate manufacturing processes by optimising the utilisation of BIM Digital Objects (BDO) via the development of a conceptual model. Concomitant objectives seek to: reduce design errors; eliminate unnecessary costs; automate the generation of quantity bills; and maximise productivity performance. Design/methodology/approach: An inductive approach was adopted through a post positivist epistemological lens set within the context of a case study of a small-to-medium enterprise (SME). From an operational perspective, both qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analysed via a novel four phase waterfall design viz: i) literature diagnosis; ii) recording contemporary practice; iii) mapping manufacturing workflow and procedures; iiii) evaluation and proof of concept development. Findings: The work illustrates that BDO enhances manufacturing workflow, reduces product manufacturing lead time and augments quality assurance throughout the whole life cycle of a manufactured product. The conceptual model developed provides a pragmatic and comprehensive solution to automate construction manufacturing procedures and improve the facilitation of information exchanged between all stakeholders involved. Originality/value: This study presents the first comprehensive case study of BDO application within a manufacturing context. Future research is however, needed to test and validate the conceptual model presented in practice. In doing so, the model can be further refined using practitioner input and real-life manufacturing processes and procedures.

Integrated cost, quality, risk and schedule control through earned value management (EVM)

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to propose an integrated earned value management (EVM) approach to control quality, cost, schedule and risk of projects.,This study represents a new EVM framework by considering a quality control index. Particularly, some control indices and cumulative buffers are defined by two proposed, methods, namely the linear- and Taguchi-based methods. These methods are implemented in three different projects in different industries.,According to the results, integration of the quality index creates a better control situation by providing more accurate information. Hence, project managers could comprehensively monitor the status of important factors to make more precise decisions while maintaining the simplicity of their analysis.,From the methodological and theoretical features, this paper offers new visions because, to the best of authors’ knowledge, no comparable study has been conducted before.

Fuzzy probabilistic approach for risk assessment of BOT toll roads in Indian context

Abstract: The built-transfer and operate (BOT) toll model has been a common approach for highway construction in India. Due to large amount of investment, many stakeholders and long concession period, Indian BOT toll roads become susceptible to different risks. Risk assessment is one of the essential and difficult steps of risk management that enables professionals to quantify and analyze the risks that may hamper the BOT toll project performance in terms of cost, quality, safety and time. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the risk factors by the fuzzy probabilistic model.,The comprehensive literature review has been carried out for identification of Indian BOT toll roads projects' risk factors. A structured questionnaire was prepared which was then filled by contractors, government officers, academicians, project managers and consultants. For risk assessment, a systematic quantitative-based fuzzy probabilistic model is proposed with the help of lab-view, as a risk assessment technique to simulate the impreciseness of human judgment and to improve the assessment accuracy.,The risk assessment is one of the difficult tasks because BOT toll roads have complex structure. In this study, total 71 risks have been identified and categorized under 14 risk factors on a basis of case studies of Indian toll roads and literature review. All risks have been assessed by the fuzzy probabilistic model by lab-view. The land acquisition is the most crucial risk of BOT toll roads project which is subsequently followed by construction time and cost over-run. Also, Indian BOT toll roads are facing the traffic shortfalls critically, which became a reason toward declination trend for investment in BOT toll projects by the private players. Other risks like political risks, contractual and social risk badly are affecting the project performance. Early risk identification and assessment can be beneficial for the project, which is required to prepare the risk response strategy before the project commencement.,This study throws light on comprehensive risk assessment and framework modeling of the risk assessment for the BOT toll roads project in India. This comprehensive risk assessor model can be used for BOT toll roads in Indian scenario for prioritization of the critical risk. It is important for the public and private sectors to establish an effective risk assessor model for public–private partnership (PPP) projects to achieve win-win condition for both.

