Visual project management practices to control projects

Abstract. In today’s technologically advanced world, projects are becoming much more complex and managers often face challenges of controlling the pace of the project. Visual project management is a fundamental element of lean methods that allows the project management activities to accomplish efficiently and effectively within the timeline. The challenges and complexity of projects are on the rise nowadays due to distinct unpredicted characteristics for instance workplace accidents, environmental effects, price hiking of materials cost and so on. Lack of controlling and monitoring the external or internal events within the project sometimes drive to project failure. This thesis aims to gain an insight into the visual project management practices in various projects through literature analysis along with the understanding of the contribution of visual tools and elements in the purpose of controlling the project. The initial part of this research focuses on in-depth literature review concerning the functions, tools, elements and the current state of the visual project management. The analysis is conducted by keeping two case studies as examples. The literature review reveals the contribution of visual management to support managerial strategy by integrating information, providing the elements, tools, and sensory aids into various project work settings. Following this, a qualitative analysis of two case projects provides the insight into the findings of this thesis which focuses on the prominence of visual management in two different project characteristics. Through the analysis and discussion, the anticipation of visual management was explored and identify the findings that disagree or complements the previous literature. Nevertheless, the overall research is concerned with the improvement of the project performance and effectiveness, removing potential threats and uncertainties and controlling the project through visual project management philosophies

Design of top-hat purlins for cold-formed steel portal frames

This paper considers the use of cold-formed steel top-hat sections for purlins in the UK, as an alternative to conventional zed-sections. The use of such top-hat sections could be viable for cold-formed steel portal framing systems, where both the frame spacing and purlin span may be smaller than that of conventional hot-rolled steel portal frames. Furthermore, such sections are torsionally stiffer than zed-sections, and so have a greater resistance to lateral-torsional buckling. They also do not require the installation of anti-sag rods. The paper describes a combination of full-scale laboratory tests and non-linear elasto plastic finite element analyses. The results of twenty-seven tests on four different top-hat sections are presented. In terms of stiffness, good agreement between the experimental and finite element results is shown. The finite element model is then used for a parametric study to investigate the effect of different thicknesses and steel grades. Design recommendations are provided in the form of charts. The use of the finite element method in this way exploits modern computational techniques for an otherwise difficult structural design problem and reduces the need for an expensive and time consuming full laboratory study, whilst maintaining realistic and safe coverage of the important structural design issues

Parametric Studies and Design Recommendations of Cold-Formed Steel Sections with Edge-Stiffened Circular Holes Subjected to Web Crippling

A parametric study of cold-formed steel sections with edge-stiffened circular holes subjected to web crippling under one-flange loading condition was undertaken using finite element analysis. The effect of different hole sizes, edge-stiffener length and distances of the web holes to the near edge of the bearing plate on the web crippling strengths of channel sections were investigated. The web crippling strengths are influenced by various geometry parameters: the ratio of the hole depth to the flat portion of the web, a/h, the location of the hole as defined by the distance of the hole from the edge of the bearing divided by the flat portion of the web, x/h and the ratio of the edge-stiffener length to the flat portion of the web, q/h. In order to find the effect of a/h, x/h and q/h ratios on web crippling strength of channel sections with web holes, three separate parametric studies were carried out. The results indicate that with a suitable edge-stiffener length, the web crippling strength of cold-formed steel channel section with holes can be as high as the one without holes. In this paper, based on the finite element results a correlation are established for the web crippling strength of the channel sections without web holes, with unstiffened and edge-stiffened circular web holes corresponding with the ratios a/h, x/h and q/h for the interior-one-flange (IOF) and end-one-flange (EOF) loading conditions, respectively

Numerical study of web crippling strength in cold-formed austenitic stainless steel lipped channels with web openings subjected to interior-two-flange loading

In cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel-sections, use of web openings for service purposes are becoming increasingly popular. Web openings, however, result in the sections becoming more susceptible to web crippling. This paper presents a finite element investigation into the web crippling strength of cold-formed austenitic stainless steel lipped channel-sections with circular web openings under the interior-two-flange (ITF) loading condition. The cases of web openings located centred and offset to the bearing plates are considered in this study. In order to take into account the influence of the circular web openings, a parametric study involving 740 non-linear elasto-plastic finite element analyses was performed, covering austenitic EN1.4404 stainless steel grade. From the results of the parametric study, the effect of the size of the web opening, length of bearing plate and location of the web opening is investigated. Strength reduction factor equations are then proposed, that can be used to take into account such web openings in design

Numerical Investigation of Cold-Formed Steel Top Hat Purlins

This paper considers the use of cold-formed steel top-hat sections for purlins as an alternative to conventional zed-sections. The use of such top-hat sections may be viable for use in cold-formed steel portal framing systems, where both the frame spacing and purlin span may be smaller than in conventional hot-rolled steel portal frames. Furthermore, such sections are torsionally stiffer than zed-sections, and so have a greater resistance to lateral-torsional buckling. They also do not require the installation of anti-sag rods. The paper describes non-linear elasto plastic finite element analyses conducted on top-hat sections. The results of twenty-seven tests on four different top-hat sections are presented. Good agreement between experimental and finite element results is shown. The finite element model is then used for a parametric study to investigate the effect of different thicknesses and steel grades. Design recommendations are provided in the form of charts that can be used to assist designers when deciding which geometry of top-hat section to consider for further development. The use of the finite element method in this way exploits modern computational techniques for an otherwise difficult structural design problem and reduces the need for an expensive and time consuming full laboratory study, whilst maintaining realistic and safe coverage of the important structural design issues

