Hongling Guo

Rethinking prefabricated construction management using the VP-based IKEA model in Hong Kong

Prefabricated construction is regarded by many as an effective and efficient approach to improving construction processes and productivity, ensuring construction quality and reducing time and cost in the construction industry. However, many problems occur with this approach in practice, including higher risk levels and cost or time overruns. In order to solve such problems, it is proposed that the IKEA model of the manufacturing industry and VP technology are introduced into a prefabricated construction process. The concept of the IKEA model is identified in detail and VP technology is briefly introduced. In conjunction with VP technology, the applications of the IKEA model are presented in detail, i.e. design optimization, production optimization and installation optimization. Furthermore, through a case study of a prefabricated hotel project in Hong Kong, it is shown that the VP‐based IKEA model can improve the efficiency and safety of prefabricated construction as well as reducing cost and time.

Using the IKEA model and virtual prototyping technology to improve construction process management

Learning from manufacturing industries is a useful approach to improving the productivity of the construction industry and to solve problems arising from construction processes. Through the use of virtual prototyping (VP) technology, the lean production process engaged in the IKEA business model (IKEA model) is studied and implemented in a real‐life construction project. Specifically, based on the analysis of the IKEA model, the IKEA model can be applied to optimize construction processes and simplify management activities. A case study is analysed to demonstrate the improvement of construction process management through using the VP–IKEA approach.

Retraction Notice: Using BIM to Improve the Design and Construction of Bridge Projects: A Case Study of a Long-Span Steel-Box Arch Bridge Project

More and more mega-complex bridge projects are being or will be built worldwide. At the same time, the design and construction of such projects involve more and more challenges, e.g., complex structural designs, complicated construction environments, etc. This research study aims to apply BIM (Building Information Modelling) to bridge projects to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of design and construction. Through the analysis of the characteristics of bridge projects and relevant, associated problems, a BIM-based solution to improving design and construction is developed, including conceptual design optimization, detailed design optimization, the optimization of construction sequences, construction scheduling, construction management, and construction process monitoring. Furthermore, a real-life bridge project is presented to demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the BIM-aided approach to design and construction. It is shown that BIM has the potential to improve the design and construction of bridge projects. It is expected that this research could contribute to the extensive application of BIM in mega-complex bridge projects to aid in design and construction in the future.

Construction virtual prototyping: a survey of use

Purpose –The introduction of Building Information Model tools over the last 20 years is resulting in radical changes in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction industry. One of these changes concerns the use of Virtual Prototyping - an advanced technology integrating BIM with realistic graphical simulations. Construction Virtual Prototyping (CVP) has now been developed and implemented on ten real construction projects in Hong Kong in the past three years. This paper reports on a survey aimed at establishing the effects of adopting this new technology and obtaining recommendations for future development. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey was conducted in 2007 of 28 key participants involved in four major Hong Kong construction projects – these projects being chosen because the CVP approach was used in more than one stage in each project. In addition, several interviews were conducted with the project manager, planning manager and project engineer of an individual project. Findings –All the respondents and interviewees gave a positive response to the CVP approach, with the most useful software functions considered to be those relating to visualisation and communication. The CVP approach was thought to improve the collaboration efficiency of the main contractor and sub-contractors by approximately 30 percent, and with a concomitant 30 to 50 percent reduction in meeting time. The most important benefits of CPV in the construction planning stage are the improved accuracy of process planning and shorter planning times, while improved fieldwork instruction and reducing rework occur in the construction implementation stage. Although project teams are hesitant to attribute the use of CVP directly to any specific time savings, it was also acknowledged that the workload of project planners is decreased. Suggestions for further development of the approach include incorporation of automatic scheduling and advanced assembly study. Originality/value –Whilst the research, development and implementation of CVP is relatively new in the construction industry, it is clear from the applications and feedback to date that the approach provides considerable added value to the organisation and management of construction projects.