Adopting green construction practices: health and safety implications

Abstract: This study aims to assess the impact of adopting selected green construction site practices on the health and safety performance of the construction projects. The impact of storm-water management, energy management and construction waste management on projects health and safety performance was also examined.,A survey was conducted to collect information from Class A contractors in Nigeria, and 168 usable responses were received. The data were analysed using the partial least squares (PLSs) structural equation modelling technique.,The findings indicate that energy management and waste management practices have significant effects on the health and safety performance of the construction projects, while storm-water management has no effect.,Project and site managers need to take into consideration the skill set of their workforce when attempting to adopt new innovative construction strategies the workers are unfamiliar with in a changing construction environment. There is also a need for more training of workers on generic and specific green skills to avoid health and safety challenges on site.,The findings of this study make significant contribution to the debate on the health and safety performance of green projects, as only a few studies have been conducted on this topic. The empirical relationships between the constructs of energy management, waste management, storm-water management and health and safety performance are unique in the context of other related studies and have advanced the body of existing knowledge.

Experimental investigation of mechanical properties and physical characteristics of concrete under standard fire exposure

Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to explain the influence of Standard Fire as per ISO 834 on the strength and microstructure properties of concrete specimens with different strength grade. Design/methodology/approach The strength grades of concrete considered for the experimental investigation were Fck20, Fck30, Fck40 and Fck50. The specimens were heated up to 1, 2, 3 and 4 h as per standard fire curve. Effect of elevated temperature on compressive and flexural behavior of specimens with various strength grades was examined. Effects of age of concrete, weight loss, surface characteristics and thermal crack pattern were also investigated. Findings Experimental investigation shows that strength grade, duration of exposure and age of concrete are the key parameters affecting the residual strength of concrete. For the beams exposed to 3 and 4 h of heating, the residual flexural strength was found to be so insignificant that the specimens were not able to even sustain their own weight. The loss in compressive and flexural strength of Fck50 concrete specimens heated up to 1 h were found to be 26.41 and 86.03 per cent of the original unheated concrete, respectively. The weight loss was found to be more for higher grade concrete specimens, and it was about 8.38 per cent for Fck50 concrete. Regression analysis was carried out to establish the empirical relation between residual strength and grade of concrete. Scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis were carried out to examine the damage level of fire-affected concrete specimens. Originality/value Empirical relationship was developed to determine the residual strength of concrete exposed to elevate temperature, and this will be useful for design applications. This database may be useful for identifying member strength of reinforced beams subjected to various durations of heating so that suitable repair technique can be adopted from the available database. It will be useful to identify the proper grade of concrete with regard to fire endurance, in the case of concrete under compression or flexure.

A data envelopment analysis (DEA) model for building energy benchmarking

Abstract: Purpose Building energy benchmarking is required for adopting an energy certification scheme, promoting energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption. It demonstrates the current level of energy consumption, the value of potential energy improvement and the prospects for additional savings. This paper aims to create a new data envelopment analysis (DEA) model that overcomes the limitations of existing models for building energy benchmarking. Design/methodology/approach Data preparation: the findings of the literature search and subject matter experts’ inputs are used to construct the DEA model. Particularly, it is ensured that the included variables would not violate the fundamental assumption of DEA modeling, DEA convexity axiom. New DEA formulation: controllable and non-controllable variables, e.g. weather conditions, are differentiated in the new formulation. A new approach is used to identify outliers to avoid skewing the efficiency scores for the rest of the buildings under consideration. Efficiency analysis: three distinct efficiencies are computed and analyzed in benchmarking building energy: overall, pure technical, and scale efficiency. Findings The proposed DEA approach is successfully applied to a data set provided by a utility management and energy services company that is active in the multifamily housing industry. Building characteristics and energy consumption of 124 multifamily properties in 15 different states in the USA are found in the data set. Buildings in this data set are benchmarked using the new DEA energy benchmarking formulation. Building energy benchmarking is also conducted in a time series manner showing how a particular building performs across the period of 12 months compared with its peers. Originality/value The proposed research contributes to the body of knowledge in building energy benchmarking through developing a new outlier detection method to mitigate the impact of super-efficient and super-inefficient buildings on skewing the efficiency scores of the other buildings; avoiding ratio variables in the DEA formulation to adhere to the convexity assumption that existing DEA methods do not follow; and distinguishing between controllable and non-controllable variables in the DEA formulation. This research contributes to the state of practice through providing a new energy benchmarking tool for facility managers and building owners that strive to relatively rank the energy-efficiency of their properties and identify low-performing properties as investment targets to enhance energy efficiency.

