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As subcontractors, electrical contractors have been facing unfavorable environments, with problems such as constrained job site areas, schedule interference, and inefficient communication with other trades. To achieve desired goals more efficiently, electrical contractors require a more systematic and effective project management strategy. The primary goal of this research is to develop continuous task strings that pair pre-construction planning (PCP) with relevant project execution (PE) tasks in order for electrical contractors to achieve significantly better performance. Incorporating several statistical analyses, the research demonstrates the effects of continuous task strings on project performance in terms of cost and schedule success. The results reveal that the levels of task string usage are significantly correlated to project success. Moreover, task strings have significant leveraged effects on project performance: project performance can be improved by stringing together related PCP and PE tasks as opposed to performing either PCP or PE task individually. The research further suggests the specific high-value task strings that significantly increase the likelihood of achieving successful project outcomes. Ultimately, by elucidating the relationship between pre-construction planning and project execution tasks, the research can help electrical contractors accomplish significantly better performance through effective project management strategies. / text

abstract: Front end planning (FEP) is an essential and valuable process that helps identify risks early in the capital project planning phases. With effective FEP, risks can potentially be mitigated through development of detailed scope definition and subsequent efficient project resource use. The thesis describes the FEP process that has been developed over the past twenty years by the Construction Industry Institute (CII). Specifically, it details the FEP tools developed for early project planning and the data gathered to analyze the tools used within the CII community. Data from a March 2011 survey are given showing the tools commonly used, how those tools are used and the common barriers faced that prohibit successful FEP implementation. The findings from in-depth interviews are also shared in the thesis. The interviews were used to gather detail responses from organizations on the implementation of their FEP processes. In total, out of the 116 CII organizations, 59 completed the survey and over 75 percent of the respondents used at least one CII tool in their front end planning processes. Of the 59 survey respondents, 12 organizations participated in the in-depth interviews. The thesis concludes that CII organizations continue to find value in CII FEP tools due to the increase tool usage. Also the thesis concludes that organizations must have strong management commitment, smart succession planning and a standardized planning process to increase the likelihood of successful FEP strategies. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Construction 2012

Uma das principais caracterÃsticas de obras rodoviÃrias à a forte incidÃncia de equipamentos pesados usados nos serviÃos de terraplenagem e de pavimentaÃÃo, que correspondem à maior parcela do orÃamento de uma obra desse gÃnero. Apesar dessa importÃncia, o processo de seleÃÃo dos equipamentos nÃo à bem definido. Empreiteiras dependem de julgamentos subjetivos baseados em experiÃncias anteriores, e, muitas vezes, nÃo hà sequer, nenhum processo de seleÃÃo, adotando-se a prÃtica de utilizar em todas as obras os mesmos equipamentos disponÃveis. O presente trabalho de dissertaÃÃo vem contribuir com o preenchimento desta lacuna, tendo como objetivo desenvolver um sistema de apoio à decisÃo para a seleÃÃo da frota de equipamentos. Apresenta-se a ferramenta computacional denominada de Sistema para SeleÃÃo de Equipamentos de Terraplenagem e PavimentaÃÃo (SiSEq), que pode, a partir das informaÃÃes de projeto, permitir ao tomador de decisÃo escolher a frota ideal de equipamentos. Como resultado, o SiSEq apresenta cenÃrios de configuraÃÃes de frotas, com produÃÃes dos equipamentos, nÃmero de unidades necessÃrias para atender ao prazo e custos de produÃÃo. Espera-se mostrar ao setor de construÃÃo que a ferramenta proposta pode ser Ãtil na avaliaÃÃo de cenÃrios, o que pode a levar a reduÃÃes de custos substanciais no valor de uma obra. / One of the main characteristics of road construction projects is the high utilization of heavy construction equipment in earthmoving and paving jobs, which correspond to the largest percentage of the budget of a project of this type. Despite its importance, the selection of equipment is not well defined. Contractors depend on subjective judgments based on personal experience and there is not usually any selection method. Contractors usually use the same construction equipment in all the projects. This thesis is a contribution to solve that problem and aims to develop a decision support system for selecting the equipment fleet. This work presents a computational system called SiSEq, which allows the decision maker to choose the ideal equipment fleet for a road construction project. SiSEq presents fleets scenarios, with production rates of the equipments, number of units required to meet the deadline and production costs. It is expected to show the construction community that the proposed system can be useful in evaluation of scenarios and in reduction of costs.

