Deborah J. Fisher

SIMBASE: A Decision Support System for Economic Justification of Automated Construction Technology

Methodology for the economic justification of automated technology has already been developed in the manufacturing arena. This paper discusses the modifications required for application of this methodology to the construction industry. Modifications are necessary due to the industrys conservative nature in adapting new technology, the fact that the construction process resembles more a job shop production system rather than a flow shop (more difficult to automate), and due to the fact that the majority of construction contractors, relatively speaking, are small in size and capital poor. An economic justification methodology appropriate for the construction industry is presented with four modules: Cost and Performance Information Module (CPIM), Cost and Performance Evaluation Module (CPEM), Project Bids Estimation Module (PBEM), and Total Expected Profit Module (TEPM).

SIMBASE I & II: Project-Based Simulation for Economic Justification and Sensitivity Analysis of Automated Technology

One of the main reasons for the slow pace of implementation of automation technology in the construction industry, including construction robots, can be found in the fact that the construction industry has been following the automation development strategy of its predecessor, the manufacturing industry. The economic justification method developed for the mass production-oriented manufacturing industry is not appropriate for the project-oriented construction industry. Moreover, the financial situation of the specialty contractors is pretty much limited by the enormous initial investment costs of the automated technology, compared to manufacturing corporations. In order to resolve the above problems and to propose a more appropriate automation implementation strategy for the construction industry, a projectbased simulation tool, called SIMBASE II, has been developed for sensitivity analysis of decision factors of a decision support system, SIMBASE I. SIMBASE I & II were applied to the drilled shaft construction process in the Texas Gulf Coast region . The results from SIMBASE I & II provide recommendations to the researchers, manufacturers, and developers regarding the direction of construction automation technology development strategy.

Piping Erection Constructability Issues in a Semi-Automated Environment (Field Operations Phase)

This research endeavor focuses on how semi -automated piping construction for process plants may become both technically and economically viable through constructability enhancement . This paper answers the question regarding how field operations need modifying in order to support the automated field effort and thus achieve the overall success objective . The semi -automated environment of piping erection assumes a Pipe Manipulator attached to the boom of a 22 -ton rough-terrain crane for the base piece of pipe lifting equipment . The scope of this study is the analysis of horizontal piping erection. Three major categories of constructability issues are addressed in detail . These issues are material handling , equipment/tools capabilities , and equipment/tools configurations. Quantitative analysis methods include physical modeling and computer simulation , via a 3D CAD simulation software package . Constructability analysis results in a total piping erection savings of 24%.