A new model for assessing the impact of ICT and digital knowledge on students’ thoughts and beliefs

Abstract: This study aimed to examine the impact of ICT and digital knowledge on students’ thoughts and beliefs. Using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in learning and teaching processes can improve the interpretation of knowledge, not only in the learning process but also for thoughts and beliefs. Beliefs and thoughts as propositional content are understood to be a subjective manner of knowing and becoming a focal point of education process. In addition, ICT plays a vital role in enhancing the efficiency of the teaching process which can change the thoughts of learners. So, in this paper, the usage of ICT in education was considered as a key factor for improving students’ thoughts and beliefs. In addition, a conceptual model was proposed to evaluate this impact.,Data were collected from 384 students from secondary schools in Iran. For assessing the elements of the model, a complete questionnaire was designed. For statistical analysis of questionnaires, SPSS 22 and SMART-PLS 3.2 software package was used.,The obtained results showed the high strength of the proposed model. The outcomes indicated that digital technology acceptance positively affects students’ thoughts and beliefs. In addition, the findings showed that the role of digital knowledge, digital training facilities and digital education content on students’ thoughts and beliefs was significant.,The authors deal with one experiment and so the results cannot be generalized. The trail should be repeated with many groups and in diverse contexts.,Despite the importance of the investigating the impact of ICT and digital knowledge on the students’ thoughts and beliefs, the relationship among these factors was not examined well in previous research. Thus, the investigation of the impact of ICT and digital knowledge on the students’ thoughts and beliefs is the main originality of this research. For this goal, a new conceptual model is proposed, which has 11 sub-indicators within four variables: digital technology acceptance, digital knowledge, digital training facilities and digital education content.

Assessment of performance of teamwork in construction projects delivery in South-Southern Nigeria

Abstract: Effort towards improving project performance has necessitated the need for effective teamwork among the stakeholders in the construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to identify the major attributes of effective teamwork and the challenges encountered by the team during construction with a view to improving performance of projects.,Data for the study were obtained through 420 structured questionnaires, which were administered to a sample of project participants including clients’, contractors’ and consultants’ organizations’ representatives in South-Southern region of Nigeria. Data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean item score and Kruskal–Wallis rank test.,The findings revealed leadership skills, top management support and interpersonal dynamics of the team among the critical attributes for effective teamwork. The prevailing challenges of effective teamwork were identified as essentially; poor leadership, poor rapport among team members and lack of effective communication.,The study ultimately provides implication for effective team building among clients’, consultants’ and contractors’ organizations towards efficient delivery of construction projects. Moreover, the stakeholders in the industry would find the results of this research useful in managing human and non-human components of construction projects through the understanding of the attributes and challenges of teamwork with ultimate aim of achieving effective project performance.,The findings reveal that all the key stakeholders’ organizations; clients, consultants and contractors’ organizations exhibit similar perceptions of the attributes and challenges confronting teamwork in construction project delivery. The empirical evidence provided on the attributes and challenges would therefore offer robust information in building effective project team by stakeholders during the planning and implementation stages, which is a right step towards enhancing construction project performance.

Identification of effective safety risk mitigating factors for well control drilling operation: An explanatory research approach

