No description available.

Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-147)

Very large sets of multi-source, multi-dimensional and time varying data are generated during the execution of construction projects, especially large-scale infrastructure projects. Emphasized in this thesis is how data visualization can provide important insights during the planning, implementation and post project analysis phases of linear projects in an urban environment, which are attended by a complex working environment and multiple stakeholders. These insights can lead to enhanced communication and better decision making. Thesis objectives are four fold: (i) examine how the representation of a schedule using linear planning charts can assist with assessing the quality of a schedule in terms of the construction strategy, communicate schedule intent to projects participants, and assist with telling the as-built story; (ii) explore images useful for representing multi source, multi-dimensional, time varying as-built construction data in support of management functions specifically with regards to communication and decision making; (iii) demonstrate the ability of visual representations of construction data to assist in telling the as-built story of a project in a manner that provides useful insights to project participants; and, (iv) critique the images presented in light of the data visualization principles and interaction tools identified, and suggest improvements as appropriate and possibly other images, including properties desired. In addressing these objectives, the methodology involved a review of computer science and construction literature as it pertains to data visualization and a case study of a past project which reflected the scale and complexity of planning and executing linear projects in an urban environment. The planned and as-built story were captured from the available data depicting the contractor’s perspective in the project’s product, process, and as-built views which were replicated in a research software system called REPCON software. This system supports selected data visualization capabilities, which were examined and critiqued as part of this thesis. It is demonstrated that data visualization is a powerful paradigm for gaining insights into the quality of a project’s plan and for understanding a project’s as-built performance. Greater benefits could be achieved by exploiting cutting edge visualization tools and by designing and implementing a more comprehensive set of images.

Very large sets of multi-source, multi-dimensional and time varying data are generated during the execution of construction projects, especially large-scale infrastructure projects. Emphasized in this thesis is how data visualization can provide important insights during the planning, implementation and post project analysis phases of linear projects in an urban environment, which are attended by a complex working environment and multiple stakeholders. These insights can lead to enhanced communication and better decision making. Thesis objectives are four fold: (i) examine how the representation of a schedule using linear planning charts can assist with assessing the quality of a schedule in terms of the construction strategy, communicate schedule intent to projects participants, and assist with telling the as-built story; (ii) explore images useful for representing multi source, multi-dimensional, time varying as-built construction data in support of management functions specifically with regards to communication and decision making; (iii) demonstrate the ability of visual representations of construction data to assist in telling the as-built story of a project in a manner that provides useful insights to project participants; and, (iv) critique the images presented in light of the data visualization principles and interaction tools identified, and suggest improvements as appropriate and possibly other images, including properties desired. In addressing these objectives, the methodology involved a review of computer science and construction literature as it pertains to data visualization and a case study of a past project which reflected the scale and complexity of planning and executing linear projects in an urban environment. The planned and as-built story were captured from the available data depicting the contractor’s perspective in the project’s product, process, and as-built views which were replicated in a research software system called REPCON software. This system supports selected data visualization capabilities, which were examined and critiqued as part of this thesis. It is demonstrated that data visualization is a powerful paradigm for gaining insights into the quality of a project’s plan and for understanding a project’s as-built performance. Greater benefits could be achieved by exploiting cutting edge visualization tools and by designing and implementing a more comprehensive set of images.

