Traditional scheduling tools like Gantt Charts and CPM while useful in planning and execution of complex construction projects with multiple interdependent activities haven?t been of much help in implementing effective control systems for the same projects in case of deviation from their desired or assumed behavior. Further, in case of such deviations project managers in most cases make decisions which might be guided either by the prospects of short term gains or the intension of forcing the project to follow the original schedule or plan, inadvertently increasing the overall project cost. Many deterministic project control methods have been proposed by various researchers for calculating optimal resource schedules considering the time-cost as well as the time-cost-quality trade-off analysis. But the need is for a project control system which optimizes the effort or cost required for controlling the project by incorporating the stochastic dynamic nature of the construction-production process. Further, such a system must include a method for updating and revising the beliefs or models used for representing the dynamics of the project using the actual progress data of the project. This research develops such an optimal project control method using Kalman Filter forecasting method for updating and using the assumed project dynamics model for forecasting the Estimated Cost at Completion (EAC) and the Estimated Duration at Completion (EDAC) taking into account the inherent uncertainties in the project progress and progress measurements. The controller is then formulated for iteratively calculating the optimal resource allocation schedule that minimizes either the EAC or both the EAC and EDAC together using the evolutionary optimization algorithm Covariance Matrix Adaption Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES). The implementation of the developed framework is used with a hypothetical project and tested for its robustness in updating the assumed initial project dynamics model and yielding the optimal control policy considering some hypothetical cases of uncertainties in the project progress and progress measurements. Based on the tests and demonstrations firstly it is concluded that a project dynamics model based on the project Gantt chart for spatial interdependencies of sub-tasks with triangular progress rates is a good representation of a typical construction project; and secondly, it is shown that the use of CMA-ES in conjunction with the Kalman Filter estimation and forecasting method provides a robust framework that can be implemented for any kind of complex construction process for yielding the optimal control policies.

Abstract Recently, the engineering scale has been generating larger and larger, and the engineering content tends to be more complicated as a result of the rapid development of engineering techniques. There were so many defects incurred in traditional contracting method by separating and entrusting design and construction service work to different contractors. The owner of petrochemical industry therefore tends to adopt ¡§design-build contracts¡¨ in order to reduce engineering management manpower, shorten work duration, clarify engineering obligation and liability, advance engineering quality as well as save engineering cost. Engineering contractors have to go through the proposal preparation process and then the open bid or individual negotiation to bid for ¡§design-build contract¡¨. After being awarded, the successful contractors have to establish the objectives of projects as per contract and exert management expertise to enable the plant-building work being completed on schedule and under the fixed budget. And then hand over the plant to owner in smooth process and achieve the objectives simultaneously. Through literature review, theoretic structure of petrochemical plant¡¦s design-build projects and practical cases, this research integrates the theory of project management and sums up seven management methods as follows: (1) Proposal preparation; (2) Contract signing; (3) Project planning; (4) Project execution; (5) Project control; (6) Handing over engineering; and (7) Project closed-out for engineering contractors. These comprehensive management methods are aimed to achieve the five goals of engineering project, i.e. quality, schedule, cost, safety and the interaction with owner. Finally, the research makes some conclusions and recommendations to which the contractors can refer in undertaking design-build projects in the future.

No description available.

One of the problems when developing software is the difficulty of knowing how much that is done in a project. This is a basic condition to be able to estimate the remaining efforts with increased accuracy over time. To get accurate progress information it is important that the progress tracking is done in an objective way and also in an as simple way as possible. Our focus in this work has been software projects in general but a case study has also been performed at Ericsson Software Technology AB in Ronneby. We have studied the organization and performed interviews with project managers to find out if this really is a problem and if the process can be improved in some way to ease the task of progress tracking. This case study together with our literature study has resulted in a proposition for a solution. Our approach has been to use automated testing as a way to make progress tracking more objective. The result presented in this thesis is a base for a system that could ease the tracking of progress. In short, the system extracts information from an automated testing process and compares it with estimated figures to be able to automatically generate progress information. / 0708-574327

