Ottesen, Jeffrey L., & Migliaccio, Giovanni (2023). Use of Predictive Models for Labor-Productivity Loss in Settling Disputes. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction, 15(1).
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Abstract
Given inherent difficulties in construction, optimizing labor efficiencies is paramount to project success. Research described in this article conducted demonstrates that an analysis of planned activities in a critical path methodology (CPM) schedule may be used to forecast future productivity inefficiencies. Specifically, this study relies on the concept of CPM schedule’s density, which is defined as the number of overlapping like-trade activities on any given workday. This metric is directly related to the required labor resources required to complete that work within the activities’ planned durations. Schedule density increases where more planned activities overlap with each other; for instance, occurrence of such increases is common when the schedule is accelerated. Regression models were derived using metrics drawn from CPM schedule updates’ activities and durations and compared to actual labor productivity experienced. Strong correlation findings support development of predictive models that quantify potential labor inefficiencies before they occur. However, the question remains as to the strength and applicability of predictive models in formal litigation. This paper presents findings of this research and discusses how such findings may be used to facilitate settlement in dispute resolution procedures.
Keywords
Migliaccio, Giovanni C., Gebken, Richard J., Fernandez, Luis R., & Osmanbhoy, Natasha (2022). Emergent Subcontracting Models in the US Construction Industry. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction, 14(4).
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Abstract
Prime contracting models for engineering and construction projects are described extensively in the literature, but models between prime contractors and subcontractors are less well known. This study examined the established and evolving subcontracting models in the US construction industry to not only document their utilization but also investigate their advantages and disadvantages when employed. The research followed a two-phase/two-step approach. During Phase 1, the authors completed a regionally based study to identify subcontracting practices in the Pacific Northwest. As part of Phase 2, the study was expanded across the United States to gain a greater understanding of each of the identified subcontracting models, including advantages, disadvantages, and variations. Both phases were organized into two steps: (1) an online survey instrument was sent to professionals with either general or specialty contracting firms, and (2) follow-up semistructured interviews were conducted with selected survey respondents to better evaluate each subcontracting model. The authors found that five subcontracting models address the most common scenarios and the characteristics of each are familiar to the nationwide participant sample. There are subtle variations to the main five models that are being employed to varying degrees across the country. The impetus for these variations appears to be founded on the need to find better contractual arrangements and that subcontracting practices are dynamic by nature. Although most of the participants were from western and central divisions of the US Census Bureau geographical classification, participants from all geographic areas participated in the study. Increasing knowledge on how project delivery systems may affect disputes and claims or conflicts and legal issues of procurement systems, this article uniquely contributes to defining a taxonomy of subcontracting models while giving insights into the current and emerging trends in subcontracting practices, including how subcontractors are integrated into a project team.
Migliaccio, Giovanni C., & Shrestha, Pramen P. (Eds.). (2023). Building a Body of Knowledge in Construction Project Delivery, Procurement and Contracting. World Scientific.
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Abstract
This book aims to consolidate, structure and articulate collective knowledge on construction project delivery, procurement and contracting, so that it can serve as a gateway to the contiguous topics of construction project delivery. In addition to supporting the education of student researchers, as well as broadening and deepening the knowledge of practitioners, the book is also intended to serve as a foundation for future education and as a reference book. Academicians can use it to benchmark and support their research and also as a textbook for an undergraduate or graduate course on the topics of project delivery, procurement and contracting.
Keywords
Construction; Engineering; Project Delivery; Procurement; Contracting
Migliaccio, G. C.; Bogus, Susan M.; Cordova-Alvidrez, A. A. (2014). Continuous Quality Improvement Techniques for Data Collection in Asset Management Systems. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Management, 140(4).
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Abstract
Transportation infrastructure assets are among the largest investments made by governmental agencies. These agencies use data on asset conditions to make decisions regarding the timing of maintenance activities, the type of treatment, and the resources to employ. To collect and record these data, agencies often utilize trained evaluators who assess the asset either on site or by analyzing photos and/or videos. These visual assessments are widely used to evaluate conditions of various assets, including pavement surface distresses. This paper describes a Data Quality Assessment & Improvement Framework (DQAIF) to measure and improve the performance of multiple evaluators of pavement distresses by controlling for subjective judgment by the individual evaluators. The DQAIF is based on a continuous quality improvement cyclic process that is based on the following main components: (1)assessment of the consistency over timeperformed using linear regression analysis; (2)assessment of the agreement between evaluatorsperformed using inter-rater agreement analysis; and (3)implementation of management practices to improve the results shown by the assessments. A large and comprehensive case study was employed to describe, refine, and validate the framework. When the DQAIF is applied to pavement distress data collected on site by different evaluators, the results show that it is an effective method for quickly identifying and solving data collection issues. The benefit of this framework is that the analyses employed produce performance measures during the data collection process, thus minimizing the risk of subjectivity and suggesting timely corrective actions. The DQAIF can be used as part of an asset management program, or in any engineering program in which the data collected are subjected to the judgment of the individuals performing the evaluation. The process could also be adapted for assessing performance of automated distress data acquisition systems.