Framgången i ett komplicerat byggprojekt bygger på välplanerad projektering som i sin tur är beroende av erfarna aktörer för att kunna vara konkurrenskraftig. Genom att utnyttja parameterstyrda modeller i bland annat repetitiva projekteringsprocesser kan även samarbetet mellan arkitekter, konstruktörer och projektörer effektiviseras. Arbetet syftar till att undersöka vikten av parameterstyrda modeller för byggbranschen tidigt i projekteringsfasen och bland annat identifiera fördelar och nackdelar genom en enkätundersökning och skapandet av en parameterstyrd bågbro i Grasshopper. Bland annat ges en introduktion i hur parameterstyrning av ett projekt skulle kunna genomföras och de möjligheter och utmaningar som följer. De frågeställningar som studien behandlar är: • I vilken utsträckning används parameterstyrning i branschen? • Vilka för- och nackdelar finns det med parameterstyrningsprocessen inom byggbranschen? • Vilka möjligheter och utmaningar medföljer parameterstyrd modellering? I dagsläget används inte parameterstyrning i stor utsträckning i Sverige. Ett fåtal aktörer nyttjar potentialen men alla ser värdet och möjligheterna. De närmsta åren kommer mer parameterstyrda modeller utvecklas av aktörer inom byggbranschen i Sverige och precis som 3D- modeller inte var standard för ett decennium sedan kommer förmodligen även parameterstyrda modeller bli allt vanligare. Nackdelarna med parameterstyrning är den initiala investeringen som krävs av företagen samt kompetensbristen och den utdragna inlärningsprocessen som medföljer. Fördelarna är många men de som primärt har identifierats är effektivisering av repetitiva arbetsuppgifter och modeller. Effektivisering av projekteringen i form av kostnadseffektivisering och anbud samt smidiga revideringar. Återanvändning av likartade projekt vilket hela tiden leder till förbättringar genom återkoppling av referensprojekt. De utmaningar som medföljer parameterstyrd modellering ställer stora krav på företag och framförallt utbildningsinstituten. Mer kompetens i form av programmering och datavetenskap bör integreras i utbildningarna för att minimera inlärningskurvan. Modelleringsverktyg som Revit, Rhinoceros och AutoCad underlättar övergången mellan traditionell modellering och parameterstyd modellering men utan grundläggande kunskaper i datavetenskap kommer de parameterstyrda modellerna vara begränsade. / A key to success in a complicated building project is the project planning itself and the people involved. To be competitive, repetitive tasks among others have to be automated with the use of parametric design. Computational design can greatly improve the collaboration between architects, designers and structural engineers. The aim of this study is to identify the use and importance of parametrized models in the Swedish construction industry by the use of survey research. This study will also develop an arch bridge with Grasshopper in Rhinoceros 6. After doing so the advantages and drawbacks of this type of modeling will be analyzed. The study revealed that the use of parametric design isn´t well established in the Swedish construction industry. Most companies that participated in this survey recognizes the possibilities and want to see a development in the area. The downside of computational design is the initial cost and lack of competence in the field. The knowledge required by the user is also a restriction for many companies, because well established scripts and stable models require an experienced and educated user. The advantages that´s primarily been identified in this study through the survey are the optimization of repetitive tasks and models as well as cost optimization in the initial planning phase. By reusing and improving scripts with each reference project each company can increase its competitiveness in their own area of expertise. This requires involvement from the educational institutes in the form of increased programming and computer sciences skills incorporated in the education of engineers. Whilst engineers with their modelling knowledge in traditional software can adapt to software´s like Grasshopper their lack of basic knowledge in computer science will restrict the complexity of the models themselves.

