Information technology applications in construction safety assurance

Through analysis of articles published from 2006 to July 2014 this paper summarizes the topics of research and the institutions where research was conducted in the field of computer-based construction safety engineering management. One hundred and thirty-six articles published during this time focused on Information Technology (IT) applications in this field were selected for analysis. The underlying research topics and their related IT implementations are discussed, and research trends in allied specialties are identified

Enterprise resource planning systems implementation as a complex project: A conceptual framework

The purpose of this paper is to investigate current literature on critical success factors (CSF) and risk factors (RF) of enterprise resource planning (ERP) system implementation and provide a systemic explanation of complexities involved in such implementation. This study will compile literature that highlighted possible references to CSFs of ERP implementations, definition of complex projects and ERP are compared with project management and project governance impacts. By analyzing highly likely CFS and RFs mentioned in literature, CSF and RFs will be mapped to project complexities involved in any ERP implementation. This is an exploratory study as it is based on literature review to understand ERP implementation and validations. The future research needs to include data collection from ERP adopters and longitudinal analyses of trends based on advances in ERP project management and governance capabilities in different ERP implementations. This article will be significant contribution to current body of knowledge because it helps us understand ERP application implementation as a complex project instead of linear system as currently documented in the literature. This article has outlined the conceptual revisions needed to extend the new project management approach from its current linear way of looking into project management of ERP projects. The article suggests that ERP project management is best understood within the context of environmental complexities. This paper is the first attempt to explore ERP implementations based on current enterprise environment and how to meet those CSF and RFs from complexity perspective. Santrauka Straipsnio tikslas – išnagrineti dabartinius literatūros šaltinius apie imones ištekliu planavimo sistemos igyvendinimo kritinius sekmes ir rizikos veiksnius, pateikti sistemiška kliūčiu, su kuriomis galima susidurti igyvendinant sistema, paaiškinima. Ši analize grindžiama tokiais literatūros šaltiniais, kuriuose kalbama ar užsimenama apie kritinius imones ištekliu planavimo sekmes veiksnius, sudetiniu projektu apibrežima, o imones ištekliu planavimas lyginamas su projektu valdymo poveikiais. Labiausiai tiketini analizuojamieji kritines sekmes ir rizikos veiksniai, mineti literatūroje, bus atvaizduojami tarp projektu kliūčiu, itrauktu bet kuriame imones ištekliu planavimo igyvendinimo etape. Tai yra aiškinamasis tyrimas, nes grindžiamas literatūros apžvalga imones ištekliu planavimo ir valdymo klausimais. Tolesniam tyrimui reikia surinkti duomenis iš ištekliu planavimo sistema idiegusiu imoniu ir atlikti ilgalaike pažangos tendenciju analize, valdant ištekliu planavimo projektus, bei ivertinti skirtingu imones ištekliu valdymo planu igyvendinimo galimybes. Šiame straipsnyje pateikiama daug žiniu apie imoniu ištekliu planavimo sistemos igyvendinima kaip kompleksini projekta, o ne šiuo metu literatūroje pateikiama linijine sistema. Straipsnyje numatyti konceptualūs taisymai, norint nuo dabartinio linijinio požiūrio pereiti prie naujojo imones ištekliu planavimo projektu valdymo požiūrio. Pažymeta, kad ištekliu planavimo projektu valdymas geriausiai suvokiamas aplinkos sudetingumo kontekste. Šis straipsnis – tai pirmasis meginimas ištirti imones ištekliu planavimo igyvendinima esamoje imones aplinkoje ir bandymas susidoroti su kritiniais sekmes ir rizikos veiksniais atsižvelgiant i kylančias kliūtis. First Published Online: 10 Feb 2011 Reikšminiai žodžiai: kompleksiniai projektai, imones ištekliu planavimas, projektu valdymas, koncepcinis modelis, kritiniai sekmes veiksnia

Technology development in construction: a continuum from distant past into the future

This paper deals with the historical and current trends in the development of civil engineering and construction technologies. The authors demonstrate the continuity of creative thought and effort among early master builders and technology developers throughout the history of civilizations that created the most iconic structures remaining in the world heritage of the built environment to the contemporary times. Recent concepts and ongoing efforts in the development of advanced construction technologies based on automation and information sciences, materials science and systems engineering are highlighted in the context of historical ideas and achievements of past architects and construction engineers of the past century

A wireless network system for automated tracking of construction materials on project sites

This paper presents a new prototype framework of automated tracking and monitoring system for construction materials. Previous technologies such as RFID and GPS deployed in construction material tracking have been reviewed and signal strength‐based localisation has been examined. As an emerging network standard for industrial applications, brief specifications of ZigBee™ protocol have been described. We introduce a ZigBee‐based tracking system architecture using hybrid techniques of RF and ultrasound to improve positioning accuracy and cost benefit. Finally, feasibility analysis and application scenario have been examined to present the possible deployment framework in construction area. Santrauka Straipsnyje aprašomas naujas automatizuotos statybinių medžiagų stebėsenos sistemos modelis. Apžvelgiamos tokios technologijos, kaip RFID ir GPS, anksčiau naudotos stebint statybines medžiagas, ir nagrinėjamas signalo stiprumu pagrįstas lokalizavimas. Aprašoma tinklo standarto ZigBee™ protokolo, naudojamo pramonėje, specifikacija. Pateikiama ZigBee tipo stebėjimo sistema, naudojanti RF ir ultragarso technologiją, skirtą pozicionavimo tikslumui gerinti ir jo kainai mažinti. Be to, pateikiama sistemos galimybių analizė ir taikymo sistema, nagrinėjanti galimą šios sistemos naudojimą statyboje. First Published Online: 14 Oct 2010 Reikšminiai žodžiai: ZigBee, daviklių tinklas, stebėjimas, kontrolė, statybinės medžiagos, lokalizavimo technika