The construction industry represents a significant part of the Gross Domestic Product, (GDP) in the UK. It employs around 1.4 million people and has averaged around 7.5% of GDP over recent years. Although the industry is of major importance to the UK economy, it still under achieves. Many projects run over budget and are completed late to schedule and a lot of resource is invested in making good defects, repair and replacement and in litigation (Latham 1994). These shortfalls in the construction industry were investigated by EGAN 1998 in his report, Rethinking Construction. EGAN proposed five key drivers for change, these consisted of committed leadership, focus on the customer, integrating the processes and teams, a quality driven agenda and commitment to people. Targets were set to gauge the improvements to the UK, these include 10% reduction in capital cost and construction time, 20% reduction in defects and accident, 20% increase in productivity and profitability and 10% increase in predictability of project performance. This thesis reviews one of the most important drivers, which is the improvement to integrate construction processes through improved project controls. The aim of the Thesis was to investigate by a literature review, a questionnaire and survey and three audits of client’s processes and work practices how Project Controls was currently operating to deliver Projects on time and within budget. It was then necessary to review (how based on best practice) current Project Control processes and systems could be improved. The improvements are portrayed by the development a series of “road maps” and “tool kits” demonstrating how processes and systems could be improved. This research thesis investigates the status of Project Controls in the UK and develops methodologies to improve controls. The investigation of Project Controls is based on five pieces of work, namely; i) A literature review of current practices; ii) The development of a questionnaire and survey results; iii) Three client reports of work carried out by the author. The five pieces of work were then contextualised to form a commentary of findings and recommendations for improvement. The recommendations were then linked to a methodology for improvements to the key elements of Project Controls. The aims of the thesis were achieved in that many issues of weakness were identified in current Project Control systems and processes and “road maps” were developed identifying in detail how best practice should be adopted. The thesis identifies major weaknesses in control of major projects with examples such a Pharmaceuticals, Building construction and Road construction industries demonstrating minimal understanding of the concepts and benefits of effective control. It could be described as disappointing series of examples of why some of our Industries fail to deliver to cost and schedule. However, the thesis does layout via “road maps” how improvements could be made, this knowledge has in part been shared with some clients in the Pharmaceutical and Road construction. The thesis therefore does demonstrate a contribution to knowledge and some of its recommendations are being implemented in practice. The primary conclusions of the Thesis indicates that with the exception of Oil & Gas companies there are major gaps between what is accepted as best practice and what is happening in Industry with regards to Project Controls. There is a lack of understanding at Project Control engineer and Project Manager Level. There is a need for additional training in particular for Project Managers as their understanding and ability to see the benefits is paramount to driving forward effective planning and control for projects. Also it is necessary that robust Project Control procedures are established in all industries to integrate the cost and planning disciplines to ensure a common approach to best practice is adopted.

This thesis deals with risk assessment in the production system on the assembly line in IG Watteeuw ČR s.r.o. company. Using metod FMEA analysis risk of each part of the production system of selected project. Detection of bottlenecks in the project management process and suggest improve of quality.

Project schedules should mirror the project, as the project takes place. Accurate project schedules, when updated and revised, reflect the actual progress of construction as performed in the field. Various methods for monitoring progress of construction are successful in their representation of actual construction as it takes place. Progress monitoring techniques clearly identify when we are behind schedule, yet it is less obvious to recognize when we are going to slip behind schedule. This research explores how schedule performance measurement mechanisms are used to recognize construction projects that may potentially slip behind schedule, as well as what type of early warning they provide in order to take corrective action. Such early warning systems help prevent situations where the contractor and/or owner are in denial for a number of months that a possible catastrophe of a project is going to finish on time. This research develops the intellectual framework for schedule control systems, based on a review of control systems in the construction industry. The framework forms the foundation for the development of a schedule control technique for forecasting schedule slippage — the Required Performance Method (RPM). The RPM forecasts the required performance needed for timely project completion, and is based on the contractor's ability to expand future work. The RPM is a paradigm shift from control based on scheduled completion date to control based on required performance. This shift enables forecasts to express concern in terms that are more tangible. Furthermore, the shift represents a focus on what needs to be done to achieve a target completion date, as opposed to the traditional focus on what has been done. The RPM is demonstrated through a case study, revealing its ability to forecast impending schedule slippage. / Master of Science

