Abdirad, Hamid; Dossick, Carrie S. (2019). Normative and Descriptive Models for COBie Implementation: Discrepancies and Limitations. Engineering, Construction And Architectural Management, 26(8), 1820 – 1836.
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Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to inquire into the reasons why Construction Operation Building Information Exchange (COBie) has not become mainstream across the construction industry despite the significant attempts to promote it. Design/methodology/approach This paper framed and compared the normative model of COBie to a descriptive model of COBie. The normative model was based on the assumptions and planned procedures outlined in the COBie documentation. The descriptive model was developed through a case study of COBie implementation, with ethnographic observations, interviews and artifact analysis as the data collection methods and thematic analysis as the data analysis method. Findings The comparative analysis of the normative and descriptive models showed that the underlying normative assumptions of COBie can be challenged in its implementation. In the case study, implementing COBie disrupted the conventional practice of few participating firms as the data requirements and the expected sequences and timelines of tasks were not aligned with the industry norms for exchanging data. Furthermore, the normative model of COBie could not account for the unanticipated variability in the internal routines of firms for submittal production. Practical implications - COBie, as an instruction-based model, may not provide enough flexibility for some firms to adapt to its requirements such that COBie tasks become integrated with their existing workflows. COBie tasks may become additional efforts, and at times, conflict with the industry norms and firms' routines, and therefore, disrupt the efficiency goals. Originality/value This paper provides empirical evidence to clarify why implementing COBie has not been as efficient for all industry players as expected.
Keywords
Construction Industry; Information Dissemination; Information Systems; Cobie; Hand Over; Information And Communication Technologies; Information Exchanges; Operations; Facilities Management; Bim; Construction; Case Study; Information Exchange; Information And Communication Technology (ict) Applications; Project Hand Over
Abdirad, Hamid; Dossick, Carrie S. (2016). BIM Curriculum Design in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Education: A Systematic Review. Journal Of Information Technology In Construction, 21, 250 – 271.
Abstract
In the past several years, Building Information Modeling (BIM) adoption has grown significantly in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. In response to this trend, the industry and academia realized that BIM education in university curricula is an important requirement for satisfying educational demands of the industry, and a notable body of research has reported strategies AEC programs implemented to incorporate BIM in their curricula. However, no study has comprehensively reviewed and synthesized the research on sfrategies adopted by educators. To bridge this gap in the literature, this paper presents a systematic review of research on BIM curriculum design in AEC education. The authors report on the trends of research on BIM curriculum design (e.g. methods, timelines, and contexts) as well as a synthesis of implemented pedagogical strategies with detailed discussions on their implications and effectiveness across different studies and contexts. These strategies address a variety of important pedagogical issues such as enrolment of students, optional or required BIM use, important competencies and skills, tutoring methods, industry engagement, designing assignments, and assessment methods and criteria. This synthesis shows that designing pedagogical sfrategies for BIM education is complex and challenging, and AEC programs need to make trade-offs between advantages and disadvantages associated with these strategies. The results also highlight the need for more diverse research designs and settings to bridge the gaps identified in BIM curriculum research to date. Finally, the authors present a literature-based framework of BIM curriculum design sfrategies as well as a set of recommendations that can be used BIM educators and researchers as a guide for designing or assessing their BIM curricula in future research.
Keywords
Bridges; Curricula; Economic And Social Effects; Education; Information Theory; Personnel Training; Reviews; Students; Architecture; Engineering; And Constructions; Building Information Model; Bim; Curriculum Designs; Pedagogical Issues; Pedagogical Strategies; Research Designs; Systematic Review; University Curricula; Industry; Management; Building Information Modeling; Training; Curriculum; Review
Abdirad, Hamid; Dossick, Carrie S. (2019). Restructuration of Architectural Practice in Integrated Project Delivery (IPD): Two Case Studies. Engineering, Construction And Architectural Management, 26(1), 104 – 117.
