Zeeshan Aziz

Mobile Ad Hoc Network-Enabled Collaboration Framework Supporting Civil Engineering Emergency Response Operations

This paper presents an information-technology-based collaboration framework that facilitates disaster response operations. The collaboration framework incorporates a web collaboration service, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, a building blackbox system (BBS), a geo-database, and a geographic information system (GIS). Through the integration of these technologies, the framework provides a collaboration medium for first responders, including civil engineers, to cohesively respond to disasters. Access to critical building information, such as construction documents, through the BBS supports assessments of building integrity during disaster response. Building assessment information is stored on RFID tags, which are accessible to first responders through digital devices via a wireless ad hoc network. With on-site assessment information shown on a digital map, decision makers locate, collect, and distribute critical resources through the GIS to first responders. In addition, the decision makers at distributed locations evaluate the incident through discussion sessions, hosted by the web collaboration environment, for integrated decision making. Test-bed simulations for the framework have been carried out with encouraging results at the training ground of the Illinois Fire Service Institute.

Supporting urban emergency response and recovery using RFID‐based building assessment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on improving mobile computing support for professionals involved in a disaster response and recovery operation to facilitate better assessment of the damage caused to buildings and to make this assessment information available to personnel within the disaster response arena so as to expedite a safe, efficient and effective disaster response process.Design/methodology/approach – The research method involved the use of scenario‐based user needs analysis for studying end‐user needs and requirements and use of Rational Unified Process for software design and implementation. An IT‐supported collaboration platform was developed to enable first responders to communicate using handheld devices and laptops and share critical building evaluation information using a mobile ad hoc network. The deployed system was trialled at Illinois Fire Services Institute (IFSI).Findings – Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)‐enabled mobile devices and tags can be used for posting, g...

Case studies of intelligent context-aware services delivery in AEC/FM

The importance of context-aware information and services delivery is becoming increasingly recognised. Delivering information and services to AEC/FM (architecture, engineering and construction/facilities management) personnel, based on their context (e.g. location, time, profile etc) has tremendous potential to improve working practices, particularly with respect to productivity and safety, by providing intelligent context-specific support to them. This paper discusses a vision of context-aware service delivery within the AEC/FM sector and presents three case studies to illustrate the concepts. It starts with a brief overview of context-aware computing and a system architecture which facilitates context capture, context brokerage and integration with legacy applications. This is followed by presentation of case-studies that relate to actual deployments on a simulated construction site, in a construction education environment and in a train station. The deployment process and findings from each of the case studies are summarised and the benefits highlighted. Conclusions are drawn about the possible future impact of context-aware applications in AEC/FM.

Towards a Web of Construction Knowledge and Services

Location and time independent interaction and collaboration among the multidisciplinary competencies within a construction project is crucial to the success of the construction projects. Existing information and communication technologies (ICTs) have done much to address these interaction issues and provide an appropriate collaboration infrastructure when face-to-face meetings are impossible, expensive difficult or simply inconvenient. However these systems still do not adequately meet the requirements of site-based team members and busy mobile project team members. Emerging technologies such as 3G wireless devices and the Semantic Web have the potential to overcome the current shortcomings of ICTs in terms of supporting mobile project team members. This paper reviews these technologies and describes the potential for the future application of 3G wireless and Semantic Web technologies within the construction sector, particularly in the creation of a Web of Construction Knowledge and Services. It concludes (from a global perspective) that the use of Semantic Web technologies will in future offer considerable benefits in terms of project management, knowledge management, supply chain management, integration of distributed applications and services and improved efficiency of construction project delivery.

Visualizing greenhouse gas emissions from construction activities

Purpose – Construction activities, particularly related to transportation, have a considerable impact on the environment and air quality. This paper aims to present a geographic information systems (GIS) and computer‐aided design (CAD)‐based approach for visualizing, communicating and analysing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from construction activities.Design/methodology/approach – A methodology using GIS is developed to graphically represent spatial aspects of construction. The approach adopted involves use of a 3D model developed in CAD environment, which was synchronized with a construction schedule stored in Excel spreadsheets. GIS environment is used to link spatial and scheduling information relevant to GHG emissions from construction activities. A baseline was created to enable effective monitoring of construction emissions.Findings – The presented GIS model has the potential to enhance visualisation of distribution and dynamic variations of GHG emissions and could help stakeholders bett...