Att bedöma hur mycket resurser man ska lägga på ett uppdrag är inte alltid lätt. Det finns åtskilliga metoder att på ett kvalificerat sätt ställa upp ett anbud och en prognos på vad uppdraget kommer att kosta, en av dessa metoder är erfarenhetsåterkoppling. Med hjälp av erfarenhetsåterkoppling finns det möjlighet att lokalisera nyckeltal som är utslagsgivande för anbudsprocessen. Dessa nyckeltal är givande att känna till innan anbudet läggs fram för att veta om uppdraget är lönsamt i den nuvarande formen eller behöver justeras. För entreprenörer finns det hjälpmedel som till exempel ÅF:s lilla prisbok, men för konsulter så saknas till viss del hjälpmedel. En del konsulter jobbar med individuell erfarenhetsåterkoppling men det krävs ofta några år i branschen för att skapa sig den erfarenhet som behövs. Dessutom har företagets övriga medarbetare sällan möjlighet att ta del av denna information på ett smidigt sätt. Syftet med examensarbetet var därför att sammanställa en erfarenhetsbank av tidigare färdigställda uppdrag och utveckla nyckeltal som kan användas till framtida anbudsförfrågningar. De frågeställningar som tagits fram för detta examensarbete var: · Vilka nyckeltal är relevanta för kommande anbud? · Finns det korrelation och samband mellan dessa nyckeltal samt hur påverkas nyckeltalen av parametrarna? · Vilken typ av uppdrag ger störst marginal, utifrån projekteringsfas, objekttyp, teknisk komplexitet och huruvida det var en om- eller nybyggnad? Examensarbetet behandlar erfarenhetsåterkoppling från ett konsultperspektiv inom projekteringsskedet i byggprocessen. De resultat som framtagits har gjorts med hjälp av Tyréns interna ekonomisystem och en enkätundersökning där uppdragsansvariga fick svara på frågor om sina uppdrag. Undersökningen resulterade i ett antal samband som visar på hur parametrar som objekttyp, teknisk komplexitet och bruttoarea påverkar uppdragets totala tid, marginal, mm. Dessutom utvecklades ett anbudsvektyg som kan användas som en indikation för kommande anbud. De slutsatser som kunnat göras i examensarbetet är bland annat att parametern tekniska komplexitet har en stor inverkan på tre av fyra nyckeltal marginal, total tid och TPR. För ekonomisk marginal hade varken objekttyper eller projekteringsfas lika stor inverkan på det den slutliga marginalen. Det visade sig även att om- och nybyggnation hade stor inverkan på de fyra nyckeltalen TPR, marginal, total tid och TPm2. / Determining how much time and resources ought to be committed on a certain project is not an easy task. There are several of different methods that can be used achieve a solid approximation for a tender, and one of these is by using experience feedback. It is possible, through the use of experience feedback, to construct key ratios based on previously completed project. These key ratios could then be of significant help in upcoming tender process. For estimating the construction cost, builders can use tools such as ÅF:s lilla prisbok. But these types of tools are not as common practice for the consultants planning the construction. This leads us to the purpose of this thesis, which is to collect and set up a database of previously completed projects and from this database develop key ratios that can be used in upcoming tenders. The questions posed by this report was: · Which key ratios are most relevant for upcoming tenders? · Are there any correlations and connections between these key ratios and how are these key ratios affected by the parameters? · Which type of project generates the greatest financial margin, based on design phase, the type of object that was designed, technical complexity and whether the project is a new construction or a reconstruction. This thesis looks at experience feedback from the perspective of a consultant firm working with the planning of buildings and infrastructure. All the results were collected through the use of Tyréns internal economy system as well as a survey were project leaders had to answer questions about the project that they had been in charge of. This investigation resulted in a number of correlations and connections that showed how certain parameters such as technical complexity affected the project total time, profit and so on. A tender approximation tool was created based on data gathered from previously finished projects. Finally, the conclusions that were drawn in this report was, among other things, that the level of technical complexity has a significant effect on three of the four key ratios analysed in this report. These three key ratios were financial margin, total time and time per design plan. The financial margin was not affected by neither the type of object that were designed nor the phase of the design process. The report also concludes that all four key ratios were considerably affected by whether the project is a new construction or a reconstruction.