Keywords
Asset Management; Civil Engineering Computing; Data Acquisition; Decision Making; Inspection; Maintenance Engineering; Quality Control; Regression Analysis; Roads; Transportation; Continuous Quality Improvement Techniques; Asset Management System; Governmental Agencies; Transportation Infrastructure Assets; Maintenance Activities; Visual Assessment; Pavement Surface Distresses; Data Quality Assessment & Improvement Framework; Dqaif; Linear Regression Analysis; Interrater Agreement Analysis; Data Collection Process; Automated Distress Data Acquisition System; Manual Pavement Distress; Pavement Management; Quantitative Analysis; Data Collection; Assets; Reliability; Case Studies
Migliaccio, G. C.; Bogus, Susan M.; Cordova-Alvidrez, A. A. (2014). Techniques for Continuous Improvement of Quality of Data Collection in Systems of Capital Infrastructure Management. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Management, 140(4).
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Abstract
oLa infraestructura del transporte es una de las mas grandes inversiones que realizan los gobiernos. Las agencias gubernamentales de transporte administran este capital y utilizan la informacion de las condiciones de este para decidir la programacion y tipo de mantenimiento y recursos a ejercer. Para recolectar la informacion pertinente, las agencias emplean evaluadores adiestrados para evaluar la infraestructura, ya sea en sitio o analizando fotografias y/o videos. Las evaluaciones visuales son empleadas para inspeccionar las condiciones de la infraestructura, incluyendo el desgaste de la superficie de los caminos y carreteras. Este articulo describe un Data Quality Assessment & Improvement Framework (DQAIF) (Sistema de Evaluacion y Mejora de la Calidad de la Informacion) para medir y controlar los datos de los evaluadores del deterioro de carreteras, al controlar el criterio de estos. El DQAIF es en un proceso ciclico de Mejora Continua de Calidad compuesto por: a)la evaluacion del nivel de acuerdo entre evaluadores -por medio del analisis estadistico (inter-rater agreement analysis), b)la evaluacion de la consistencia a traves del tiempo -mediante analisis de regresion lineal, y c)la implementacion de practicas gerenciales para mejorar los resultados mostrados en las evaluaciones anteriores. Se llevo a cabo un estudio de caso para validar el sistema propuesto. Los resultados mostraron que el DQAIF es efectivo para identificar y resolver problemas de la calidad de los datos obtenidos en las inspecciones de infraestructura. Con este sistema se garantiza la reduccion del riesgo de la subjetividad y asi aplicar acciones de mantenimiento mas oportunas. El DQAIF puede ser empleado en un programa de gerencia de infraestructura o en cualquier programa de ingenieria en donde la informacion esta sujeta al juicio o criterio personal de los individuos que realizan la evaluacion. Este proceso puede ser adaptado, incluso, para evaluar el desempeno de sistemas automatizados de evaluacion de pavimentos.
Keywords
Manual Pavement Distress; Quality Control; Pavement Management; Inspection; Quantitative Analysis; Data Collection; Assets; Reliability; Construction Materials And Methods
Zhang, Su; Migliaccio, Giovanni C.; Zandbergen, Paul A.; Guindani, Michele. (2014). Empirical Assessment of Geographically Based Surface Interpolation Methods for Adjusting Construction Cost Estimates by Project Location. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Management, 140(6).
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Keywords
Construction; Interpolation; Project Management; Geographically Based Surface Interpolation Methods; Construction Cost Estimates; Project Location; Construction Projects; Proximity-based Interpolation; Location Factor; Proximity-based Method; Global Spatial Autocorrelation; Cost Index Databases; Cost Estimators; Spatial Interpolation Techniques; Conditional Nearest Neighbor; Cnn; Inverse Distance Weighted; Idw Methods; Spatial Prediction Models; Distance Weighted Interpolation; Spatial Interpolation; Kriging Method; Precipitation; Temperature
D’Incognito, Maria; Costantino, Nicola; Migliaccio, Giovanni C. (2015). Actors and Barriers to the Adoption of LCC And LCA Techniques in the Built Environment. Built Environment Project And Asset Management, 5(2), 202 – 216.
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Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the existing barriers to the slow adoption of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) in construction, and the main responsible actors. Design/methodology/approach - The research design is based on a two-phase approach. First, the existing literature was studied through a multiple-step content analysis (CA) approach, which combined unsupervised concept mapping with computer aided CA. Using a relational CA approach, statistical-based analysis tools were initially used to identify the relationships between actors and barriers. Later, a Delphi study was administered to a panel of experts, to triangulate, validate, and refine the initial results. Findings - The study revealed that organizational culture is the most relevant barrier, and that clients and professionals are the actors that predominantly influence the adoption of LCC and LCA in projects. Technical and financial barriers, such as the lack and quality of input data and the high costs of implementation are also deemed relevant. Research limitations/implications - The CA was performed by a single rater on a sample that included 50 papers in English language. Future research may focus on enlarging the sample, extending it to other languages, and linking the source (or the expert) to their professional context to evaluate geographical differences in barriers. Originality/value - The adopted approach gives new insights on the relationships behind the rejection of LCA and LCC suggesting that solutions at the organizational level may be more effective than technical ones.