Supporting pre‐tender construction planning with virtual prototyping

Purpose – Virtual prototyping technologies linked to building information models are commonplace within the aeronautical and automotive industries. Their use within the construction industry is now emerging. The purpose of this paper is to show how these technologies have been adopted on the pre-tender planning for a typical construction project. Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology taken was an “action research” approach where the researchers and developers were actively involved in the production of the virtual prototypes on behalf of the contractor thereby gaining consistent access to the decisions of the planning staff. The experiences from the case study were considered together with similar research on other construction projects. Findings – The findings from the case studies identify the role of virtual prototyping in components modelling, site modelling, construction equipment modelling, temporary works modelling, construction method visualization and method verification processes. Originality/value – The paper presents a state-of-the-art review and discusses the implications for the tendering process as these technologies are adopted. The adoption of the technologies will lead to new protocols and changes in the procurement of buildings and infrastructure.

Location-based measurement and visualization for interdependence network on construction sites

Abstract Appropriately assigning workers to tasks is vitally important in project management. To do this, project managers need to objectively and effectively measure and visualize the spatiotemporal orders of real construction process as well as coordination structure of the workforce. However, currently there is no method/tool available to project managers to represent spatiotemporal orders of construction processes. To address this issue, this paper presents a novel approach to measuring the real spatiotemporal order of onsite tasks as well as the task interdependence by an interdependence network. This approach extracts the distance of workspace distributions as a key interdependence indicator from historical location tracks across different construction stages according to the area-restricted nature of construction activities. It then integrates generated interdependence into a network over time, to imply the cooperation patterns in stages and a task delivery across stages with a holistic view. To validate the approach, location data were collected from 31 workers working in a high-rise housing construction project for one week to construct the interdependence network of this project, which was used to quantitatively evaluate the performance of construction schedule, assignments and cooperation. Results show that the interdependence network is able to provide insightful information on how workers perform individual tasks onsite and it is also an effective tool to identify and display the interactions among site workers.

From IKEA model to the lean construction concept: A solution to implementation

Abstract The productivity of the construction industry worldwide has been declining over the past forty years. One approach to improving the situation is by the introduction of lean construction. The IKEA model has been shown to be beneficial when used in the construction context. A framework is developed in which the lean construction concept is embodied within the IKEA model by integrating Virtual Prototyping (VP) technology and its implementation is described and evaluated through a real-life case implementing the lean production philosophy. The operational flows of the IKEA model and lean construction are then compared to analyze the feasibility of IKEA-based lean construction. It is concluded that the successful application of the IKEA model in this context will promote the implementation of lean construction and improve the efficiency of the industry.

Hierarchical Bayesian Model of Worker Response to Proximity Warnings of Construction Safety Hazards: Toward Constant Review of Safety Risk Control Measures

AbstractQuickly changing and complicated workplace conditions, which are typical of construction projects, have always been contributing to the poor safety record of the construction industry. Howe...

A BIM-Based Collaborative Design Platform for Variegated Specialty Design

With the increase in complexity of engineering projects and design quality in construction industry, the traditional two-dimensional “Information Island” approach to design is becoming less able to meet current design needs due to its lack of coordination and information sharing. Collaborative design using a Build Information Modeling (BIM) technology platform promises to provide an effective means of designing and communicating through networking and real-time data sharing. This paper first analyzes the shortcomings of the two-dimensional design process and the potential application of collaborative design. By combining the attributes of BIM, a preliminary BIM-based building design collaborative platform is developed to improve the design approach and support a more collaborative design process. A real-life case is presented to demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the platform and its use in practice. From this, it is shown that BIM has the potential to realize effective information sharing and reduce errors and therefore to improve design quality. The BIM-based building design collaborative platform presented is expected to provide the support needed for the extensive application of BIM in collaborative design and promote a new attitude to project management.

Optimization of curved roof surface design using GA

Purpose – Due to the increasing complexity of curved roof surface design and the inadequate optimisation algorithms in design software, the optimisation of curved roof surface design needs to be studied further. The purpose of this paper is to develop an alternative approach to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of curved roof surface design of buildings.Design/methodology/approach – To achieve the purpose, an optimisation method/tool is developed through reviewing the application of CATIA and integrating genetic algorithm with CATIA; and the effectiveness to perform the GA‐based optimisation method is demonstrated by using a real‐life case study. Furthermore, a comparison among different optimisation algorithms currently available in the CATIA system is conducted.Findings – Through the case study and the comparison, it is found that the GA‐based method can improve the performance of optimisation for curved roof surface design in the CATIA system; however, further research work is required for the b...