Bakgrund: Arbetsgivaren har det övergripande ansvaret för att arbetsmiljön är tillfredställande på arbetsplatsen - bruksskedet. Flertalet av de fysiska arbetsmiljöfaktorerna som arbetsgivaren har att ansvara för bestäms tidigt i byggprocessen, i planerings- och projekteringsstadiet. Arbetsmiljölagen beskriver vilka uppgifter och ansvar som åligger byggherre och projektörer som låter utföra ett byggnads- eller anläggningsarbete. Litteraturen beskriver en utveckling där arkitekter och andra projektörers ansvar för att beakta arbetsmiljöaspekten har ökat. Ett ansvar där deras insatser ofta är begränsade. Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka vilken roll arbetsmiljö­ingenjören kan ha i att beakta arbetsmiljön gällande bruksskedet vid planering och projektering av nya kontorsarbetsplatser. Metod: Uppsatsen bygger på litteraturgenomgång samt intervjuer med huvudsakligen arbetsmiljöingenjörer och arkitekter. Resultat: Litteratur och intervjuer visar att arbetsmiljöingenjörer engageras sent i processen vilket resulterar i brister i arbetsmiljön och ombyggnationer som åtgärd. Här framträder också en situation där kunskapsläget runt arbetsmiljöfrågor hos arkitekter upplevs som svagt, vilket bekräftas av de intervjuade. Respondenterna menar att checklista som arbetsverktyg används i mer eller mindre stor utsträckning. Befintliga checklistor från Arbetsmiljöverket presenteras i uppsatsen, dessa rekommenderas som arbetsverktyg. Slutsats: Av intervjuerna framkommer att respondenterna menar att arbetsmiljöingenjören kan agera sakkunnig, utifrån sin kunskap och erfarenhet, i projekteringsprocessen. Arbetsmiljöingenjören utgör därmed med sin sakkunskap runt arbetsmiljöfrågor ett stöd för byggherre och projektör. Den ansvarsroll som Arbetsmiljölagen beskriver, Byggarbets­miljösamordnare - planering och projektering (BAS-P), torde utgöra en naturlig roll för arbetsmiljöingenjören. I och med detta får arbetsmiljöingenjören en naturlig roll tidigt i byggprocessen.   Nyckelord: Byggprojektering, arkitekt, arbetsmiljö, företagshälsa, checklista. / Abstract Background: The employer has the overall responsibility that the work environment is satisfactory in the work place, the usage stage. Most of the physical working environment factors which the employer has the responsibility for are determined early in the construction process, in the planning and design stage. Work environment legislation describes the tasks and responsibilities for the property developer and design engineers, how the work environment should be considered and who is responsible for the construction process from design to operation stage. The literature describes a development in which architects and other property developers responsibility to take into account the working environment aspect has increased. A responsibility where their efforts are often limited. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to examine which role the occupational health and safetey (OHS) engineer may have to take into account in the planning and design of new office workplaces. Method: The thesis is based on literature review and interviews with mainly working engineers and architects. Results: The literature and interviews shows that the OHS engineer is involved late in the process, resulting in shortages and rebuilding as a measure. It also emerges a situation where the knowledge of work environment legislation of architects are perceived as weak, which is confirmed by those interviewed. Respondents believe that checklist as a tool is used more or less often. Existing checklists from the Swedish Work Environment Authority (Arbetsmiljöverket) are presented in the thesis and are recommended as tool to be used. Conclusion: The interviews reveal that respondents believe that the OHS engineer can act as an expert, based on their knowledge and experience in the planning process. The OHS engineer thus constitutes its expertise and supports the property developer and the design engineer. The role, described in Swedish Work Environment Legislation (Arbetsmiljöverket), construction work environmental coordinator - planning and design (BAS-P) would be a natural role for the OHS engineer. The OHS engineer is given a natural role early in the construction process. Keywords: Construction planning, Architect, Work Environment, Occupational Health Service, Checklist

