Thesis. 1976. M.S.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Civil Engineering. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Engineering. / Bibliography: leaves 205-210. / M.S.

Even though construction components account for more than fifty percent of the total installed costs, industry practices still solely rely on the human ability to individually track thousands of these components on the site. These primitive tracking processes are inefficient, error-prone, and can significantly hinder project performance. Thus, previous research efforts observed that up to eighteen percent of craft work-hours was attributable to the unavailability of components required for installation. Recently, though, the notion that these ineffective tracking processes can highly benefit from the implementation of information technologies (IT) has gained industry acceptance. However, the reality is that this IT influence on construction performance has not yet been addressed. The objectives of this study are (1) to develop a methodology for the automated identification and localization of engineered components on large industrial projects, and (2) to assess and to quantify the impact of this automating tracking process on project performance. The identification and localization methodology is proposed based on the combination of advanced sensing devices and localization algorithms. The integration of global positioning system (GPS) and radio frequency identification (RFID) receivers facilitates a network-free data collection process capable of detecting the presence of large numbers of RFID-tagged components almost instantly. Based on the collected data, localization algorithms precisely estimate the coordinates of the tagged items. The precision of this automated approach is validated by means of lab and field experiments. Complementarily, the impact of this localization methodology on project performance was quantified during an extensive field trial on a large industrial site. For this purpose, field records from manual and automated tracking processes were collected during the trial. Then, the influence of the automated tracking process on construction performance was determined by considering the manual approach as the baseline for comparison. The results demonstrate that information technologies can significantly enhance project performance. / text

The construction industry is an important role player in any country. Past research has shown that the industry suffers from a poor image which, inter alia, resulted in a lack of new entrants. A quarterly survey conducted by the Construction Industry Development board (CIDB) showed that over 50% of survey respondents recorded a severe shortage in skilled labour. The objective of this study was to determine how young people viewed the construction industry, how employers and employees within the industry viewed construction, whether companies were involved in promoting the industry, and if the industry was attractive as a career choice to high school students. The literature reviewed stated that the construction industry was globally suffering from a poor image and critical shortage of skills. The literature provided the researcher with a number of factors which contributed to the industry’s poor image. These factors were empirically tested against the opinions of high school students and employers and employees in construction via questionnaires. Interviews were conducted with industry professionals who had over 20 years of industry experience. The interviews allowed insight into the image and what has made it poor. It also indicated that there was little being done to promote careers in the industry. The industry did have a poor image from the perceptions of high school students, employers and employees. Very few students indicated a willingness to work in construction. The lack of new entrants, shortage of skilled labour and lack of promotion were not conducive to a sustainable industry. The dissertation ends with recommendations for addressing the issue of the image from the perspective of high school students and recommendations for further research. / Thesis (M.Sc.Const.Man)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

Thesis (MTech (Construction Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-134). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 189-202).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Aberdeen University, 1992. / Title from web page (viewed on Mar. 4, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MTech (Construction Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / This research was carried out to assess the extent to which supervisory motivational strategies can transform construction workers to perform higher levels of productivity. While worker motivation has been proven to improve productivity globally, motivation was rarely implemented in South African conditions. This study gauges the construction workers’ viewpoint on how supervisory motivational strategies can improve worker productivity. A pilot study was conducted in the initial stage of the study to gain more insight into the study. A qualitative research approach was employed using a semi-structured questionnaire to interview construction workers including bricklayers, plumbers, concrete workers, electricians and earthworks workers. The interviews were done in Bellville in the Western Cape at two conveniently selected construction companies. The data was analysed using content data analysis. Most prevalent in the findings of this study is the fact that the workers agreed that a lack of supervisory motivational techniques negatively impact their productivity. This information was helpful in setting up the questionnaires for the main study.

M.Tech. (Construction Management) / The construction industry is a key sector in the development and economic growth of South Africa. However, the industry has not escaped the challenges facing other countries worldwide in terms of delivering construction projects within budget and on time as stipulated in the contracts. This study assesses the causes, effects and measures of minimising construction projects cost and schedule overruns in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The data used in this study were derived from both primary and secondary sources. The secondary data was collected via detailed review of related literature. The primary data was collected through a questionnaire which was distributed to construction professionals. Out of the 200 questionnaires sent out, 146 were received representing a 73% response rate. Findings revealed that inadequate planning, change in project design, poor project management, inadequate financial provision and inaccurate estimates were the major causes of construction projects cost overruns. Furthermore the study also showed that the causes of construction projects schedule overruns in Gauteng province included: slowness in decision making process, reworks due to errors during construction, delays in approving major changes in the scope of work, delay in material delivery, shortage of skilled equipment operators and low productivity level of workers. Additionally, it was observed that construction project delays, increased project cost due to extension of time, liability of companies to bad debt and project abandonment. The study also revealed that extension of time, cost overruns, loss of profit, disputes and poor quality of work due to hurrying the project were the major effects of construction projects schedule overruns. Likewise, the study revealed that adequate planning, proper pre-contract planning, proper project implementation and management and good workmanship were the most effective ways of minimising construction projects cost overruns. Finally the results revealed that proper project planning and scheduling, effective strategic planning, site management and supervision, frequent coordination between the construction team, availability of clear information and communication channels were the most effective ways of minimising construction projects schedule overruns in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. It is recommended that all members of construction teams be trained and educated of the factors that cause project cost and schedule overruns in order to minimise these overruns.

The objective of this thesis is to develop a conceptual design of a computerized environment for detailed design of construction activities associated with projects characterized by significant repetition. High-rise building construction is used as the example of repetitive construction projects. The construction cycle design of a typical floor structure is studied to gain an understanding of the difficulty and complexity involved in the activity design process. Modeling techniques currently used in construction planning, modeling techniques developed in the field of operations research, and assembly line balancing techniques used in industrial engineering are reviewed to determine their applicability for detailed construction cycle design. Using the concept of decision support systems developed in the fields of management science and knowledge engineering for solving ill-structured and ill-defined problems, a conceptual design of a decision support system for construction cycle design is developed. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil Engineering, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Bibliography: leaf 84. / by Andrea Dickenson White. / M.S.