Ralph Haas

Tracking the Built Status of MEP Works: Assessing the Value of a Scan-vs-BIM System

AbstractMechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) works constitute a large portion of construction costs and thus need to be appropriately tracked. Assessment of the built status of MEP works in construction projects is however typically limited to subcontractor claims augmented and contrasted with periodic manual inspection. A more detailed manual inspection is costly and not considered worthwhile on most projects. Within a Scan-vs-BIM object recognition framework, three-dimensional laser scanning and project 3D/4D BIM models jointly offer the opportunity for a frequent, detailed, and semantically rich assessment of as-built status of construction projects at a cost that continues to decline. This potential has already been demonstrated for tracking structural works, but remains to be assessed in regard to other work sections, in particular MEP works. This paper explores that opportunity. A Scan-vs-BIM processing system is described with some enhancements over previous works. It is then tested with a re...

Toward automated earned value tracking using 3D imaging tools

AbstractAccurate and frequent construction progress tracking provides critical input data for project systems such as cost, schedule control, and billing. Unfortunately, conventional progress tracking is labor intensive, sometimes subject to negotiation, and often driven by arcane rules. Attempts to improve progress tracking have recently focused on automation, using technologies such as three-dimensional imaging, global positioning systems, ultra wide band (UWB) indoor locating, handheld computers, voice recognition, wireless networks, and other technologies in various combinations. However, one limit of these approaches is their focus on counting objects or milestones rather than value. In this paper, a four-dimensional model recognition-driven automated progress tracking system that transforms objects to their earned values is examined via the analysis of data from the construction of a steel reinforced concrete structure and a steel structure. It is concluded that automated, object oriented recognitio...

Tracking of secondary and temporary objects in structural concrete work

Purpose – Previous research has shown that “Scan-vs-BIM” object recognition systems, which fuse three dimensional (3D) point clouds from terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) or digital photogrammetry with 4D project building information models (BIM), provide valuable information for tracking construction works. However, until now, the potential of these systems has been demonstrated for tracking progress of permanent structural works only; no work has been reported yet on tracking secondary or temporary structures. For structural concrete work, temporary structures include formwork, scaffolding and shoring, while secondary components include rebar. Together, they constitute most of the earned value in concrete work. The impact of tracking secondary and temporary objects would thus be added veracity and detail to earned value calculations, and subsequently better project control and performance. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Two techniques for recognizing concrete constr...

Interface-management process for managing risks in complex capital projects

AbstractExtremely large, complex projects with numerous geographically distributed stakeholders experience substantial risks related to the interfaces among stakeholders. This is particularly true during project definition and design, where despite discrete deliverables across the interfaces, decisions require some iteration. Managing interfaces has become feasible with the advent of internet and electronic product and process-management systems to the extent that full-time interface-management (IM) positions exist in practice. However, IM lacks formal structure, integration with critical-path-method scheduling, and methods to identify high-risk interface points (IPs). Throughout this paper, a graph-based algorithm is developed to identify key IPs in the network of IPs in a capital project. Furthermore, a new approach is discussed to link the key IPs to the interface milestones to identify schedule-related risks and mitigate their adverse impact. The functionality of the proposed algorithms is demonstrate...

Pavement Asset Management: Haas/Pavement

This book presents the current methodologies and practical applications of managing pavements. The book contains seven parts that include : Part I: The Evolution of Pavement Management; Part II: Data Requirements; Part III: Determining Present and Future Needs and Priority Programming of Rehabilitation and Maintenance; Part IV: Structural Design and Economic Analysis: Project Level; Part V: Implementation of Pavement Management Systems; Part VI: Examples of Working Systems; and Part VII: Looking Ahead. The chapters are: Introduction; Birth and Teen Years of Pavement Management; Pavement Management Development from 2010; Setting the Stage; Overview of Pavement Management Data Needs; Inventory Data Needs; Characterizing Pavement Performance; Evaluation of Pavement Structural Capacity; Evaluation of Pavement Surface Distress Condition Surveys; Evaluation of Pavement Safety; Combined Measures of Pavement Quality; Data Base Management; Communicating the Present Status of Pavement Networks; Establishing Criteria; Prediction Models for Pavement Deterioration; Determining Needs; Rehabilitation and Maintenance Alternatives; Priority Programming of Rehabilitation and Maintenance; Developing Combined Programs of Maintenance and Rehabilitation; A Framework for Pavement Design; The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) Process for Pavement Design; The MEPDG for Design of New and Reconstructed Rigid Pavements; Rehabilitation of Existing Pavements; MEPDG in Practice; Economic Evaluation of Alternative Pavement Design Strategies and Selection of an Optimal Strategy; Steps and Key Components of Implementation; Role of Construction; Role of Maintenance; Research Management; Basic Features of Working Systems; Network Level Examples of Pavement Management; Project Level Examples of PMS Software; Highway Design Manual-4 (HDM-4) the Upgraded World Bank Model; City and County Pavement Management Systems; Airport Pavement Management; Analyzing Special Problems; Applications of Expert Systems Technology; New and Emerging Technologies; Institutional Issues and Barriers Related to Pavement Management Implementation; Cost and Benefits of Pavement Management; Future Direction and Need for Innovation in Pavement Management; and Developments in Asset Management.

Motivation for interface management in contruction : a project complexity perspective

Understanding project complexity is crucial for determining—or designing—the tools, methods, and skills required to effectively deal with interface issues in a construction project. However, understanding project complexity is not an easy undertaking; the concept of project complexity is composed of many interrelated sub-concepts, and thus is complex in itself. Given this background, this research aimed to define the dimensions of project complexity based on empirical data focusing on the variations in the project complexity factors between projects. To achieve this research objective, data for project complexity factors were collected via semi-structured interviews from 45 large-scale construction projects, and were analyzed using principal component analysis. As a result, 6 interpretable principal components were extracted from the dataset: ‘unclear scope of work for multiple stakeholders in the definition and design of projects with new technology’, ‘the uncertainty in boundaries and communication relative to other complexity factors’, ‘unfamiliarity with other project participants’, ‘the multiplicity of stakeholders relative to the amount of cost pressure and execution risks’, ‘the relative multitude of engineered items’, and ‘the high-level program/project administration’. These complexity dimensions can help with understanding sources of project complexity and determining the skills, tools, and systems to effectively cope with the sources of project complexity. Additionally, the analysis results hint that organizational interfaces should be effectively managed to prevent project failure in construction projects, and therefore support the need for advanced interface management in complex projects.