The use and application of 4 Dimensional Computer Aided Design (4D CAD) is growing within the construction industry. 4D approaches have been the focus of many research efforts within the last decade and several commercial tools now exist for the creation of construction simulations using 4D approaches. However, there are several key limitations to the current approaches. For example, 4D models are normally developed after the initial planning of a project has taken place using more traditional techniques such as Critical Path Method (CPM). Furthermore, mainstream methodologies for planning are based on individual facets of the construction process developed by discrete contractors or sub-contractors. Any 4D models generated from these data are often used to verify work flows and identify problems that may arise, either in terms of work methods or sequencing issues. Subsequently, it is perceived that current 4D CAD approaches provide a planning review mechanism rather than a platform for a novel integrated approach to construction planning. The work undertaken in this study seeks to address these issues through the application of a distributed virtual reality (VR) environment for collaborative 4D based construction planning. The key advances lie in catering for geographically dispersed planning by discrete construction teams. By leveraging networked 4D-VR based technologies, multidisciplinary planners, in different places, can be connected to collaboratively perform planning and create an integrated and robust construction schedule leading to a complete 4D CAD simulation. Establishing such a complex environment faces both technological and social challenges. Technological challenges arise from the integration of traditional and recent 4D approaches for construction planning with an ad hoc application platform of VR linked through networked computing. Social challenges arise from social dynamics and human behaviours when utilizing VR-based applications for collaborative work. An appropriate 4D-based planning method in a networked VR based environment is the key to gaining a technical advancement and this approach to distributed collaborative planning tends to promote computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW). Subsequently, probing suitable CSCW design and user interface/interaction (UI) design are imperative for solutions to achieve successful applicability. Based on the foregoing, this study developed a novel robust 4D planning approach for networked construction planning. The new method of interactive definition was devised through theoretical analysis of human-computer interaction (HCI) studies, a comparison of existing 4D CAD creation, and 3D model based construction planning. It was created to support not only individual planners’ work but multidisciplinary planners’ collaboration, and lead to interactive and dynamic development of a 4D simulation. From a social perspective, the method clarified and highlighted relevant CSCW design to enhance collaboration. Applying this rationale, the study specified and implemented a distributed groupware solution for collaborative 4D construction planning. Based on a developed system architecture, application mode and dataflow, as well as a real-time data exchange protocol, a prototype system entitled ‘4DX’ was implemented which provides a platform for distributed multidisciplinary planners to perform real-time collaborative 4D construction planning. The implemented toolkit targeted a semi-immersive VR platform for enhanced usability with compatibility of desktop VR. For the purpose of obtaining optimal UI design of this kind of VR solution, the research implemented a new user-centred design (UCD) framework of Taguchi-Compliant User-Centred Design (TC-UCD) by adapting and adopting the Taguchi philosophy and current UCD framework. As a result, a series of UIs of the VR-based solution for multifactor usability evaluation and optimization were developed leading to a VR-based solution with optimal UIs. The final distributed VR solution was validated in a truly geographically dispersed condition. Findings from the verification testing, the validation, and the feedback from construction professionals proved positive in addition to providing constructive suggestions to further reinforce the applicability of the approach in the future.