Experimental and Analytical Studies of Cold-Formed Steel Sections with Edge-Stiffened Circular Holes Subjected to Web Crippling

Cold-formed steel sections are often used as wall studs or floor joists and such sections often include web holes for ease of installation of services. The holes are normally punched or bored and are unstiffened; when the holes are near to points of concentrated load, web crippling can be the critical design consideration. Recently, a new generation of cold-formed steel channel sections with edge-stiffened circular holes has been developed. The web holes are stiffened through a continuous edge stiffener/lip around the perimeter of the hole. In this paper, a combination of experimental investigations and non-linear finite element analyses are used to investigate the effect of such edge-stiffened holes under the interior-one-flange (IOF) and end-one-flange (EOF) loading conditions; for comparison, sections without holes and with unstiffened holes are also be considered. A non-linear finite element models are described, and the results compared against the laboratory test results; a good agreement was obtained in terms of both strength and failure modes

Asynchronous digital health interventions for reviewing asthma: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol

INTRODUCTION: People living with asthma require regular reviews to address their concerns and questions, assess control, review medication, and support self-management. However, practical barriers to attending face-to-face consultations might limit routine reviews. Reviewing asthma using asynchronous digital health interventions could be convenient for patients and an efficient way of maintaining communication between patients and healthcare professionals and improving health outcomes. We, therefore, aim to conduct a mixed-methods systematic review to assess the effectiveness of reviewing asthma by asynchronous digital health interventions and explore the views of patients and healthcare professionals about the role of such interventions in delivering asthma care. METHODS: We will search MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library from 2001 to present without imposing any language restrictions. We are interested in studies of asynchronous digital health interventions used either as a single intervention or contributing to mixed modes of review. Two review authors will independently screen titles and abstracts, and retrieve potentially relevant studies for full assessment against the eligibility criteria and extract data. Disagreements will be resolved by discussion with the review team. We will use 'Downs and Black' checklist, 'Critical Appraisal Skills Programme', and 'Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool' to assess methodological quality of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies respectively. After synthesising quantitative (narrative synthesis) and qualitative (thematic synthesis) data separately, we will integrate them following methods outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. CONCLUSION: The findings of this review will provide insights into the role of asynchronous digital health interventions in the routine care of people living with asthma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Systematic review registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022344224

Design of cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel sections with web openings subjected to web crippling under end-one-flange loading condition

This article presents a numerical investigation on the web crippling strength of cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel sections with circular web openings under end-one-flange loading condition. In order to take into account the influence of the circular web openings, a parametric study involving 1992 finite element analyses was performed, covering duplex EN1.4462, austenitic EN1.4404 and ferritic EN1.4003 stainless steel grades; from the results of the parametric study, strength reduction factor equations are proposed. The web crippling strengths predicted by the reduction factor equations are first compared to the strengths calculated using the equations recently proposed for cold-formed carbon steel lipped channel sections. It is demonstrated that the strength reduction factor equations proposed for cold-formed carbon steel are unconservative for the stainless steel grades by up to 7%. Unified strength reduction factor equations are then proposed that can be applied to all three stainless steel grades

Web Crippling Strength of Cold-Formed Duplex Stainless Steel Lipped-Channel Sections with Web Openings Subjected to Interior-One-Flange Loading

Cold-formed stainless steel sections are becoming more widely used in the residential and commercial sectors due to their high corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight ratio. However, their susceptibility to web crippling at points of concentrated loading is well-known to be an important design issue. In addition, web openings are also become popular, as they improve ease of installation of services. This paper presents the results of an investigation into the effect of web crippling on cold-formed duplex stainless steel lipped channel-sections, having such openings, under the interior-one-flange (IOF) loading condition. 742 non-linear elasto-plastic finite element analyses are undertaken, with web openings located either centred beneath the bearing plate or offset to bearing plate. The effect of the size of the web opening, length of bearing plate and location of the web opening is considered. Strength reduction factor equations are proposed, that can be used to take into account such openings in design

Exploring the perceptions of Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases and their insights into Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Bangladesh

Background: Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) require holistic management reflecting patient preferences, appropriate pharmacotherapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and integrated care. We aimed to understand the perceptions of people with CRDs about their condition and pulmonary rehabilitation in Bangladesh.Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with a maximum variation sample of people with CRD who had participated in a feasibility study of pulmonary rehabilitation in 2021/ 2022. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, analysed in Bengali using a grounded theory approach and interpreted by a multidisciplinary team.Results: We interviewed 15 participants with COPD, asthma, or post-tuberculosis. Analysis revealed three themes. 1) Understanding CRD: patients characterised their condition by the symptoms (e.g., ‘Hapani’ meaning ‘breathlessness’) rather than describing a disease entity. Some identified occupation, previous infection or family history that they believed was the cause. 2) Perceptions of pulmonary rehabilitation: Exercise was counterintuitive as it exacerbated the breathlessness symptom that defined their disease. Views varied, though many acknowledged the benefits after a few sessions. Even with home-based programmes, participants described practical barriers to finding time for the sessions and adopted strategies to overcome the challenges. 3) Implementation: Participants highlighted the need for raising awareness of CRD and the potential of pulmonary rehabilitation in the community, adapting to the local context, and establishing an accessible resourced service. Conclusion: Understanding how patients and their communities perceive their condition and the barriers (both conceptual and logistical) to acceptance is the first step to embedding this highly effective intervention into routine healthcare services in Bangladesh with potential benefits for the increasing number of people living with CRDs in LMICs.<br/