Development of a building information modelling (BIM) migration path model for construction professionals

The construction professionals have the notion that by implementing Building Information Modelling (BIM) in construction could overcome problems such as delay, cost overrun, clashes in project design and undesirable quality in construction. However, they failed to take the advantages of the BIM benefit as they are still trying to find the best way to take on board the BIM into current practices. Most of the professionals do not know ‘when’ and ‘how’ to apply BIM throughout the construction lifecycle. Several research models related to BIM has been developed to improve and encourage BIM implementation. Nevertheless, the developed models have limitations in highlighting the steps involved that could assist the construction professionals in implementing BIM effectively in Malaysia. Therefore, this research is aimed to develop a model that would be able to assist Malaysian construction professionals in implementing BIM in a structured way. A semi-structured interview was carried out with respondents that have various experienced and currently involved in BIM projects in the Malaysian construction industry. Findings show that the construction professionals are lacking in knowledge and experience in using BIM in various stages of construction. Thus, they were unable to fully capitalise the benefit of 3D models. Migration path model was proposed and evaluated as a strategic approach for BIM implementation in the Malaysian construction industry. The identification of five (5) activities (BIM Awareness, Develop BIM Strategy, Implement BIM, Monitor BIM and Expand BIM Implementation) with the three (3) enablers (BIM work contract, BIM work process and BIM technology) in the model is expected to be able to assist construction professionals to implement BIM with the right BIM concept and later, the benefit could be obtained for improving construction project. The proposed model could be as a guideline for construction professionals in implementing BIM, specifically in countries that new in BIM. The model is also expected to be able to fill the gap in BIM implementation by supporting the initiatives by the Malaysian government for increasing productivity in construction projects by using new technology like BIM

A linear time algorithm for a variant of the max cut problem in series parallel graphs

Given a graph $G=(V, E)$, a connected sides cut $(U, V\backslash U)$ or $\delta (U)$ is the set of edges of E linking all vertices of U to all vertices of $V\backslash U$ such that the induced subgraphs $G[U]$ and $G[V\backslash U]$ are connected. Given a positive weight function $w$ defined on $E$, the maximum connected sides cut problem (MAX CS CUT) is to find a connected sides cut $\Omega$ such that $w(\Omega)$ is maximum. MAX CS CUT is NP-hard. In this paper, we give a linear time algorithm to solve MAX CS CUT for series parallel graphs. We deduce a linear time algorithm for the minimum cut problem in the same class of graphs without computing the maximum flow.Comment: 6 page

Uniqueness of Viscosity Solutions for Optimal Multi-Modes Switching Problem with Risk of default

In this paper we study the optimal m-states switching problem in finite horizon as well as infinite horizon with risk of default. We allow the switching cost functionals and cost of default to be of polynomial growth and arbitrary. We show uniqueness of a solution for a system of m variational partial differential inequalities with inter-connected obstacles. This system is the deterministic version of the Verification Theorem of the Markovian optimal m-states switching problem with risk of default. This problem is connected with the valuation of a power plant in the energy market.Comment: 25 pages; Real options, Backward stochastic differential equations, Snell envelope, Stopping times, Switching, Viscosity solution of PDEs, Variational inequalities. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:0805.1306 and arXiv:0904.070

A transformation that preserves principal minors of skew-symmetric matrices

Our motivation comes from the work of Engel and Schneider (1980). Their main theorem implies that two symmetric matrices have equal corresponding principal minors of all orders if and only if they are diagonally similar. This study was continued by Hartfiel and Loewy (1984). They found sufficient conditions under which two $n\times n$ matrices\ $A$ and $B$ have equal corresponding principal minors of all orders if and only if $B$ or its transpose $B^{t}$ is diagonally similar to $A$. In this paper, we give a new way to construct a pair of skew-symmetric having equal corresponding principal minors of all orders

Weighted Big Lipschitz algebras of analytic functions and closed ideals

We give the smallest closed ideal with given hull and inner factor for some weighted big Lipschitz algebras of analytic functions

Derivations and the first cohomology group of trivial extension algebras

In this paper we investigate in details derivations on trivial extension algebras. We obtain generalizations of both known results on derivations on triangular matrix algebras and a known result on first cohomology group of trivial extension algebras. As a consequence we get the characterization of trivial extension algebras on which every derivation is inner. We show that, under some conditions, a trivial extension algebra on which every derivation is inner has necessarily a triangular matrix representation. The paper starts with detailed study (with examples) of the relation between the trivial extension algebras and the triangular matrix algebras.Comment: Mediterranean Journal of Mathematics; 201