Esta dissertação apresenta um estudo de avaliação de desempenho de projetos a partir de uma estrutura multidimensional que engloba custo, prazo e qualidade do produto final do projeto. As fundações para o desenvolvimento desta abordagem multidimensional estão em um modelo que integra o conceito de Gerenciamento do Valor Agregado (EVM Earned Value Management) à Engenharia de Sistemas e ao Desdobramento da Função Qualidade (QFD Quality Funcion Deployment). A tradução de requisitos do cliente para requisitos técnicos é alicerçada no Desdobramento da Função Qualidade (QFD Quality Funcion Deployment), a alocação de requisitos técnicos em uma Estrutura Analítica de Projeto (WBS Work Breakdown Structure) é baseada em Engenharia de Sistemas e finalmente a integração desta base com as técnicas de planejamento e controle de projetos do Gerenciamento do Valor Agregado (EVM Earned Value Management) formam o Modelo Multidimensional de Desempenho de Projetos (MPPM - Multdidimensional Project Performance Model). Esta integração de disciplinas de qualidade, engenharia de sistemas e gerenciamento de projetos, que formam o MPPM, visa avaliar custo, prazo e qualidade do produto final de um projeto de forma integrada e simultânea. A parte empírica é realizada em duas etapas, sendo a primeira a simulação de uso do modelo a um projeto real já concluído e a segunda etapa estudo multicaso. A simulação da aplicação do modelo em um projeto real busca avaliar as dificuldades de aplicação, bem como avaliar as lacunas de desempenho do projeto a partir de uma visão multidimensional. Por fim, apresenta-se um estudo multicaso, realizado em seis empresas de grande porte de setores industriais distintos, que atuam no Brasil e desenvolvem projetos complexos. O objetivo desse estudo é fazer um levantamento das práticas de avaliação de desempenho em projetos, bem como avaliar se as empresas estudadas estariam prontas para a utilização do modelo multidimensional desenvolvido neste trabalho. O trabalho conclui que é possível a aplicação de um modelo multidimensional integrado como o MPPM para projetos com produtos complexos. Sua aplicação exige uma disciplina com a captura e desdobramento dos requisitos do cliente que não é usual nas práticas de gerenciamento de projetos das empresas pesquisadas. Por isso, a aplicação do modelo depende de uma considerável evolução da forma como as empresas gerenciam projetos e lidam com os requisitos de clientes para o produto do projeto. / This dissertation presents a study of project performance evaluation through the development of a multidimensional model that integrates the dimensions of cost, schedule and quality of the project end product. The foundation for the development of this multidimensional approach is a model that integrates the Earned Value Management (EVM) concept with Systems Engineering and the Quality Function Deployment (QFD). The customer requirements translation to technical requirements from the Quality Function Deployment (QFD), the allocation of technical requirements to a Systems Engineering based work breakdown structure (WBS) and finally the integration of this basis with the EVM techniques of planning and controlling projects along its lifecycle build the Multidimensional Project Performance Model (MPPM). This integration of quality, systems engineering and project management disciplines, that results in the MPPM, is capable of an integrated and simultaneous evaluation of cost, schedule and quality of the project end product. The empiric study is divided in two parts, the fist one simulates the application of the MPPM to a real known project, the second is a multicase study. The MPPM simulation with a real project shows the difficulties and barriers to the application of such model, as well as the gaps of a project performance evaluation based on a multidimensional vision. Finally a multi-case study of practices of project performance evaluation with six large companies of different industries segments dealing with complex projects in Brazil is developed. This multi-case study objective is to raise companies practices on project performance evaluation and also to evaluate if the studied companies are ready for the implementation of a multidimensional project performance model as the MPPM. The dissertation conclusion is that it is possible to apply a multidimensional project performance model such as the MPPM for projects with complex products. The model application requires discipline on the customer requirements elicitation and deployment. This discipline is not commonly found on studied companies practices of project management. The MPPM application depends on a considerable evolution of the companies project management methods, as well as the way these companies deal with customer requirements of the project end product.