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Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to clarify that while integrated project delivery (IPD) methods can be momenta for restructuring architectural practice, they do not predetermine specific patterns of restructuration for the roles, responsibilities and services of architects. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a multiple case study design; two IPD projects were theoretically sampled and studied. The data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and observations. An inductive data analysis approach was applied to frame the phenomena, conduct cross-case comparisons and develop propositions. Findings While IPD implementations set expectations for new structures for practices, it is the project participants' situated decisions that lead to the restructuration of some dimensions of architectural practice. The dimensions in this study included team formation, design leadership and collaboration and architectural services. IPD project participants locally changed and redefined conventional roles, responsibilities and project artifacts (e.g. drawings and models) that concerned design development and coordination. Practical implications - IPD context, by itself, does not predetermine a fixed pattern of change in establishing designers' roles, responsibilities and services because restructuration is highly negotiated amongst the IPD parties and can lead to different responses to this contractual setting. Contracts set expectations for collaborative behavior, but the fulfillment of these expectations is situated and emerging as project participants negotiate to develop practices. Originality/value - While IPD research and guidelines aim to provide recipes for IPD implementation, this study contributes to the body of knowledge by clarifying that IPD is a context in which unprecedented ways of practice restructuration could emerge.
Keywords
Construction Industry; Contracts; Data Analysis; Human Resource Management; Innovation Management; Organisational Aspects; Project Management; Team Working; Architectural Practice; Case Studies; Integrated Project Delivery Methods; Specific Patterns; Responsibilities; Design/methodology; Multiple Case Study Design; Ipd Projects; Data Collection Methods; Observations; Inductive Data Analysis Approach; Cross-case Comparisons; Ipd Implementation; Practices; Design Leadership; Architectural Services; Ipd Project Participants; Conventional Roles; Project Artifacts; Concerned Design Development; Coordination; Practical Implications; Ipd Context; Designers; Ipd Parties; Different Responses; Practice Restructuration; Contractors; Ipd; Architecture; Integration; Design Management; Case Study; Integrated Project Delivery; Integrated Practice; Restructuration
Choi, Kunhee; Lee, Hyun Woo. (2016). Deconstructing the Construction Industry: A Spatiotemporal Clustering Approach to Profitability Modeling. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Management, 142(10).
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Abstract
In spite of the strong influence of the construction industry on the national health of the United States' economy, very little research has specifically aimed at evaluating the key performance parameters and trends (KPPT) of the industry. Due to this knowledge gap, concerns have been constantly raised over lack of accurate measures of KPPT. To circumvent these challenges, this study investigates and models the macroeconomic KPPT of the industry through spatiotemporal clustering modeling. This study specifically aims to analyze the industry in 14 of its subsectors and subsequently, by 51 geographic spatial areas at a 15-year temporal scale. KPPT and their interdependence were firstly examined by utilizing the interpolated comprehensive U.S. economic census data. A hierarchical spatiotemporal clustering analysis was then performed to create predictive models that can reliably determine firm's profitability as a function of the key parameters. Lastly, the robustness of the predictive models was tested by a cross-validation technique called the predicted error sum of square. This study yields a notable conclusion that three key performance parameterslabor productivity, gross margin, and labor wageshave steadily improved over the study period from 1992 to 2007. This study also reveals that labor productivity is the most critical factor; the states and subsectors with the highest productivity are the most profitable. This study should be of value to decision-makers when plotting a roadmap for future growth and rendering a strategic business decisions.
Keywords
Construction Industry; Decision Making; Knowledge Management; Labour Resources; Macroeconomics; Organisational Aspects; Productivity; Profitability; Salaries; Statistical Analysis; Strategic Planning; Hierarchical Spatiotemporal Clustering Approach; National Health; Macroeconomic Kppt; Knowledge Gap; Spatiotemporal Clustering Modeling; Interpolated Comprehensive U.s. Economic Census Data; Parameters-labor Productivity; Gross Margin; Labor Wages; Strategic Business Decisions; Deconstructing; Key Performance Parameters And Trends; Firms Profitability; Error Sum Of Square; Labor Productivity; Projects; Firms; Performance; Performance Measurement; Cluster Analysis; Economic Census; Project Planning And Design
Park, Kyungmo; Lee, Hyun Woo; Choi, Kunhee; Lee, Seung-hyun. (2019). Project Risk Factors Facing Construction Management Firms. International Journal Of Civil Engineering, 17(3), 305 – 321.
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Abstract
Very little is known about the project risk factors that affect construction management (CM) firms, which often struggle due to a lack of effective risk management practices. This study investigates the risk factors critical to project execution in CM firms and ranks them using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) methods. Interviews with executives at the top 15 Korean CM firms are carried out to identify major risk factors in the CM sector, and a survey is used to develop priority ranking. We find that payment delays and project delays are the two most critical risk factors affecting CM firms because of (1) lack of communication between headquarters and field offices, (2) shift of responsibility from headquarters to a field office, (3) absence of regular monitoring of project progress, and (4) ex-post management practices. The findings presented in this study should assist CM firms in establishing more robust risk management practices, thereby improving firms' profitability, project performance, and customer satisfaction.
