Bid-price variability in the Sri Lankan Construction Industry

Master'sMASTER OF SCIENCE (BUILDING

Promotion of Diffusion of Innovation: A Study of BIM Adoption in Construction Industries

With well-known benefits, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is yet to diffuse widely in global construction. Diverse knowledge of BIM adoption from different perspectives has made synthesizing a challenge when devising strategies to promote BIM diffusion. Subjectivity of BIM adoption decision also restricts the generalized strategies. Addressing these problems, the study aims to develop a framework that can be used to efficiently study a context of decision to adopt BIM and inform change agents to help devising appropriate strategies for its diffusion. A Systematic Literature Review is used to develop an affordance-based review framework for BIM adoption decision. The framework is validated by mapping findings from one of the most cited BIM adoption studies to the framework

Potential of Lean to Minimise Implementation Costs of Building Information Modelling (BIM): A Conceptual Framework

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a combination of technological processes in which the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of any construction project can be digitally managed. Even though BIM's promising nature has been appraised in scholarly works, it is not yet being fully implemented in the construction industry. Many scholarly works have identified cost headings of the BIM implementation as the major barriers for a successful BIM implementation. As a come-up strategy, Lean Construction Principles (LCP) can be used to minimise the wastes which do not add value to the construction. Therefore, the aim of this research to develop a lean integrated BIM framework to minimise the cost headings of BIM implementation. Accordingly, an extensive literature survey was conducted to develop a conceptual framework by identifying the cost headings and the possible expectations with the BIM implementation and identifying the applicable lean construction principles to optimise the value of BIM implementation with respect to each cost heading as the objectives of this study. So, this study has identified the BIM implementation with the expectations of the stakeholders and the associated cost headings. Further, BIM implemented projects have been compared with the traditional projects to identify the major benefits. In addition to that, LCP were discussed with the benefits of its usage. Therefore, this framework lays down the guidelines for construction industry-related firms to find their capabilities and competence to implement BIM with the integration of lean construction principles. Hence, this research will be effective for the construction industry as the major barrier for BIM implementation has been recovered with the strategy of lean construction principles

Exploring the status of e-procurement: a case of the construction industry in Sri-Lanka

Information Technology has radically changed the way most businesses operate in recent past. Certain inefficiencies of traditional procurement processes and cycles have been eliminated through the introduction of network based electronic procurement systems. Thus, the emerging concept of e-procurement is currently being applied in almost all types of procurement. Construction industry is no exception, which has attempted to adopt these latest technologies in its procurement process. Despite the wealth of merits of e-procurement, the practice of e-procurement in Sri Lankan construction industry is still in its infancy. Thus, this study aims to investigate the current status of e-procurement including the barriers and drivers to e-procurement in Sri Lanka. Literature review identifies an extensive range of aspects with regard to e-procurement both locally and globally. A questionnaire survey was used as the mode of data collection and fifty professionals from both private and public sector involved in construction were surveyed to ascertain their views on e-procurement. Findings of the study revealed that reduction of paper work and administrative and process cost saving were the key drivers whereas lack of policies, expertise, regulatory bodies and legal challenges were the key barriers for e-procurement in Sri Lanka. These results are confined to certain limitations where construction professionals selected were from the highest ranking construction consultancy and contractor organizations within the Colombo Metropolitan region. The study enabled to investigate the current status of the e-procurement including drives and barriers to e-procurement and highlighted barriers to overcome for successful implementation of e-procurement within Sri Lankan construction industry

Social and technological aspects of disaster resilience

Large scale projects tasked with designing infrastructures and urban networks resilient to disasters face a common challenge, i.e. the need to address concomitant technological issues and social problems. What is more, conflicting technologies and the diverse philosophical underpinnings of distinct academic disciplines pose difficulties in the collaboration among experts of different fields. These difficulties and possible ways to tackle them have been highlighted by a questionnaire developed in the framework of an EU project named ANDRDD (Academic Network for Disaster Resilience to optimize Educational development). More specifically, the project investigated the level of interdisciplinary work in current research and educational projects within the field of disaster resilience. findings illustrate the number and types of disciplines involved in disaster resilience projects and suggest that a higher degree of integration between different disciplines in tertiary education could promote a transdisciplinary approach to disaster resilience, resulting in design efficiency and innovation