Submitted by Maicon Juliano Schmidt (maicons) on 2015-03-23T16:20:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JoseRicardoNevesEngCivil.pdf: 8141060 bytes, checksum: da08deeb8e09c7e53c05d4b905365ab8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-23T16:20:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JoseRicardoNevesEngCivil.pdf: 8141060 bytes, checksum: da08deeb8e09c7e53c05d4b905365ab8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-10-31 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / CNPQ – Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A urbanização acelerada e o adensamento do território urbano provocam o acréscimo no volume de construções nos grandes centros urbanos e em suas respectivas regiões metropolitanas. Esta condição, aliada aos constantes incentivos a financiamentos da construção civil, motiva o mercado imobiliário acionando seus agentes no sentido de atender esta crescente demanda. Empresas construtoras, incorporadoras, profissionais liberais, entidades de pesquisa, universidades, entre outros agentes do processo, buscam atender as demandas revendo práticas a muito utilizadas nas obras com o objetivo de se tornarem mais competitivas no setor. Nos últimos anos, um grande número de construtoras aderiu a programas de melhorias com o objetivo de alcançar padrões mais elevados de desempenho. A Associação Brasileira de Cimento Portland (ABCP), através da Comunidade da Construção∗, desenvolve Programas de Melhores Práticas com entidades de ensinos e empresas construtoras. Esta pesquisa foi realizada utilizando como objeto de estudo uma obra no Vale dos Sinos de uma empresa construtora integrante deste programa, que tem detectado em suas obras algumas distorções relacionadas ao uso anormal de materiais, muito além da quantidade projetada e orçada. O objetivo geral foi propor diretrizes para melhorias na produção de estruturas de concreto visando redução de perdas. Para isso, foram analisados o processo e subprocessos de execução de estrutura de concreto, identificadas e classificadas as perdas presentes no processo bem como as perdas decorrentes da execução de estrutura de concreto, identificando suas origens e consequências. A utilização de Tecnologia da Informação e Comunicação (TIC) com a ferramenta Building Information Modeling (BIM) neste trabalho, apresentou situações de problemas de projeto de poderiam ser evitadas com o uso dos recursos e potenciais de BIM. / Rapid urbanization and densification of urban territory cause the increase in the volume of buildings in large cities and their respective metropolitan areas. This condition, coupled with the constant incentives to finance the construction, motivates the housing market triggering agents in order to meet this growing demand. Construction companies, developers, professionals, research institutions, universities and other agents of the process, seek to meet the demands reviewing practices widely used in the works in order to become more competitive in the industry. In recent years, a large number of builders joined the program of improvements in order to achieve higher standards of performance. The Associação Brasileira de Cimento Portland (ABCP), through the Community Building*, develops programs Best Practices with entities teachings and construction companies. This research was carried out using as an object of study work in the Valley of the Bells of a construction company of this program, which has found in his works some distortions related to the use of unusual materials, more than the amount projected and budgeted. The overall objective was to propose guidelines for improvements in the production of concrete structures in order to reduce losses. For this purpose, the subprocess and the implementation of concrete structure, identified and classified the losses present in the process as well as losses resulting from implementation of the concrete structure, identifying its origins and consequences. The use of Information Technology and Communication Technology (ICT) with the tool Building Information Modeling (BIM) in this study, presented situations of design problems could be avoided with the use of resources and potential of BIM.