Identifying areas of knowledge governance for successful projects

Projects undertaken in the project-based industry are characterized by multiple stakeholders, uncertainty, and complexity due to the unique nature of each project. These differences also extend to knowledge movement from one project to another. Increased knowledge creation resulting from project implementation is expected to lead to numerous benefits. These benefits encompass reusability of lessons learned, as well as knowledge of strategic, operational, organizational, and managerial aspects of the firm. By adopting a unified knowledge creation framework, firms seek tangible and intangible benefits such as cost reduction, improved productivity, enhanced efficiency, and business growth. A case study was used to identify problem areas of knowledge creation and align corporate and project objectives. Incorporating a comprehensive knowledge creation plan in the organizational memory infrastructure can be a significant stride toward improving overall project management efficiency and increasing the organization's productivity and profitability in the industry. This stream of research will allow researchers to further refine knowledge creation success models. The paper will also draw practitioners’ attention to areas where investment is needed to improve the knowledge governance process

Building information modeling integrated with electronic commerce material procurement and supplier performance management system

This paper describes an innovative approach to the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and electronic commerce (e-commerce) in a material procurement process for improved design-construction integration. The paper includes the present applications, benefits, limitations and barriers to e-commerce and BIM in material procurement processes, compares the present commercial BIM based and non-BIM based quantity takeoff and cost estimating software, and identifies potential benefits of integrating BIM and e-commerce software solutions for construction quantity takeoff, cost estimating and procurement processes. The authors propose a framework for integrating BIM for quantity takeoff and cost estimating applications with e-commerce solutions for material procurement and supplier performance evaluation. The paper presents a proposed solution to link BIM-derived data with RS Means unit price cost data to generate accurate cost estimating reports, one weight coefficient-based model to evaluate the performance of material suppliers, and a preliminary version of corresponding BIM-based application integrated with e-commerce software system

A life dedicated to science: on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Editor-in-Chief Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas

„A life dedicated to science: on the occasion of the 70thbirthday of Editor-in-Chief Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas" Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 20(3), p. 311-31

Reliability performance of wireless sensor networks for civil infrastructure – Part II: prediction and verification

Application studies on wireless sensor networks (WSN) are actively conducted in the construction industry. However, there are several technical limitations including signal interference caused by the characteristics of wireless sensors, reliability degradation in wireless communication and uncertainty of configuring a network topology. This may lead to a decline in reliability and performance of real-time data acquisition methods. Thus, the paper developed a model capable of predicting reliability performance of wireless signals applied to civil infrastructures. The measured and pre­dicted values of wireless signals are compared and analyzed through a field experiment carried out in an actual bridge to verify the prediction model suggested herein. As a result of the analysis, the prediction model demonstrated a variation up to 8.4% compared with actual measurements, proving the high accuracy of the prediction model. Furthermore, the reception rate at short distances within a 5 m radius is at least 90%, showing a highly reliable reception capacity. When this is applied to monitoring systems in the construction sector, it is believed that performance and reliability of such system can be secured

Multi-objective optimization-based collective opinion generation with fairness concern

open access articleThe generation of collective opinion based on probability distribution function (PDF) aggregation is gradually becoming a critical approach for tackling immense and delicate assessment and evaluation tasks in decision analysis. However, the existing collective opinion generation approaches fail to model the behavioral characteristics associated with individuals, and thus, cannot reflect the fairness concerns among them when they consciously or unconsciously incorporate their judgments on the fairness level of distribution into the formulations of individual opinions. In this study, we propose a multiobjective optimization-driven collective opinion generation approach that generalizes the bi-objective optimization-based PDF aggregation paradigm. In doing so, we adapt the notion of fairness concern utility function to characterize the influence of fairness inclusion and take its maximization as an additional objective, together with the criteria of consensus and confidence levels, to achieve in generating collective opinion. The formulation of fairness concern is then transformed into the congregation of individual fairness concern utilities in the use of aggregation functions. We regard the generalized extended Bonferroni mean (BM) as an elaborated framework for aggregating individual fairness concern utilities. In such way, we establish the concept of BM-type collective fairness concern utility to empower multiobjective optimization-driven collective opinion generation approach with the capacity of modeling different structures associated with the expert group with fairness concern. The application of the proposed fairness-aware framework in the maturity assessment of building information modeling demonstrates the effectiveness and efficiency of multiobjective optimization-driven approach for generating collective opinion when accomplishing complicated assessment and evaluation tasks with data scarcity

Organizational governance to integrate sustainability projects: a case study

Sustainable development represents a major challenge of the 21st century. Organizations use projects to implement strategic corporate objectives, exploring sustainable development from a project management perspective is imperative. While current project management techniques are well defined in terms of content and process to manage the budget-scope-time constraint, availability of organization resources and ability to adopt project governance strategies in a changing business environment, like incorporating sustainability in business process is ambiguous, literature has not explored how to cope with a normative situation like sustainability. We consider Small-to-Mid-Size-Construction-Organizations (SMSCOs), which makes up the largest portion of the project-based industry and are most impacted by new government regulations, as our population of interest. This paper addresses two primary objectives in relation to organizational resources available for SMSCOs: to identify an organization's shortcomings in undertaking a sustainable project, and to identify means for improving organizational readiness to cope with governance of sustainable projects. A case study with a SMSCO to understand activities, resource availability, and how to improve organization readiness to undertake projects related to sustainability is discussed. A conceptual framework is presented for the adoptive project governance process to ensure resource constrained organizations like SMSCO's can align better to govern such projects. First published online: 28 Jan 201