POTENTIAL TO IMPLEMENT BIMPROJECT WITH SRI LANKAN PROFESSIONALS

Building Information Modelling (BIM) was found by construction industry, to increase the productivity of construction, while other industries gain more productivity by automating the processes and using software. BIM opened a new era to the construction industry, in which stakeholders in the industry deals with concepts in three dimensional virtual environments, leaving behind the time which used two dimensional concepts on papers. Even though other countries are gaining the benefit of BIM, Sri Lanka is still in the infant stage when it comes to BIM. If BIM is to be used for a construction project in Sri Lanka, a major barrier would be finding suitable persons as the participants to the project team. Therefore, this research is aimed to identify the best BIM team in Sri Lanka, for successful completion of a project using BIM. With the aim of identifying the best BIM team in Sri Lanka, first a literature review was conducted to identify the tasks to be carried out in a BIM project. Having identified the tasks to be performed such as advising the client on purpose of using BIM, the required skills to perform each task were also identified. Thereafter, the conventional design team in the current construction industry in Sri Lanka was identified, and tasks to be performed by the BIM team were mapped to the conventional design team, to create hypothetical ideal BIM team. Thereafter the hypothetical BIM team was analysed through a qualitative research approach to formulate the ideal BIM team

WIN-WIN SETTLEMENT: APPLICABILITY OF NEGOTIATION PRINCIPLES FOR DISPUTE NEGOTIATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Effective resolution of dispute is always helpful for sustainable construction practices. However, it is experienced that parties continuously failing to reach settlements in an effective and efficient manner. Although many researches write on how to carryout negotiations successfully those concepts hardly adopted in construction dispute negotiations. Construction dispute negotiations are different to other business negotiations due to some unique features inherited such as complexity, regulated by contract, and tendency of discouraging claims. Therefore, it is identified new theories need to be developed and applied in construction dispute negotiations. Thus, the study was focused on improvement of fundamental principles of negotiation to address characteristics of construction projects. The study was approached through a multiple case study and in-depth study was carried out on two selected cases which claims based dispute negotiation successfully concluded. Success factors of claims based dispute negotiation identified through literature review compared with actual setting of selected cases. Further, it was identified how parties have addressed special characteristics of claims based disputes in construction projects when conducting negotiations. Analysis reveals that, how far theory can be explained through research findings and which theory should be extended based on knowledge explored. Accordingly conceptual framework had been developed and it is concluded that the negotiation process shall be merged with characteristics of construction disputes in order to achieve win-win settlement through negotiation. Major deviation from existing theory when applying to claims based dispute negotiation in a road project is negotiation shall be based on both position and interest of the parties

Effect of Accuracy and Timeliness of Information on Performance of Contractors

Improper information flow within the construction parties are most frequently experienced in Sri Lankan construction industry. Due to this situation, contractors faced several difficulties on their performance in terms of cost, time, and quality. Therefore, this paper intends to identify the accuracy and timeliness of information on performance of contractors. The aim is to identify how deficiencies in accuracy and timeliness of information affect performance of contractors in terms of cost, time, and quality. The outcome of this study will be beneficial for practitioners in Sri Lankan construction industry to reduce practical issues related accuracy and timeliness of information. Detailed questionnaire survey was used to identify the significant factors relating to accuracy and timeliness of information. Findings revealed that ‘mistakes in design’ and ‘incomplete drawings’ as the most significant factors on cost performance of contractors; ‘delay in design’, and ‘slow drawing revision and distribution’ as the most significant factors on time performance of contractors and ‘mistakes in design’ and ‘incomplete drawings’ as the most significant factors on quality performance of contractors. Further, factors were categorized as agreed factors and disagreed factors based on contractors’ and clients’ and consultants’ perspectives. Important finding of the study is that there are number of factors considered highly significant by contractors but clients and consultants do not assume them to be so. Furthermore, the study recommended clients, contractors and consultants to hold their responsibilities with regard to information related issues on performance of contractors. Findings will be further useful to build a good relationship between stakeholders and improve the performance of contractors.International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB

WIN-WIN SETTLEMENT: APPLICABILITY OF NEGOTIATION PRINCIPLES FOR DISPUTE NEGOTIATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Effective resolution of dispute is always helpful for sustainable construction practices. However, it is experienced that parties continuously failing to reach settlements in an effective and efficient manner. Although many researches write on how to carryout negotiations successfully those concepts hardly adopted in construction dispute negotiations. Construction dispute negotiations are different to other business negotiations due to some unique features inherited such as complexity, regulated by contract, and tendency of discouraging claims. Therefore, it is identified new theories need to be developed and applied in construction dispute negotiations. Thus, the study was focused on improvement of fundamental principles of negotiation to address characteristics of construction projects. The study was approached through a multiple case study and in-depth study was carried out on two selected cases which claims based dispute negotiation successfully concluded. Success factors of claims based dispute negotiation identified through literature review compared with actual setting of selected cases. Further, it was identified how parties have addressed special characteristics of claims based disputes in construction projects when conducting negotiations. Analysis reveals that, how far theory can be explained through research findings and which theory should be extended based on knowledge explored. Accordingly conceptual framework had been developed and it is concluded that the negotiation process shall be merged with characteristics of construction disputes in order to achieve win-win settlement through negotiation. Major deviation from existing theory when applying to claims based dispute negotiation in a road project is negotiation shall be based on both position and interest of the parties