Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 1984. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 171-177). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Materials management is a critical factor in construction project performance, particularly in the industrial sector. Research has shown that construction materials and installed equipment may constitute more than 50% of the total cost for a typical industrial project. Therefore the proper management of this single largest component can improve the productivity and cost efficiency of a project and help ensure its timely completion. One of the major problems associated with construction materials management is tracking materials in the supply chain and tracking their locations at job sites. Identification is integral to this process. Research projects conducted during the last decade to automate the identification and tracking of materials have concluded that such automation can increase productivity and cost efficiency as well as improve schedule performance, reduce the number of lost items, improve route and site optimization, and improve data entry. However, these technologies have been rapidly evolving, and knowledge concerning their implementation is sparse. One new approach enables locating of components within a few meters at a cost at least a magnitude lower than preceding technologies. It works by combining GPS located reads of RFID tags read at a rate of several thousand Hertz in order to estimate the location of these inexpensive tags which are attached to key construction materials. This technology was rapidly prototyped and deployed on two large industrial construction projects in 2007 and 2008. This thesis analyzes and synthesizes the data and experiences from these unique and large scale field trials as well as the literature in order to develop a general implementation model for automated construction materials tracking for industrial projects. It is concluded from the model that this new automated construction materials tracking technology is likely to be successful if implemented full scale on well selected future projects. This conclusion is supported by subsequent industry decisions.

Materials management is a critical factor in construction project performance, particularly in the industrial sector. Research has shown that construction materials and installed equipment may constitute more than 50% of the total cost for a typical industrial project. Therefore the proper management of this single largest component can improve the productivity and cost efficiency of a project and help ensure its timely completion. One of the major problems associated with construction materials management is tracking materials in the supply chain and tracking their locations at job sites. Identification is integral to this process. Research projects conducted during the last decade to automate the identification and tracking of materials have concluded that such automation can increase productivity and cost efficiency as well as improve schedule performance, reduce the number of lost items, improve route and site optimization, and improve data entry. However, these technologies have been rapidly evolving, and knowledge concerning their implementation is sparse. One new approach enables locating of components within a few meters at a cost at least a magnitude lower than preceding technologies. It works by combining GPS located reads of RFID tags read at a rate of several thousand Hertz in order to estimate the location of these inexpensive tags which are attached to key construction materials. This technology was rapidly prototyped and deployed on two large industrial construction projects in 2007 and 2008. This thesis analyzes and synthesizes the data and experiences from these unique and large scale field trials as well as the literature in order to develop a general implementation model for automated construction materials tracking for industrial projects. It is concluded from the model that this new automated construction materials tracking technology is likely to be successful if implemented full scale on well selected future projects. This conclusion is supported by subsequent industry decisions.

The aim of this study was to determine the quantity of construction waste for several construction materials and to state the probable origins of this waste, depending on case studies in Turkey. There is a lack of documented quantitative data in Turkey on how much material waste the construction industry generates and what amount of such materials remain unused due to this waste. Although some amount of waste is accepted as unavoidable, the probable reasons for it are unclear. Therefore, the study focused on determining waste percentage values for certain materials based on several construction projects and assessing the reasons for this as stated by the professionals who were involved in the construction process of these projects. For practical reasons, it was confined to the material amounts in the bill of quantities, progress payment reports and invoices for four different construction materials / namely, ready-mixed concrete, rebar, brick and floor block, which belonged to eight different projects of two construction companies. Data compiled on these aspects were analyzed statistically via ANOVA and regression analyses. The results showed that waste percentage values displayed differences among materials. Design-related aspects, skill level and attitude of labor, incorrect calculation of material quantities, contractual clauses and material defects were the most effective reasons for waste within the projects analyzed.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2003. / "MBA professional report"--Cover. Thesis advisor(s): Kevin Gue, Kenneth Doerr. Includes bibliographical references (p. 27). Also available online.

Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering / Improvements on construction productivity benefits projects. These benefits are diverse and varied. Costs can be reduced, schedule performance can be improved, skilled labor shortage can be mitigated, and much more. These last few years, construction sites have undeniably made significant progress through advances in heavy equipment, tools, and materials. But there are still some areas that have strong potential to improve construction productivity such as craft information systems, materials management, and construction methods, which abound of opportunities that just need to be pursued. Innovations represent some of these opportunities, however if established process and practices for managing construction productivity are not effectively utilized and implemented, they are likely to have a little impact on construction productivity. This thesis summarizes a research study which aimed to identify productivity practices that have the most significant positive impact on craft productivity and to document and incorporate them into an implementation resource. Surveys involving over a hundred experts and extensive literature review were used to gather accurate data. Construction industry and civil engineering academic experts were also consulted to accomplish this goal. / text

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1987.

Development of stewardship programs for management of end-of-life mattresses (ELM) is a global challenge for governments. Metro Vancouver is the first Canadian regional government to ban mattresses at local landfills. The next step is for manufacturers and retailers to work with local governments in developing stewardship programs that successfully divert and recycle mattresses across British Columbia (BC). This thesis examines how mattress industry stakeholders in BC could effectively implement province wide mattress stewardship policy that will ensure maximum public participation and will be environmentally sound as well as cost effective. Research was conducted by way of a literature review, a case study approach of Metro Vancouver's mattress recycling bylaw and model, and exploratory interviews with BC stewardship program leaders, Sleep Country Canada, government waste management planners, and mattress recyclers.

No description available.

No abstract available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1991.