This thesis describes a research investigation into the implementation of the Last Planner System (LPS) in Nigeria, to improve construction processes within the Nigerian construction industry. LPS is known to be the most developed practical use of Lean Construction. It focuses on minimising the negative impacts of variability, uncertainties, buffers, making projects more predictable, creating reliable work plans and convalescing collaborative planning. However, the Nigerian construction industry is associated with a number of challenges which impair its performance. These challenges were grouped and classified into six major barriers: these include: supervision and quality control, fluctuation and variations, subcontractor involvement, resistance to change, cultural issues, and lengthy approvals. Consequently, a Design Science Research (DSR) approach is adopted to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing LPS in construction projects in Nigeria. In order to achieve this aim, an Action Research strategy is adopted and three case studies are reported; two of these cases describe how LPS was successfully implemented in construction projects within Nigeria. While the third case involved an investigation into the state of production plan reliability, of a successful project in Nigeria. These projects were selected based on non-probabilistic sampling from different geographical locations in Nigeria to represent different kinds of construction projects within the country. The first and second cases involved the implementation of LPS within the construction of a prototype student’s hostel and the construction a 4 Kilometre single carriageway road respectively. The third on the other hand involved the construction of a multipurpose hydro-power dam project; where comparisons were made between typical LPS projects and the project management techniques applied within the project. Data was collected through observation site activities, interviews, documentary analysis and questionnaire survey. The data generated was subsequently analysed by means of content analysis and evaluated in terms of its reliability, validity, representativeness, flexibility, rigour and reflexivity. In view of the LPS implementation within the two case studies, six barriers were identified and classified together with the six barriers associated with the Nigerian Construction industry. These barriers were linked, measured and ranked in averages of their degrees of occurrences. It was revealed that the major barriers were cultural issues and resistance to change, while the others include; lengthy approval, subcontractor’s involvement, poor supervision and quality, fluctuations and variations. Hence, a framework was developed to mitigate these barriers, when implementing LPS in construction projects in Nigeria. The main steps of the framework include: the need to identify purpose; the need to identify stakeholders impact; the need to obtain Sponsorship; the need to build a cross functional team; the need to create measurement indices; the need for training on Lean techniques and LPS; and finally the need to create a right working climate. Furthermore a focus group between construction practitioners was organised to test and evaluate the framework developed. It was revealed from the focus group that the framework has the potential to facilitate the implementation process as proposed.

Orientador: Andre Munhoz de Argollo Ferrão / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-02T19:07:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pinheiro_GustavoFocesi_M.pdf: 6228447 bytes, checksum: e6c78043aed6090f1657570c752366a2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002 / Resumo: O atual estágio de desenvolvimento da humanidade apresenta-se cada vez mais agressivo ao ambiente e ao homem. O crescimento populacional aumenta cada vez mais o impacto das atividades produtivas e das edificações sobre o meio. Por esse motivo é importante que o desenvolvimento seja sustentável. Assim, foi realizada uma pesquisa por meio de questionários pré-testados, para verificar como os engenheiros civis e arquitetos estão preparados para reduzir o impacto das edificações sobre o ambiente e como podem ser melhor informados sobre o assunto. O resultado mostra que a maioria dos profissionais, que responderam ao questionário, têm pouco conhecimento sobre o conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável, reconhecem os impactos das edificações sobre o ambiente, acreditam que a qualidade seja o item mais importante para a construção civil, e têm interesse em conhecer e aplicar mais os conceitos que diminuam o impacto das construções sobre o meio / Abstract: The present human development has been proven wrong by its aggressive means on the environment and to the society. The global population growth, the industrialization and the edifications grown too, to meet the demand, interfering directly in the environment. It¿s important the application of a sustainable development in the civil construction. To identify how the professionals of civil construction are prepared to reduce the affects of edifications on the environment, a survey with pre-tested questionnaires was applied. In this questionnaire, the results show that the respondents do not know precisely what sustainable development means. The answer showed that a great deal of the professionals are worried about the constructions' impact on the environment, and have interest in knowing and getting to know more about the concepts and applying them to their professional life, and think: that quality is the most important thing to the civil construction / Mestrado / Edificações / Mestre em Engenharia Civil