Keywords
Analytic Hierarchy Process; Customer Satisfaction; Factor Analysis; Risk Assessment; Risk Management; Analytic Hierarchy Process (ahp); Construction Management; Construction Management Firms; Failure Mode And Effects Analysis; Korea; Management Practices; Risk Factors; Risk Management Practices; Industry
Choi, Kunhee; Lee, Hyun Woo; Bae, Junseo; Bilbo, David. (2016). Time-Cost Performance Effect of Change Orders from Accelerated Contract Provisions. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Management, 142(3).
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Abstract
Accelerated contract provisions (ACPs) such as cost-plus-time (A+B) and incentives/disincentives (I/D) are increasingly common, yet very little is known about their pure time-cost performance effects on change orders. To fill this large knowledge gap, a two-stage research methodology drawing on 1,372 highway improvement projects completed in California was adopted for this study. The Stage I study investigated the marginal change-order impacts of two ACPs, pure A+B and I/D combined with A+B. How ACP change orders affect projects' time-cost performance was numerically modeled and successfully validated over the Stage II study. The results clearly showed that both ACPs led to more schedule-change and cost-change orders than conventionally contracted projects, whereas I/D combined with A+B performed significantly better than pure A+B in terms of the magnitude of schedule-change orders. This conveys an important recommendation to state transportation agencies (STAs) that A+B be used with an I/D provision. The results and numerical models of this study would help STAs better assess and justify the impact of change orders on the duration and cost of projects, enabling them to more effectively use contingency amounts. Use of the models can also benefit contractors requesting a change order because the models can provide them with advanced knowledge of the probable time-cost growth rates specifically for the pursued ACP. (C) 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
Keywords
Construction Industry; Contracts; Costing; Incentive Schemes; Numerical Analysis; Order Processing; Performance Evaluation; Roads; Scheduling; Time Management; Transportation; Projects Time-cost Performance Effect; Cost-change Order; Accelerated Contract Provision; Knowledge Gap; California; Acp; Schedule-change Order; State Transportation Agency; Numerical Model; Sta; Incentive; Highway Improvement Project; Labor Productivity; Construction; Impact; Model; Projects; Change Order; Highway Rehabilitation; Decision Modeling; Regression; Validation; Contracting
Abdirad, Hamid; Dossick, Carrie Sturts. (2020). Rebaselining Asset Data for Existing Facilities and Infrastructure. Journal Of Computing In Civil Engineering, 34(1).
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Abstract
This paper introduces rebaselining as a workflow for collecting reliable and verifiable asset management data for existing facilities and infrastructure. Reporting on two action research case studies with two public owners in the US, this research structures rebaselining in four phases: (1) preparing technology enablers, (2) collecting data from existing documents, (3) conducting field verification, and (4) updating asset management databases. These workflows address some of the common challenges in managing existing assets, including the fast-paced changes in asset data requirements, the inaccuracies in data and documentation of these existing assets portfolios, and the need to update data and documents over their life cycle. The findings set the groundwork for implementing workflow by mapping the rebaselining business processes in each phase, listing the technological requirements for these processes, and explaining the feasibility and examples of customizing building information modeling (BIM) platforms for rebaselining workflows. This customization of BIM platforms aims to offer simplified solutions that reduce the facility management staff's need for advanced BIM software knowledge.
Keywords
Asset Management; Building Management Systems; Business Data Processing; Database Management Systems; Facilities Management; Production Engineering Computing; Project Management; Risk Analysis; Software Tools; Reliable Asset Management Data; Verifiable Asset Management Data; Action Research Case Studies; Public Owners; Research Structures; Technology Enablers; Asset Management Databases; Facility Management Staff; Rebaselining Workflows; Technological Requirements; Rebaselining Business Processes; Existing Assets Portfolios; Documentation; Asset Data Requirements; Managing Existing Assets; Information; Bim; Existing Buildings; Infrastructure; Asset Data; Rebaselining
Choi, Kunhee; Lee, Hyun Woo; Mao, Zhuting; Lavy, Sarel; Ryoo, Boong Yeol. (2016). Environmental, Economic, and Social Implications of Highway Concrete Rehabilitation Alternatives. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Management, 142(2).
