Mohamed Al-Hussein

An algorithm for mobile crane selection and location on construction sites

This paper presents a newly developed algorithm for selecting and locating mobile cranes on construction sites. The algorithm is incorporated into a computer system that integrates a selection module and three databases, dedicated respectively, for cranes, rigging equipment, and projects’ information. This paper focuses primarily on the selection module and its algorithm to support an efficient search for most suitable crane configurations and their associated lift settings. Data pertinent to crane lift configurations and settings are retrieved from the databases and processed to determine the near optimum selection of a crane configuration. The developed selection module features powerful graphics capabilities and a practical user‐friendly interface, designed to facilitate the considerations of user imposed lift and site constraints. The selection algorithm has been implemented within the crane selection module using MS‐Visual Basic programming language. A case example is presented in order to demonstrate the use of the developed selection module and to illustrate its essential features.

Simulation‐based scheduling of module assembly yards: case study

Purpose – Pipe‐spool module assembly involves a variety of uncertain factors and constraints, which complicate the assembly scheduling process. These factors also pose a challenge for the scheduler who struggles to produce a schedule that optimizes both the use of available resources (e.g. space) and meets the projects delivery deadlines. In the relatively quick production cycle of module assembly, the scheduling process plays an operative role. Thus, automation of the process would enhance productivity of the schedule updating process. This paper seeks to address this issue.Design/methodology/approach – A simulation‐based approach is presented for scheduling pipe‐spool module assembly. This approach incorporates physical and logical constraints. General purpose simulation (GPS) is used to model these logical and heuristic constraints.Findings – The application of the proposed model to an actual case study demonstrates the significant improvement in the assembly schedule when compared to traditional CPM‐...

An Automated Biomechanical Simulation Approach to Ergonomic Job Analysis for Workplace Design

AbstractWork-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are reported to be the most common category of nonfatal occupational injuries that result in days away from work and are also a leading cause of temporary and permanent disability. One of the most effective approaches to preventing WMSDs is to evaluate ergonomics considerations early in the design and construction planning stage before the worker encounters the unsafe conditions. However, a lack of tools for identifying potential ergonomic risks in a proposed workplace design has led to difficulties in integrating safety and health into workplace design practice. In an effort to address this issue, this study explores a motion data-driven framework for ergonomic analysis that automates and visualizes the evaluation process in a virtual workplace. This is accomplished by coupling the ergonomic analysis with three-dimensional (3D) virtual visualization of the work environment. The proposed approach uses motion data from the 3D model of the jobsite to ev...

Lean Transformation in a Modular Building Company: A Case for Implementation

Encouraged by the remarkable productivity improvements in the manufacturing sector, the construction industry has a long history of trying to garner the benefits of manufacturing technologies. Whereas industrialized construction methods, such as modular and manufactured buildings, have evolved over decades, core techniques used in prefabrication plants vary only slightly from those employed in traditional site-built construction. The objective of this research was to develop and implement a production system for the effective application of lean tools in building components prefabrication. To overcome the prevalent skepticism among middle management, the lean journey started with a pilot project involving one production line. Over a six-month period, lean tools such as 5S (sort, straighten, shine, standardize, and sustain), standardized work, takt time planning, variation management, and value stream mapping were implemented to a communication shelter production line. The implementation successfully won the support of the middle managers and established the foundation for expanding lean practices to other parts of the factory and applying relevant lean tools and techniques

Survey of information technology applications in construction

Information technology in construction (ITC) has become a key topic in the last two decades, gaining wide acceptance and is being implemented in the construction research domains as a tool to assist decision makers. Defining the trends of ITC application over the years is essential to provide researchers with a background of what has been done and to shed light on what direction to take in the future application of ITC. This paper presents a holistic view of ITC applications in construction during the last ten years. It describes survey results in the application of information technology in construction, which have been published in twelve scientific journals between 1992 and 2001. This paper focuses primarily on nine ITC tools. It describes their integration, and their use in forty‐three construction applications.

