Continuous maintenance and the future – Foundations and technological challenges

High value and long life products require continuous maintenance throughout their life cycle to achieve required performance with optimum through-life cost. This paper presents foundations and technologies required to offer the maintenance service. Component and system level degradation science, assessment and modelling along with life cycle ‘big data’ analytics are the two most important knowledge and skill base required for the continuous maintenance. Advanced computing and visualisation technologies will improve efficiency of the maintenance and reduce through-life cost of the product. Future of continuous maintenance within the Industry 4.0 context also identifies the role of IoT, standards and cyber security

Cost Risk Management for a Small to Medium-sized Enterprise in the Cladding Industry

To research the management of risk and cost in the cladding industry, this work has evaluated current practice and deficiencies, concentrating on the lack of integration or standardisation resulting in inaccurate cost estimates, unacceptable risks and loss of profit in cladding manufacture. The research presents an approach for integrating process- and technology-orientated improvements into a knowledge-based model to improve a cladding manufacturing SME’s performance. The research also presents a management method for the selection, integration, control and implementation of this approach. Controlling data transfer between systems produces a knowledge-based model, allowing cladding industry designers and estimators to take more accurate decisions, with the objective of reducing risk and improving company profitability. This model, with the addition of external supply chain elements, is a management framework, which can be termed an agile manufacturing system. The development of this framework has raised the following data certainty questions: • What is the measured uncertainty of that data? • How can the industry control and structure high data volumes transferred between systems to produce more accurate cost models? The answers to these questions were found by applying a structured methodology for the selection, integration and control of technology in the cladding industry, but involving the human factor. In this approach, the principle of entropy was adopted to measure data uncertainty. The structured methodology was made possible by a new categorisation into Innovative, Standard and Semi-Standard cladding projects. The research applied this structured methodology, combining qualitative and quantitative methods for validating assumptions, to a cladding industry SME case-study. The case-study investigated the validity of real cost and project data and calculated data uncertainty for specific projects, categorised as described, using a risk factor percentage predicted on entropy principles, based on historical data fed back from the SME’s ERP system. This risk factor approach was similar to that previously used in the insurance and banking industries. The risk percentage formulae used were based on assumptions extracted from qualitative and quantitative methods applied to the SME, its partner companies and industry specialists. Assumptions about the gross margins for UK metal cladding projects formed part of the risk percentage formulae. The results of this case-study found that gross margins varied from 5% in standard projects to 40% in the Innovative projects. An entropy scale was proposed as a basis for comparing risk calculation results, with the highest entropy equalling 100%, signifying the highest risk possible. It was found that risk rises in the case-study were from 23% for Standard to 93% for Innovative projects. This principle of a risk factor percentage was tested in the UK cladding manufacturer SME case-study and its value to the SME was demonstrated.

Standardisation in Construction (CRISP)

Background This report was commissioned by the Technologies and Components Task Group of the Construction Research and Innovation Strategy Panel (CRISP). Its purpose is to identify, illustrate and where possible categorise recent and current initiatives on standardisation and customisation, particularly within UK construction. Standardisation is the extensive use of processes or procedures, products or components, in which there is regularity, repetition and a record of successful practice. Customisation is the process of using standard components or sub-assemblies to produce a variety of end products to suit the needs of the end-user. Technical standards (e.g. ISO) are not included in this review. Current Research Between 1997 and 2000, almost £6.7 million has been invested by DETR and EPSRC in research projects that include standardisation and customisation in construction. Of this total figure, around £1.1 million covers general innovation which includes standardisation, with the remainder concentrating more specifically on standardisation. The main schemes that have funded standardisation research in the UK construction sector include the EPSRC/DETR Innovative Manufacturing Initiative (Meeting Clients’ Needs through Standardisation) and the DETR Partners in Innovation programme. There is much work that claims to cover standardisat ion, often combined in some way with pre-assembly or general innovation. Pre-assembly research is covered in a separate report for CRISP (00/19). Many of the projects are still underway and so a full review was not possible. The appendices include summaries of the research projects, patent records and professional journal articles reviewed. The research projects reviewed are spread across t he industry sectors and involve most of the industry bodies and many universities although the main players are Salford, Loughborough and Warwick Universities and the Building Research Establishment. There appears to be little direct collaboration between projects. In some ways this is to be expected as the subject itself is very diverse. Nevertheless, further benefits should be possible by seeking to draw together the results from the various projects and to encourage the different parties to collaborate on future projects. The deliverables from existing projects are varied in quality and format, with some focussed on dissemination to industrial end-users and others more suitable for academic audiences. Some of the more academic deliverables may be able to be developed into tool kits or other industry-focussed output. Further benefits for dissemination are possible th rough the EPSRC’s industrial secondment scheme. Some international work has been related to the UK situation, but this study has not included a full international review. Motivators, facilitators, barriers and implications Motivators, facilitators, barriers and implications include: clients and the project team; procurement methods and supply chain relationships; formal/contractual requirements; legislation; moving construction towards a manufacturing process; whole life costing, sustainability and waste reduction; people issues, skills and training; new materials and technologies; information and communications technology; pre- assembly; and the measurement of success. There are also some sector-specific issues. Leading repeat-order clients are at the forefront of research and implementat ion of standardisation, convinced that significant savings can be made. The benefits are not so obvious to one-off clients and this offers a real challenge for the future although some work is just about to start in this area. There are competing drivers within project teams, with those involved in long-term strategic relationships better able to realise the benefits. This is also true for a ll parties in the supply-chain where the effect of standardisation may be relatively insignificant when considered company by company, but adds considerable value when employed within an overall supply-chain strategy. However, the cultural barriers to standardisation should not be underestimated, especially within the design professions. The most significant challenges are to combine top quality design with the principles of customised standardisation and to change the construction process into a manufacturing process without returning to the mass production of the 1950s and ‘60s.. The principles have been identified but they are not yet employed consistently. Standardisation has generally led to reduced cost and improved quality, but occasionally there have been examples where the specification of a standard product has not produced these expected outcomes. The whole supply chain needs to be engaged in research to prevent this from recurring. As the supply chain develops, then better deployment of some of the standardised ICT applications and data handling methods will be required. This may occur in any case and at considerable speed, driven by commercial pressures and may not require specific research input. Whilst there has been research on standard processes and changing the construction process to a manufacturing process, there is little direct investigat ion into the effect of standardisation on formal or contractual requirements or their effect on standar disation. The same is true for legislation. Whole life costing and sustainability have been much talked about, but there is little direct research on the causal relationship with standardisation. The availability of spare parts for example is a clear driver, but there appear to have been no rigorous studies to eval uate whether such expected benefits are achieved in practice. There is significant opportunity for human factors work on standardisation, both in evaluating the effect on construction workers, end-users and the general public. The link between standardisation and innovation has been identified in principle, but more development of strategies to ensure that standardisation does not act ually act as a barrier to product improvement or innovation could be beneficial. Benefits from standardisation have been identified in much of the previous and existing work, but accurate measurement of these benefits remains elusive. Working on this further with leading repeat order clients may be possible, but overcoming the desire for headline statistics may prove difficult. Conclusions There is much existing research work looking at standardisation, although it is often combined with broader subjects. Furthermore, the subject is very broad and as a result projects are diverse and hard to draw together as one body of knowledge. Much of the work is not coordinated well and benefits may be gained from further efforts in this area. Further work should be encouraged especially where it effectively engages the whole supply chain and is targeted on producing end-user guidance

