Publications

Integrating Laser-scanning Technology into a Construction Engineering and Management Curriculum

Abstract Laser scanning technology has emerged as an essential tool in measuring and documenting existing conditions of buildings and infrastructures. It has been widely used in surveying, recording existing structures, calculating quantity, monitoring construction progress, understanding the general topography of a site, capturing the complicated geometries seen in manufacturing facilities, and supporting Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC). While it has become popular for construction engineering and management programs to include Building Information Modeling in their curricula, very few construction programs have introduced laser scanning technology to their students. The high cost of the laser scanner and the associated software, the lack of qualified instructors, and the lack of an accreditation requirement are the primary reasons for this situation. However, recently, the construction industry has adopted many technological innovations, and the cost of laser scanners has been going down. Educators need to look into the potential of adopting laser scanning in their curricula. This research aims to assess the need for and evaluate the feasibility of incorporating laser scanning technology into the construction engineering and management curriculum. The study conducted a thorough literature review to assess how laser scanning technology can improve Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), which are required by the American Council of Construction Education (ACCE). The contributions of the study involve (1) helping educators in construction engineering and management programs to understand the importance of laser scanning technology in the construction industry, (2) improving current Student Learning Outcomes by using laser scanning technology.

ALISS: Advanced Linear Scheduling System

<p>The line of balance (LOB) method is not widely used in the construction industry even though it has distinct advantages in repetitive construction projects. Attempts were made in the past to develop LOB systems but no system has met with universal acceptance because of a multitude of problems. As a response, a tool named ALISS was developed that solves most of the problems associated with LOB applications. ALISS is an acronym for Advanced Linear Scheduling System and makes use of a model that utilizes the tools of information technology to the fullest extent. This is accomplished by creating a system that has a standalone and a web-based version. ALISS is programmed using Visual Basic and Visual Basic Script languages. It utilizes MS Access and SQL Server as a data repository. The resulting Advanced Linear Scheduling System not only accommodates all LOB requirements but also provides the latest technological developments as an embedded tool.</p>

Supply Management System in Ready-Mixed Concrete Companies: Evidence from Turkey

The ready-mixed concrete industry has gained significance due to the growing global need for mass housing, high-rise buildings, and infrastructure projects. Ready-mixed concrete must be used within two hours of production, necessitating local manufacturing. Turkey stands out as the third-largest producer of ready-mixed concrete globally, after China and the U.S. A better understanding of supply management systems in ready-mixed concrete companies is critical for enhancing operational efficiency, meeting the dynamic demands of clients, and achieving long-term stability and growth in such a competitive market. The main aim of this study is to evaluate ready-mixed concrete companies' supply management systems, focusing on three key aspects: (1) sales, (2) supply, and (3) waste management. A questionnaire was designed and randomly distributed to professionals employed by 150 ready-mixed concrete companies, achieving a 47% response rate with 70 returns. The findings indicate that the established practices among producers include frequent adjustments in unit pricing, offers of flexibility in payments, and the frequent use of discounts. Notably, half of the companies surveyed demonstrated high manufacturing capacity and high-quality production, with 75% supporting R&D operations. A significant portion (65%) employed over 15 technical professionals, and 64% utilized advanced vehicle tracking systems. Challenges in the availability of raw materials were common, and most companies employed waste management systems. These insights help to understand ready-mixed concrete production and distribution better and pave the way for optimizing supply chain dynamics in the ready-mixed concrete industry, offering pathways to improved efficiency and profitability.

Differentiation, Conformity, and Construction Firm Performance

Competitive strategy and neo-institutional scholars offer different views for studying a firm's relationship with its environment. Competitive strategy scholars propose that a firm's environment hosts competitive forces and that a firm's performance is closely related with its ability to differentiate itself from its rivals. Neo-institutional scholars, on the other hand, propose that a firm's environment hosts institutional forces and that a firm's performance is closely related with its ability to conform to institutional norms. The research presented here builds on the premise that the propositions set forth by competitive strategy and neo-institutional scholars are complementary rather than contradictory. It empirically explores these propositions in the context of the U.S. construction industry. Research findings provide considerable empirical support for the competitive strategy scholars' proposition that differentiation vis-à-vis rivals is positively related with a firm's performance. On the other hand, research findings do not provide any empirical support to the neo-institutional scholars' proposition that conformity to regulatory and societal expectations is positively related to a firm's performance.