Supporting Civil Engineers during Disaster Response and Recovery Using a Segway Mobile Workstation Chariot

This paper presents a mobile workstation chariot (MWC) that enables first responders and civil engineers to undertake initial disaster reconnaissance and damage assessment operations by quickly traversing hazardous terrain and through provisioning of a necessary computing infrastructure to support real time communication with the command center. The MWC comprises a personal transporter equipped with on board communication equipment and computational processing capabilities to collect, archive, analyze, and report large quantities of data from a disaster site to provide better situation awareness of an emerging disaster scenario. In the case study presented here, the MWC uses a commercially available Segway Personal Transporter modified with a framework designed to carry a payload of information gathering and communication equipment. The MWC supports both horizontal and vertical real time data capture and transmission flow from first responders and civil engineers on the scene up to the command center by means of multilevel wireless voice and data communication infrastructures. This on board computational and visualization infrastructure allows for collecting, aggregating and deaggregating semiautomatic data, analyzing, recording, and reporting critical response and recovery information easily and quickly

Supporting Site-Based Processes Using Context-Aware Virtual Prototyping

AbstractRecent advances in the use of virtual building prototypes as a tool to support various site-based production processes coupled with improvements in context-aware mobile computing offer significant potential of improving decision making during construction phase of a building by providing relevant and timely access to design and process information. This paper investigates the scope and potential for integrating intelligent context-aware interfaces with sophisticated virtual building prototypes, to provide highly relevant and context-specific building information to concerned stakeholders throughout the building life cycle. Key enabling technologies and related literature are reviewed. Architecture to integrate context awareness with virtual building prototype is presented to allow for integration of context at various levels, and timely retrieval of building model data is presented. Conclusions are drawn about the possible future effect on the construction industry.

Lean Construction in Small-Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs): An Exploration of the Highways Supply Chain

Lean Construction (LC) is under the spotlight to improve the overall performance of civil construction projects in England. A strategic target of public clients is to effectively extend the current LC efforts, which have been mainly led by large companies to date, across small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This paper presents a summary of the initial findings of a research effort aimed at understanding the current condition of and future directions for LC at the SMEs in England’s highways supply chain. The research comprises of 20 interviews with senior managers, of which the initial findings were summarized in this paper, and a comprehensive survey study with 110 responses across the highways supply chain. 31 points for the current condition and 40 action items for the future of LC in the highways SMEs were presented and discussed.

Lean thinking in the highways construction sector: motivation, implementation and barriers

Abstract The interest in lean thinking in the UK’s civil construction industry is on the rise. The research presented in the paper evaluates the adoption of lean thinking in the highways construction sector by investigating 7 motivation factors, 20 lean techniques and 16 barriers through in-depth interviews with 20 sector managers and a questionnaire survey of 110 responses. The findings show the existence of strong external motivational factors for lean thinking such as clients’ push and companies’ expectation of winning more contracts alongside lean’s operational benefits. Limited adoptions of the lean techniques, mostly in the stepwise process improvement cycle, the Last Planner System and Visual Management, were determined. This raises concerns about ‘pseudo-lean’ practices in the sector. Lack of standardisation, insufficient benefit capturing, insufficient know-how, insufficient control of the entire value stream and limited view to the techniques were found as the top barriers.

Visual Management in Highways Construction and Maintenance in England

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current Visual Management practices in highways construction projects in England. Design/methodology/approach Following a comprehensive literature review, the research topic was investigated by using five case studies and focus groups. Findings The main findings are (i) the current implementation of VM is limited, particularly on the construction field, (ii) there are some identified points (suggestions) that require attention to disseminate and advance the current practices further (iii) many conventional and BIM based opportunities to extend the current Visual Management implementations exist for the sector. Originality/value The highways construction and maintenance sector in England has been systematically deploying lean construction techniques in its operations for a while. One of those lean techniques is a close-range visual communication strategy called Visual Management. The literature on the Visual Management implementation in construction is scarce and generally limited to the building construction context. This paper documents the current industry practice in conventional and Building Information Modelling (BIM) based Visual Management and identifies a set of recommendations and some Visual Management ideas for future implementation efforts in the highways construction and maintenance sector.