The complexity of future societies will be reflected not only in the buildings that are created but also in the processes that evolve such buildings. Within the construction industry, and specifically in relation to large, complex multi-user buildings, operational planning and design processes will assume greater importance than ever before. Given that increasing complexity is likely to lead to increasing specialism and differentiation amongst the main contributing parties in a construction procurement project, it is also likely that there will be more disruption of the communication and organisation processes central to project procurement. These effects will be transmitted through the procurement process and manifest themselves in various ways in the final product. The most important of these will be the damaging effect which they will have on building function, where function determines the buildings' ability to serve as a facilitator of intended user group activities. Research has been undertaken to rationalise building design, operational planning and building function in the construction procurement process. Maintaining unity between the different parties responsible for building design and operational planning decisions is hypothesised as the key factor in evolving successful project procurement outcomes in terms of building function. Research into hospital food service building procurement processes has demonstrated that when building design and operational planning processes are not developed in concordance with one another, then deficiencies in the functioning of the food service system resulted. Seventeen design/operation mis-match outcome deficiencies were identified across three hospital construction projects. On further analysis of these project outcome deficiencies, it was apparent that the majority were due to problems that had arisen because design team members and user specialists had been unable to relate different aspects of system functioning adequately. In particular, there appeared to be an inability to incorporate effectively the catering technological and associated service aspects into the design solution, i.e. the elements that were not purely architectural. Some of these functional relationship problems were relatively simple and did not require significant design or user expertise. The most problematic deficiencies emerged when different components of the food service system (central production unit, distribution system and ward service) were not effectively integrated. Proposals are made for a planning framework which will maintain greater congruence between building design, operational planning and building function during the procurement process by allowing project contributors to assess the impact of different building design and operational planning decisions on the human/building interface. The planning framework focuses decision making around a set of critical relationships identified between the components of the building solution, so that any potential divergence caused by environmental pressures can be offset by corrective action using the critical relationships as the parameters upon which successful function must be based. This approach is a pre-requisite for the future construction procurement process in order to improve building function, particularly for complex, multi-user buildings.

Very large sets of multi-source, multi-dimensional and time varying data are generated during the execution of construction projects, especially large-scale infrastructure projects. Emphasized in this thesis is how data visualization can provide important insights during the planning, implementation and post project analysis phases of linear projects in an urban environment, which are attended by a complex working environment and multiple stakeholders. These insights can lead to enhanced communication and better decision making. Thesis objectives are four fold: (i) examine how the representation of a schedule using linear planning charts can assist with assessing the quality of a schedule in terms of the construction strategy, communicate schedule intent to projects participants, and assist with telling the as-built story; (ii) explore images useful for representing multi source, multi-dimensional, time varying as-built construction data in support of management functions specifically with regards to communication and decision making; (iii) demonstrate the ability of visual representations of construction data to assist in telling the as-built story of a project in a manner that provides useful insights to project participants; and, (iv) critique the images presented in light of the data visualization principles and interaction tools identified, and suggest improvements as appropriate and possibly other images, including properties desired. In addressing these objectives, the methodology involved a review of computer science and construction literature as it pertains to data visualization and a case study of a past project which reflected the scale and complexity of planning and executing linear projects in an urban environment. The planned and as-built story were captured from the available data depicting the contractor’s perspective in the project’s product, process, and as-built views which were replicated in a research software system called REPCON software. This system supports selected data visualization capabilities, which were examined and critiqued as part of this thesis. It is demonstrated that data visualization is a powerful paradigm for gaining insights into the quality of a project’s plan and for understanding a project’s as-built performance. Greater benefits could be achieved by exploiting cutting edge visualization tools and by designing and implementing a more comprehensive set of images. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