Multi-objective optimization for LEED - new construction using BIM and genetic algorithms

Construction Scheduling and Progress Control Using Geographical Information Systems

Traditional scheduling and progress control techniques such as bar charts and the critical path method (CPM) fail to provide information pertaining to the spatial aspects of a construction project. A system called PMS-GIS (Progress Monitoring System with Geographical Information Systems) was developed to represent construction progress not only in terms of a CPM schedule but also in terms of a graphical representation of the construction that is synchronized with the work schedule. In PMS-GIS, the architectural design is executed using a computer-aided drafting (CAD) program (AutoCAD), the work schedule is generated using a project management software (P3), the design and schedule information (including percent complete information) are plugged into a GIS package (ArcViewGIS), and for every update, the system produces a CPM-generated bar chart alongside a 3D rendering of the project marked for progress. The GIS-based system developed in this study helps to effectively communicate the schedule∕progress information to the parties involved in the project, because they will be able to see in detail the spatial aspects of the project alongside the schedule.

INNOVATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

In this paper, existing innovation models are reviewed. The influence of technology and market-driven schools of thought on the creation and diffusion of innovation is examined. Incremental vs. radical models and autonomous vs. systemic models are considered in the context of the construction industry. The concept of “technology adoption life cycle ” is investigated to understand better the acceptance of new technology by key parties. A new model of innovation is proposed. In this model, the transformation process of invention into adoption flows through a cyclical mechanism encompassing six phases: 1) need, 2) creation, 3) invention, 4) innovation, 5) diffusion, and 6) adoption. This model clearly shows the interaction of the three most influential domains: users, changes, and the environment. The model also takes into consideration the influence of technology and market-driven forces on the creation and diffusion of innovation. As a consequence of their particular function in the construction activity, construction management firms should perform as catalysts in the generation and diffusion of technological advances in the construction industry.

Closure to “Constructability Analysis in the Design Firm” by David Arditi, Ahmed Elhassan, and Y. Cengiz Toklu

Teaming/timing sequences in hotel development projects

Branding secures easier financing, higher rates and occupancies and repeat business in the hospitality industry. Hotel operators use architectural and interior design elements to create uniquely differentiated products for their brands. Owing to the expected benefits, hotel owners often involve brand chain hotel operators in designing their properties. However, although they are heavily involved in the design, hotel operators leave it to the owner to deal with the construction of the property and with the challenge of accomplishing the design intent while completing the project on time and within budget. The teaming/timing sequences available for a prospective hotel owner are analysed. The consequences of the timing for adding the builder to the project team in different project delivery methods are identified. Also, the best practices relative to design coordination, constructability reviews, value engineering, mock-up room reviews, price confirmation, and project handover are considered. A custom software program ‘HotPlan’ is developed to assist owners in generating conflict-free sequences of teaming/timing options and evaluating the consequences of their preferences. Comparisons of the HotPlan-generated sequences allow users to pick the alternative that most agrees with their intentions. The study is relevant to other types of projects such as residential and office buildings, airports, and hospitals where the operator of the facility may participate in the development process right from the start.

Part III: The Recording Industry and Labor

iTake-Over: The Recording Industry in the Digital Era sheds light on the way large corporations appropriate new technologies related to recording and distribution of audio material to maintain their market dominance in a capitalist system. All too commonly, scholars have asserted too confidently, how the rise and reign of digital music has diminished the power of major record labels. In iTake-Over, music scholar David Arditi argues otherwise, adopting a broader perspective by examining how the recording industry has strengthened copyright laws for their corporate ends at the expense of the broader public good, which has traditionally depended on the safe harbor of fair use. Arditi also challenges the dominant discourse over digital music distribution, which has largely adopted the position that the recording industry has a legitimate claim to profitability at the detriment of a shared culture.