Interactive and Dynamic Integrated Module for Mobile Cranes Supporting System Design

Analyzing and designing a crane supporting system can be time-consuming process. In particular, the dynamic nature of mobile crane operations entails a variety of reaction values for truck and crawler cranes. The platform of a mobile crane can either be set on outriggers—denoted as a truck crane, or on a crawler tracks—denoted as a crawler crane. Designing of a mobile crane supporting system depends on the lifting configuration, type of crane and the type of materials to be used under the crane outriggers or crawler tracks. This paper presents an automated system which is designed to assist practitioners in calculating the mobile crane’s support reactions and in designing the supporting system. This system is developed such that it can generate a 2D reaction influence chart which shows the reactions for each outrigger at varying horizontal swing angles and vertical boom angles to the ground. Most of the geometric configurations needed to perform the support design are not ordinarily given in crane manufac...

Simulation application for resource allocation in facility management processes in hospitals

Purpose – The increasing percentage of aging population (longer life expectancy) and the changing financial policies in the healthcare systems put governments under pressure to optimize its healthcare expenditures without compromising quality. One way to cut down the costs is through improving and optimizing the facility management processes. This paper aims to focus on the issues surrounding this.Design/methodology/approach – To demonstrate the application of the research, service management (SM) process which deals with the building services related requests from the customer, one of the facility management (FM) processes, is taken as the focus of this paper. The study applies the lean principles to the SM process to identify the value added and non‐value added activities in the process. Process logistics flow is modified to comply with the lean theory. The collected data from six participating hospitals in Germany for the two months of the year 2002 are also used as inputs for the simulation model.Find...

BIM approach for automated drafting and design for modular construction manufacturing

Industrialization creates new requirements for design. Designers need to consider not only building performance, but also production plan needs. This requires a well-structured Building Information Model (BIM) to support the manufacturing needs for design and drafting. BIM, in combination with CAD tools such as AutoCAD and ArchiCAD, can be used for this purpose. These, however, are not sufficient to support the level of detail needed for the manufacturing process. The proposed research establishes a methodology for the automation of design and drafting for the building manufacturing of residential facilities based on the platform construction framing method. The proposed methodology has been incorporated into a computer model called MCMPro, which was developed using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) as an add-on to a CAD model. MCMPro incorporates BIM technology based on CAD parametric modelling and manufacturing requirements in a 3D-model, in order to generate sets of shop and fabrication drawings

Automated Method for Checking Crane Paths for Heavy Lifts in Industrial Projects

AbstractAt present, industrial projects are constructed primarily using a prefabricated approach. The modules are produced in an off-site facility and transported on transport trailers to the construction site where they are lifted by mobile cranes. One of the keys to the success of modular industrial projects is efficient crane planning, which includes path checking to find whether or not a crane has a feasible path through which to lift a module over obstructions in a congested plant. However, due to the large number of lifts, the manual path-checking practice is quite tedious and prone to error. In light of this problem, this paper proposes a methodology for automatically checking the lift paths for industrial projects. The proposed methodology simplifies and represents the three-dimensional site layout using project elevations. For each elevation, the crane feasible operation range (CFOR) is calculated based on the crane’s capacity and clearances, as well as site constraints. The pick area (PA) is cal...

Ergonomic Analysis and the Need for Its Integration for Planning and Assessing Construction Tasks

AbstractThe execution of daily construction tasks exposes workers to one or multiple ergonomic risk factors (awkward postures, static force, vibration, repetition, environmental risk, contact stress) and thus varying risks of developing musculoskeletal disorders. As a result, musculoskeletal disorders are common issues in construction and result in costly delays and disability claims. Though there is recent research investigating the epidemiology and causal factors for musculoskeletal injury, the construction industry has not fully embraced this as part of its safety practices. This study presents state-of-the-art ergonomic techniques, Canadian ergonomic legislation, and work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD) lost-time claims (LTC) statistics to show the resultant economic (cash and productivity) losses and adverse social (occupational health and safety) impact of WRMSDs resulting from current practice and legislation. The potential short- and long-term productivity and cost merits of incorporating...