Decision-making in façade selection for multi-storey buildings

The conference paper can be viewed at: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/proceedings/ar2012-0357-0367_Garmston_Pan_de%20Wilde.pdfThe design and construction of multi-storey buildings faces a multitude of demands such as aesthetics, cost, energy efficiency, and occupier comfort; with façades on both new and re-used buildings playing a key role in helping to meet these demands. The process of façade selection is aided by a plethora of decision-making tools, yet façade decisions are often largely guided by cost and aesthetics. Poorly specified façades can potentially expose developers, owners and occupiers of multi-storey buildings to risks such as poor thermal comfort, glare, and increased operational costs. The aim of this paper is to explore the current state of façade decision-making, with the objectives of discovering who is making the decisions and when, and what problems are perceived and what potential solutions might exist. Literature pertaining to façades, multi-storey buildings and façade decision-making is reviewed. Experience of façade decision-making in today’s construction industry in the UK is collected via semi-structured interviews with construction professionals. The findings show architects as leading the initial façade decisions, with clients and planners making the final decisions. Very few decision-making tools were revealed as being used: namely whole life cost analysis, life cycle cost analysis and simulation. Further research is proposed to define the roles participating in façade decision-making for multi-storey buildings

Managing construction interfaces within the building facade

Interfaces, joints and connections between different elements or sections cause more problems than most of the rest of the building. There are challenges during design, manufacture and construction as well as implications throughout the life of the building. These challenges are particularly relevant for the building envelope. Here the joints must perform at the same level as the main areas of wall or roof, but the pressures on them are invariably much greater. They must keep out the weather but, at the same time, accommodate tolerances. and inaccuracies and cater for movements both during construction and for as long as the building lasts. Managing construction interfaces is an important part of delivering a construction project without time delays or cost additions. However the lack of written publications on how to manage interfaces within construction is a problem discovered by the author very early in the research. Therefore the main aim of the research was; to improve the management of interfaces within the construction industry, with particular reference to interfaces within the building facade. The research was based on an EPSRC funded project entitled CladdISS "A standardised strategy for window and cladding interfaces". The methodology included industrial workshops, interviews, regular steering group meetings and a questionnaire. The strategy proposed to increase productivity, quality, reduce waste and reduce costs in design, manufacture, installation, and the building life cycle. The research highlighted a wide range of interrelated problems. However, the two main issues were: Poor communication between the design team and specialist contractors and poor interface detailing. The following situations typically exist: The interface responsibility is assigned too late if at all; the term 'by others' often leads to the interfaces being poorly managed; the design team does not have a good enough understanding of the construction and manufacturing tolerances of materials at the interfaces; often the design team does not have appropriate understanding of the cladding system they are designing; the specialist cladding contractors do not have enough input to the design of the cladding and interfaces early enough. Using the CladdISS strategy will enable the supply chain to be organised and provide a template for effective interface management

Structural sustainability appraisal in BIM

The provision of Application Programming Interface (API) in BIM-enable tools can contribute to facilitating BIM-related research. APIs are useful links for running plug-ins and external programmes but they are yet to be fully exploited in expanding the BIM scope. The modelling of n-Dimensional (nD) building performance measures can potentially benefit from BIM extension through API implementations. Sustainability is one such measure associated with buildings. For the structural engineer, recent design criteria have put great emphasis on the sustainability credentials as part of the traditional criteria of structural integrity, constructability and cost. This paper examines the utilization of API in BIM extension and presents a demonstration of an API application to embed sustainability issues into the appraisal process of structural conceptual design options in BIM. It concludes that API implementations are useful in expanding the BIM scope. Also, the approach including process modelling, algorithms and object-based instantiations demonstrated in the API implementation can be applicable to other nD building performance measures as may be relevant to the various professional platforms in the construction domain

Integrated decision-making in the cladding supply chain

COPYRIGH