Marketing of Construction Services

Observations in the industry and a recent survey indicate that construction companies are anxious to improve their marketing activities. Literature regarding industrial marketing of consumer products is quite abundant, but has limited use in the construction industry. On the other hand, most of the few published works regarding marketing in the construction industry concentrate on design services as opposed to construction services. This paper discusses marketing principles and practices that could be applied by construction contractors. It reports on an exploratory survey of marketing executives employed by the ENR top 400 contractors, carried out to identify the existing marketing practices and analyze them by size of company, type of work undertaken, type of contract used, and the proportion of new clients versus repeat clients. Results support the need for an in‐depth study for the development of feasible and efficient marketing strategies for construction contractors.

System for Scheduling Highway Construction Projects

Abstract: The type and number of activities involved in highway construction, the precedence relationships between them, and their estimated durations depend on a multitude of factors. When considered under different conditions, the number of options available in this regard is found to be very high. Computerized support for the generation of construction schedules is currently limited to creating networks for manually defined and sequenced activities. This paper describes a system called ROAD PLANNER that generates activity networks and computes estimated activity durations. Eleven main activities that are present in the majority of highway construction projects have been defined at the root level. Based on information provided by the user, the system generates the precedence relationships between these main activities. It then generates subactivities and estimates their duration by interacting with 14 rule bases. Lead and lag times between activities are also calculated by the system. The rule bases contain expert information on various construction methods and different technologies. They interface with 27 databases that contain productivity information regarding a multitude of construction equipment.

Fatal accidents in nighttime vs. daytime highway construction work zones

Business failures in the construction industry

Turkish building construction contracts vs. FIDIC contracts

Contract administration is one of the most important pillars of a construction project.Its effect starts at bidding and lasts until the end of the guarantee period.A common mistake made by construction owners is structuring the construction contract in a way that minimizes the owner's risks by relaxing the timing of owner payments, including heavy penalty clauses, requesting bank guarantees with indefinite duration, etc.However, a well-balanced construction contract may protect the work against any unexpected events, avoid potential disputes between the parties, and provide contract clauses that are fair to both parties.Being one of the pioneers in this area, the aim of this study is to compare the time and payment-related clauses of the Turkish bespoken construction contracts with standard FIDIC contracts and provide important insights and guidelines to practitioners.In this study, 304 bespoken contracts undertaken in the Turkish building construction market are analyzed and compared against standard FIDIC conditions.The results show that the timing of the payments is similar to those in FIDIC general conditions, yet time extension is mostly awarded for force majeure only.The majority of the projects were delayed in most cases observed independently from the type of contract and wording of the time extension clause.Recommendations are made to structure a more balanced building construction contract and more successful construction project management in Turkey.

General contractors’ relationships with subcontractors: A strategic asset

The general contractor-subcontractor relationship has been a focus of interest in the literature and yet its impact on a general contractor's economic performance remains a virtually unexplored area in the construction management literature. This research presents the findings of a questionnaire survey administered to 500 large US general contractors to explore this issue. The findings reveal that maintaining a relationship of high quality with subcontractors is positively and strongly associated with the perceived performance of general contractors responding to the survey.

Railway Route Rationalization: a Valuation Model

Abandonment of rail branches and secondary lines with low traffic density is an effective means of maintaining railway company profitability in many countries such as Britain, Canada, Australia, and Japan. In the United States, it was not until passage by Congress of the Stagger's Act in 1980, that the industry's abandonment vigor became fully manifested. This is because the Stagger's Act substantially reduced the time required for the Interstate Commerce Commission to act upon abandonment applications. An economic model is developed to predict losses in a railroad branch line without going through the cumbersome and lengthy calculations normally undertaken, thus reducing the time necessary for the decision‐making process. To this purpose, regression analysis has been performed between losses incurred in 50 railroad branch lines and independent variables extracted from the abandonment applications made for these lines to the Interstate Commerce Commission. The resulting statistically significant model indicates that losses can confidently be predicted by making use of cost and revenue data that are readily obtainable by railway companies freight revenues, maintenance costs for way and structures, rehabilitation costs and equipment maintenance costs.

State of eye-tracking technology research to enhance construction safety