DEVELOPMENT OF A BAYESIAN BASED DESIGN-FOR-MAINTINABILITY DECISION SUPPORT FRAMEWORK

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (BDG

Risk-Informed, Reliability-Driven Decision Support for Building Basement Systems

A lack of consideration for maintainability at the planning/design stage of a construction project often results in inadequate decision-making and selection of design alternatives, which will likely lead to unproductive operational regimes riddled with frequent defects. This paper attempts to anchor the quantitative risk analysis technique, Bayesian networks, as apt in predicting future operational defects based on the initial design alternatives by looking at specific case studies in building basement systems. Therefore, this paper aims to develop a comprehensive risk-informed, reliability-driven decision-making system. Central to this process is the implementation of a setup wherein a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) operates as a powerful reliability engine. Concurrently, a risk matrix serves as a vital tool for facilitating risk-informed decision-making. This approach empowers stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding design choices while keeping maintainability at the forefront. It allows for maintainability to be practically used as an effective tool in buildings to lower the lifecycle cost. Furthermore, it is envisaged that this approach can be adopted in the construction industry globally for the prediction and diagnosis of defects, thereby facilitating risk-informed decision support. This study provides significant contributions to the building industry by providing a novel approach to a basement defect analysis, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration among construction stakeholders, and assisting facility engineers and managers in properly determining maintenance requirements

Developing a Waterproofing Decision-Making Model for High-Rise Building Projects in the Tropics

The most severe problem in high-rise structures is a failure to achieve watertightness. Since the presence of water in a structure can have a detrimental impact, adequate consideration must be taken when selecting a suitable waterproofing system based on several factors. As a result, this research aims to examine the factors that affect the selection of the best waterproofing solution in high-rise building projects in the tropics. Preliminary observations were conducted to investigate typically occurring issues with high-rise buildings which contain commercial, office, and residential facilities. Data were collected through questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews with professionals in the waterproofing industry. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the issues concerning waterproofing and suggests an effective solution for the same. The assessment of the best waterproofing selection criterion was analyzed by incorporating the Best Worst Method (BWM). Based on the global ranking reached, the decision-making framework was developed, and three main specifications, technical, construction, and product, were suggested to select an ideal waterproofing solution. This study provides insightful guidance for professionals in the waterproofing industry and their clientele towards an optimal solution, facilitating informed decision-making processes