Abstract: Purpose Every year, hundreds of people have died and thousands have been injured because of insufficient management of well control at oil and gas drilling and production sites. Major causes which have been reported in previous studies included uncontrollable blowouts and failure of blowout preventers because of insufficient safety practices. These onshore and offshore blowout disasters not only harm the work force but also critically affect the environment and marine life. In this research paper, a detailed quantitative survey and qualitative risk assessments (RA) have been carried out for assessing the potentially hazardous activities associated with well control along with their appropriate controls and risk reduction factors and mitigating measures in Middle East and south East Asian countries. Design/methodology/approach The sequential explanatory research design has been adopted in this study. Whereas, descriptive statistical approach has been used for the quantitative data analysis of this study. While, in-depth interview approach has been used for qualitative data collection. Similarly, what-if analysis method has been adopted in this study for the identification of effective safety and health risk mitigating factors because it provides in-depth information from health and safety environment experts. Findings The cumulative quantitative results based on the response from Saudi Arabian drilling industry have indicated that the well control operation is highly hazardous then Malaysian and Pakistani oil and gas industries. Likewise, findings from what-if analysis approach demonstrate that the drilling crewmembers have repetitively faced life threatening hazards which occur (safety and chemical) during well control onshore and offshore operation because of oil base mud, confined space at site, pinch points and falling during working on blow out preventers. According to the overall result, respondents have highly recommended engineering and administrative hazard controlling factors as most suitable for the elimination of safety and chemical hazards during well control activities. Practical implications Besides, the developed methodological framework for the identification of suitable hazard controls can also be effectively used for potential hazards reorganization and identification of suitable hazard controls for other drilling and production industries and regions for accident prevention and safety and health management. Originality/value This is a first comparative research study which has been carried out in Malaysian, Saudi Arabian and Pakistani onshore and offshore oil and gas industries for well control health and safety management and reorganization of most effective hazards mitigating factors at drilling sites.

Achieving sustainability through reducing construction waste during the design process: A value management perspective

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of Value Management towards achieving sustainability through reducing the construction waste during the design process.,To achieve the abovementioned aim, a research methodology consisting literature review and survey questionnaire is designed to achieve the following objectives: first, building a comprehensive understanding of the research topic through reviewing literature related to the nature of the construction industry, waste in construction, sustainability, the design phase and Value Management; second, presenting and analysing two case studies to validate the role of Value Management towards reducing waste in construction projects; third, conducting a survey questionnaire with a representative sample of architectural design firms (ADFs) in Egypt to evaluate their perception and application of Value Management towards reducing the construction waste during the design phase; and finally, proposing a business improvement framework to facilitate the integration of Value Management into the design phase as an approach for reducing construction waste.,The construction waste has a negative impact on achieving sustainability objectives. The design process plays a major role in generating waste throughout the project life cycle. This is a result of improper decisions taken during the design phase. Egypt as a developing country does not have the required technical or financial resources to deal with the huge amount of waste generated during the construction process. The Egyptian Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 focussed on eradicating the waste from its source (i.e. design phase). Integrating Value Management into the design phase will help developing creative ideas and better decisions, which will enable achieving sustainability objectives and reducing construction waste.,The Egyptian Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 has discussed the importance of dealing with the wastes from the source. Although the construction waste is a dangerous type of waste, most research studies have not focussed on the design process as a source for the construction waste. In this research, the design phase was discussed as an important element in reducing the construction waste by using Value Management approach.

Construction of a 5D duration and cost optimisation model based on genetic algorithm and BIM

Abstract: The construction industry is characterized by a long construction period, high cost and many uncontrollable factors. The owners and contractors are increasingly focusing on the efficiency of their construction and costs in pursuit of greater economic benefits. However, current methods used in the construction period and cost optimization analysis with multiple constraints the have their own limitations. Therefore, this study aims to propose a combination of genetic algorithm (GA) and building information modeling (BIM) to construct a five-dimensional construction duration-cost optimization model with the advantages of optimization and simulation for optimization.,This design first analyzed the characteristics of changing construction period and cost and then improved the genetic mechanism and the data processing method in the GA according to the aforementioned characteristics. Then, BIM technology was combined with GA to testify the feasibility of the model in the practical engineering project.,The result proved that this new method was reasonable and effective in dealing with the complicated problem of period and cost. GA accelerated the optimization process and yielded a reliable Pareto solution. BIM technology simulated the construction process before construction to increase the feasibility of the construction scheme.,This method not only can rapidly provide the best construction period/cost decision to the architect according to the previous working period/cost or contract data that can meet the demands of the architect but also visualize the construction and give a dynamic schedule of the project.