The main concern of a construction client is to procure a facility that is able to meet its functional requirements, of the required quality, and delivered within an acceptable budget and timeframe. The cost aspect of these key performance indicators usually ranks highest. In spite of the importance of cost estimation, it is undeniably neither simple nor straightforward because of the lack of information in the early stages of the project. Construction projects therefore have routinely overrun their estimates. Cost overrun has been attributed to a number of sources including technical error in design, managerial incompetence, risk and uncertainty, suspicions of foul play and even corruption. Furthermore, even though it is accepted that factors such as tendering method, location of project, procurement method or size of project have an effect on likely final cost of a project, it is difficult to establish their measured financial impact. Estimators thus have to rely largely on experience and intuition when preparing initial estimates, often neglecting most of these factors in the final cost build-up. The decision-to-build for most projects is therefore largely based on unrealistic estimates that would inevitably be exceeded. The main aim of this research is to re-examine the sources of cost overrun on construction projects and to develop final cost estimation models that could help in reaching more reliable final cost estimates at the tendering stage of the project. The research identified two predominant schools of thought on the sources of overruns – referred to here as the PsychoStrategists and Evolution Theorists. Another finding was that there is no unanimity on the reference point from which cost performance could be assessed, leading to a large disparity in the size of overruns reported. Another misunderstanding relates to the term “cost overrun” itself. The experimental part of the research, conducted in collaboration with two industry partners, used a combination of non-parametric bootstrapping and ensemble modelling with artificial neural networks to develop final project cost models based on about 1,600 water infrastructure projects. 92% of the validation predictions were within ±10% of the actual final cost of the project. The models will be particularly useful at the pre-contract stage as they will provide a benchmark for evaluating submitted tenders and also allow the quick generation of various alternative solutions for a construction project using what-if scenarios. The original contribution of the study is a fresh thinking of construction “cost overruns”, now proposed to be more appropriately known as “cost growth” based on a synthesises of the two schools of thought into a conceptual model. The second contribution is the development of novel models of construction cost estimation utilising artificial neural networks coupled with bootstrapping and ensemble modelling.

The main aim of this research is to investigate how elements of the dynamic and temporary team environment of construction project teams influence trust, commitment, satisfaction and learning in the teams. While much can be learnt from the current literature about teams, the theories have mainly derived and focused on teams from permanent environments such as manufacturing, hospitality, health care, education and technology sectors. The uniqueness of construction project teams (for example, temporariness and multi-organisations involvement) creates a team working environment different from common permanent work teams. As such, numerous questions arise when we consider how construction project teams function and how the members are influenced by the temporary and dynamic team environment. For example, how do the project team members establish trust and commitment in the project team environment? How does the interdependency on each other to accomplish their assigned tasks influence individual members?? attitudes and learning in the project teams? The research adopted a cross-sectional mixed method research design employing both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection in Singapore construction industry. The quantitative method involved survey questionnaires collected from 136 construction practitioners from 47 project teams. The qualitative method involved in-depth interviews with 28 construction practitioners. Quantitative statistical analysis was performed on the survey data using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) and qualitative thematic analysis was performed on the interview data using computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software - NVivo. Amongst other things the research findings indicated that individual team members?? perceived task interdependence and reward interdependence are positively related to their trust and commitment in the team. Additionally, their satisfaction in the team played a mediating role between the relationships. With respect to team learning, the research found that team goals, task interdependence and reward interdependence influence team learning, and team learning contributes to the performance of project teams. On a broad view, the circumstances in which how team members?? trust, commitment, satisfaction and team learning are influenced appear to be similar with other work teams. However, in-depth interviews with construction professionals revealed many complex and subtle factors relating specifically to construction project teams, such as, multi-projects and multi-organisations involvement, and degree of familiarity between the members before the team is set up. These factors are central to the team members. In conclusion, this study has brought insights into how temporary construction project team environment influence members?? team attitudes and team learning experience.

Timing, cost, and quality are the key elements in the construction project. (We can call it ¡§elements triangle¡¨) Whenever one of the elements is being changed, such as the project progress delay, the cost surpass the budget or the quality flaw excessively many and so on, usually the solution is to modify the problem part, but we miss the ¡§System Dynamics¡¨ of the construction project. The elements are involved to each other. Therefore, when we adjust the deviation part of the element; actually the adjustment also involves changes of the other elements or even the whole construction project, but still not solves the problem. It causes the recycle of the deviation occurs continually, but not the solution. According to the complex system dynamics, we found the best solution form the research of several construction cases with its management strategy and identities: 1. Adjust the deviation according to the person who is in charge of the project is better than just adjust the problem part of the elements. 2. Improve the satisfaction to the person who is in charge of the project and the cooperators for obtaining a better effect. 3. Applies the case occurs from the dynamic simulation method analysis practical field will enhanced the result of the inspection improvement plan, but also effected to the deviation analysis.