Keywords
Construction; Innovation; Content Analysis; Sustainability; Organizational Culture; Lca; Lcc; Life Cycle Management; Innovations; Life Cycle Costs; Experts; Software; Corporate Culture; Concept Mapping; Urban Environments; Computer Aided Mapping; Life Cycles; Life Cycle Engineering; Decision Making; Organizational Aspects; Supply Chains; Research Design; Professionals; Construction Industry; Construction Costs; Life Cycle Analysis; Urban Areas; English Language; Barriers; Regulation Of Financial Institutions; Life Cycle Assessment
Migliaccio, G. C.; Zandbergen, Paul; Martinez, A. A. (2015). Empirical Comparison of Methods for Estimating Location Cost Adjustments Factors. Journal Of Management In Engineering, 31(2).
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Abstract
Location factors are used to adjust conceptual cost estimates by project location. Presently, the construction industry has adopted a simple, proximity-based interpolation method to estimate location factors for missing locations. Although this approach is widely accepted, its validity has not been statistically substantiated. This study assessed the current method of adjusting conceptual cost estimates by project location and compared its performance against two alternative spatial interpolation methods. A Moran's I test was used to confirm the presence of strong spatial autocorrelation, which supports the use of proximity-based methods. Additional statistical evaluations of current and alternative methods were also conducted. Results provided statistical justification for the current method. However, an alternative method was proven to outperform the current method. Moreover, several opportunities for future research were identified as a result of this exploratory study. (C) 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
Keywords
Construction Industry; Interpolation; Statistical Analysis; Location Cost Adjustment Factor; Proximity-based Interpolation Method; Project Location; Spatial Interpolation Method; Moran I Test; Spatial Autocorrelation; Statistical Evaluation; Geographical Information-systems; Construction; Layout; Gis; Conceptual Estimating; Geographic Information Systems; Construction Costs; Planning; Location Adjustments
Lee, Wonil; Migliaccio, Giovanni Ciro. (2016). Physiological Cost Of Concrete Construction Activities. Construction Innovation, 16(3), 281 – 306.
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Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper was to investigate the physiological cost of concrete construction activities. Design/methodology/approach - Five concrete construction workers were recruited. The workers' three-week heart rate (HR) data were collected in summer and autumn. In this paper, several HR indexes were used to investigate the physiological cost of work in concrete construction trades, including average working HR, relative HR and ratio of working HR to resting HR. Findings - This paper measures how absolute and relative HRs vary throughout a workday and how working HR compares to resting HR for individual workers. Research limitations/implications - Field observations are usually extremely difficult as researchers need to overcome a number of barriers, including employers' resistance to perceived additional liabilities, employees' fear that their level of activity will be reported to managers and many other practical and technical difficulties. As these challenges increase exponentially with the number of employers, subjects and sites, this study was limited to a small number of subjects all working for the same employer on the same jobsite. Still, challenges are often unpredictable and lessons learned from this study are expected to guide both our and other researchers' continuation of this work. Originality/value - The time effect on the physiological cost of work has not been considered in previous studies. Thus, this study is noteworthy owing to the depth of the data collected rather than the breadth of the data.
Keywords
Concrete; Construction Industry; Costing; Human Resource Management; Occupational Health; Personnel; Physiology; Physiological Cost; Concrete Construction Activity; Construction Workers; Summer; Autumn; Construction Trade; Working Heart Rate; Relative Heart Rate; Resting Heart Rate; Employee Fear; Jobsite; Heart-rate Strain; Stress; Work; Risk; Management; Fusion; Model; Index; Biosensing And Environmental Sensing; Occupational Safety And Health; Threshold Limit Value; Work Physiology
Bogus, Susan M.; Migliaccio, Giovanni C.; Cordova, Arturo A. (2010). Assessment of Data Quality for Evaluations of Manual Pavement Distress. Transportation Research Record, 2170, 1 – 8.
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Abstract
Assessment of the conditions of current assets is a task of major relevance in a transportation agency asset management program It not only provides information on the current condition of the asset but also helps the agency make decisions on future maintenance and rehabilitation activities Although low volume roadways represent a large proportion of the total road network in the United States little research on the management of these assets has been done Two major data collection techniques are used for roadway condition assessment manual and automated Although automated techniques have been found to be safer and quicker manual condition surveys have been proven to offer preciseness and cost effectiveness In the case of low volume roadway assessment for which the funds available to asset managers are limited manual condition surveys are often preferred Nevertheless manual condition surveys must address the potential subjectivity of the results Therefore agencies could benefit from a system for ensuring quality on manual condition surveys This paper proposes a framework for assessment of data quality and presents a case study of its implementation in the Northern New Mexico Pavement Evaluation Program The proposed framework is easily implementable and able to identify potential and actual data collection issues The framework can be used as part of an asset management program and could be particularly beneficial in the case of low volume roads
Keywords
Interrater Reliability; Agreement; Ratings