Esta dissertação apresenta um estudo de avaliação de desempenho de projetos a partir de uma estrutura multidimensional que engloba custo, prazo e qualidade do produto final do projeto. As fundações para o desenvolvimento desta abordagem multidimensional estão em um modelo que integra o conceito de Gerenciamento do Valor Agregado (EVM Earned Value Management) à Engenharia de Sistemas e ao Desdobramento da Função Qualidade (QFD Quality Funcion Deployment). A tradução de requisitos do cliente para requisitos técnicos é alicerçada no Desdobramento da Função Qualidade (QFD Quality Funcion Deployment), a alocação de requisitos técnicos em uma Estrutura Analítica de Projeto (WBS Work Breakdown Structure) é baseada em Engenharia de Sistemas e finalmente a integração desta base com as técnicas de planejamento e controle de projetos do Gerenciamento do Valor Agregado (EVM Earned Value Management) formam o Modelo Multidimensional de Desempenho de Projetos (MPPM - Multdidimensional Project Performance Model). Esta integração de disciplinas de qualidade, engenharia de sistemas e gerenciamento de projetos, que formam o MPPM, visa avaliar custo, prazo e qualidade do produto final de um projeto de forma integrada e simultânea. A parte empírica é realizada em duas etapas, sendo a primeira a simulação de uso do modelo a um projeto real já concluído e a segunda etapa estudo multicaso. A simulação da aplicação do modelo em um projeto real busca avaliar as dificuldades de aplicação, bem como avaliar as lacunas de desempenho do projeto a partir de uma visão multidimensional. Por fim, apresenta-se um estudo multicaso, realizado em seis empresas de grande porte de setores industriais distintos, que atuam no Brasil e desenvolvem projetos complexos. O objetivo desse estudo é fazer um levantamento das práticas de avaliação de desempenho em projetos, bem como avaliar se as empresas estudadas estariam prontas para a utilização do modelo multidimensional desenvolvido neste trabalho. O trabalho conclui que é possível a aplicação de um modelo multidimensional integrado como o MPPM para projetos com produtos complexos. Sua aplicação exige uma disciplina com a captura e desdobramento dos requisitos do cliente que não é usual nas práticas de gerenciamento de projetos das empresas pesquisadas. Por isso, a aplicação do modelo depende de uma considerável evolução da forma como as empresas gerenciam projetos e lidam com os requisitos de clientes para o produto do projeto. / This dissertation presents a study of project performance evaluation through the development of a multidimensional model that integrates the dimensions of cost, schedule and quality of the project end product. The foundation for the development of this multidimensional approach is a model that integrates the Earned Value Management (EVM) concept with Systems Engineering and the Quality Function Deployment (QFD). The customer requirements translation to technical requirements from the Quality Function Deployment (QFD), the allocation of technical requirements to a Systems Engineering based work breakdown structure (WBS) and finally the integration of this basis with the EVM techniques of planning and controlling projects along its lifecycle build the Multidimensional Project Performance Model (MPPM). This integration of quality, systems engineering and project management disciplines, that results in the MPPM, is capable of an integrated and simultaneous evaluation of cost, schedule and quality of the project end product. The empiric study is divided in two parts, the fist one simulates the application of the MPPM to a real known project, the second is a multicase study. The MPPM simulation with a real project shows the difficulties and barriers to the application of such model, as well as the gaps of a project performance evaluation based on a multidimensional vision. Finally a multi-case study of practices of project performance evaluation with six large companies of different industries segments dealing with complex projects in Brazil is developed. This multi-case study objective is to raise companies practices on project performance evaluation and also to evaluate if the studied companies are ready for the implementation of a multidimensional project performance model as the MPPM. The dissertation conclusion is that it is possible to apply a multidimensional project performance model such as the MPPM for projects with complex products. The model application requires discipline on the customer requirements elicitation and deployment. This discipline is not commonly found on studied companies practices of project management. The MPPM application depends on a considerable evolution of the companies project management methods, as well as the way these companies deal with customer requirements of the project end product.