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A review of existing literature and research findings indicated that whilst the incidence of time extension claims is increasing, Contractors are failing to gather, analyse and present data as evidence to such an extent that there is a high rejection rate of claims made, and a consequent significant dissatisfaction rate amongst Contractors with awards being made. The current difficulties experienced by Contractors in managing information on site locations, combined with the low investment in, and usage of Information Technology, forms a major contribution to the problems arising in the preparation and presentation of time extension claims. This research work identified from empirical evidence, together with construction technical, professional and academic literature, the essential criteria and features of an efficient and effective time delay analysis approach for preparing time extension claims in connection with construction projects. The evidence from these sources led to the formulation of an alternative approach based on an integrated computer-aided systematic technique which relies upon analysis of project-specific performance data. The current practice of time delay analysis as currently executed by Contractors was formulated as a problem whose solution is implemented by the use of the disciplined capture of factual job data, systematic analysis including a computer modelled simulation exercise and logical compilation of results in report format. This allows full cross-checking and source identification of data used in the approach, and resultant computations. The proposed approach employs an improved method of data capture, computer aided delay impact simulation and presentation of results. The proposed approach abbreviated to CoSTAR requires the use of spreadsheet database, word processing and project planning software, all of which are currently industry standard, readily available and consequently do not require to be specifically written. The approach is designed to work on industry standard computing "PC" hardware of a specification suitable to run a full range of business software. The proposed approach (CoSTAR) was tested and validated with performance data from a multi million pound, major fast track building refurbishment project and used Lotus 123 version 2.4, WordPerfect version 5.1, and Pertmaster Advance software. The approach was also subject to separate validation by a panel of experts. The testing process showed the approach to be feasible, and capable of identifying and quantifying the critical delay activities which caused the time overnin to the project's fixed contract period.

Building design is becoming an increasingly complex process. Technological advances in building materials and construction methods have necessitated the specification of more rigourous regulatory constraints to which the designer must adhere. Although a diverse range of sophisticated computer based design tools, addressing the formal functional requirements of building design, exist to assist the designer in the decision making process, as a result of their sophistication, such tools often require considerable specialist knowledge of the methodologies employed before they can realistically be utilized on a routine basis. As a result a growing interest has developed in intelligent user-interfaces in an attempt to make complex application software more accessible, maintainable and extendible. However, owing to inconsistencies between front-ends, the current trend in user interface management systems tends to propagate the encapsulation of application functionality within a static, esoteric style of dialogue; restricting interaction to the lowest common user level and therefore denying the designer unrestricted access to the embedded methodologies required for creative solution synthesis. By adopting a communications view of the user-interface, this thesis illustrates how a dynamically adaptable user-interface, coupled to a multi-level knowledge based system consisting of surface level models derived from human laws, with deep models of reasoning, employing non-procedural, opportunistic knowledge acquisition mechanisms, may be utilised to accommodate the dynamically varying nature of the design process. The resulting object oriented framework is an intelligent design support system which isolates the user from the low level aspects of CAD tool management; enabling experts from different sub-disciplines to access the functionality of a comprehensive range of design tools in manner suited to their individual conceptual vocabulary, level of expertise, and idiosyncratic design procedures. Although the framework described within this thesis is generally applicable across a range of domains, specific examples of user stereotypes and dialogue templates used to illustrate the principles behind the system are derived from building performance assessment and prediction.

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No description available.