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Abstract
Currently, there is no comprehensive benchmark of life-cycle assessment for the rigid pavement alternatives for highway rehabilitation. To fill this gap, the major objective of this study is to investigate the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the three most widely adopted rigid pavement choices through a life-cycle assessment approach with custom-built economic input-output life-cycle assessment (EIO-LCA) models. Quantity takeoffs were performed for each alternative assuming a 1-lane-km highway rehabilitation. Subsequently, the construction costs of each alternative were computed in order to determine the present values for a life span of 50years, while at the same time accounting for a different life expectancy for each pavement rehabilitation strategy. The present values were then incorporated into a corresponding EIO-LCA model. The results clearly indicate that continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) is the most sustainable choice and much preferable to the other alternatives for minimizing negative environmental, economic and social impacts from the life-cycle perspective. This finding champions a wider adoption of CRCP for future sustainable transportation infrastructure development projects, as CRCP's relatively high initial construction cost can be recouped by long-term sustained benefits. The results and findings of this study can serve as a solid foundation for industry practitioners and decision-makers to make better-informed project decisions when choosing the most sustainable pavement alternatives from a life-cycle perspective. (C) 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
Keywords
Construction Industry; Environmental Management; Life Cycle Costing; Product Life Cycle Management; Project Management; Reinforced Concrete; Road Building; Socio-economic Effects; Sustainable Development; Economic Implications; Environmental Implications; Industry Practitioners; Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure Development Projects; Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement; Crcp; Eio-lca Model; Life Span; Construction Costs; Custom-built Economic Input-output Life-cycle Assessment Models; Rigid Pavement Alternatives; Highway Concrete Rehabilitation Alternatives; Life-cycle Assessment Approach; Social Implications; Life-cycle Assessment; Pavement; Asphalt; Pavement Rehabilitation; Environmental Assessment; Economic Factors; Land Use
Anderson, Anne; Dossick, Carrie Sturts; Osburn, Laura. (2020). Curriculum To Prepare AEC Students for BIM-Enabled Globally Distributed Projects. International Journal Of Construction Education & Research, 16(4), 270 – 289.
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Abstract
Globalization and the increasing adoption of BIM and other technologies in the AEC industry have changed the way we prepare graduates for the digital workplace. This paper presents curriculum design where students from five universities worked together to develop design and construction proposals. This paper describes a collaborative project executed in two parts. Part I included the University of Washington in the USA and IIT-Madras in India. Part II included Washington State University in the USA, and National Taiwan University and National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. Students from these global universities worked on a multi-disciplinary, interdependent project where teams created 3D models and 4D construction simulations. This curriculum addresses ACCE and ABET accreditation requirements regarding multi-disciplinary teams, ethical and professional responsibilities in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts, and effective teamwork. In this paper, we describe the course design, evaluative criteria, and lessons learned. We found that it was important to emphasize BIM Execution Planning for distributed teams given that communication and coordination can be challenging across time zones and cultural differences. Working through technical challenges of exchanging BIM data, the students learned coordination skills in a globally distributed team environment that simulated real work experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of International Journal of Construction Education & Research is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Keywords
College Curriculum; Project Management; Digital Technology; Work Environment; Globalization; Bim; Building Information Modeling; Digital Literacy; Distributed Teams; Global Collaboration
Anderson, Anne; Dossick, Carrie Sturts; Iorio, Josh; Taylor, John E. (2017). The Impact of Avatars, Social Norms and Copresence on the Collaboration Effectiveness of AEC Virtual Teams. Journal Of Information Technology In Construction, 22, 287 – 304.
Abstract
A growing number of architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms are outsourcing complex design and construction work to international vendors. Due to the significant geographic distances that can separate project team members in global design networks, much of this work is executed in virtual teams, defined as teams composed of geographically separated members who collaborate to accomplish organizational tasks mediated by technology. The challenges of working in geographically distributed networks have prompted the development of alternative, virtual workspaces. Questions remain on how these virtual workspaces support or hinder collaborative work. People are social beings that rely on body language and other non-verbal cues to communicate. What happens to team formation and collaborative effectiveness when non-verbal cues are mediated through avatar actions? In this paper, qualitative ethnographic data collected over four years from studies conducted in a 3D virtual world are used to examine collaboration effectiveness of global virtual engineering project teams. We found that avatar movement and position was effective at communicating nonverbal information, even when done so unintentionally. Avatar actions that map to established social norms in the physical world results in more efficient communication. Collaboration was also enhanced when gesture bubbles were used for backchannel communication and when text chat was used to avoid interrupting voice communication. We found collaboration was hindered when the learning curve was too steep for participants to adapt to tool use or avatar actions in the environment. These findings have important implications for the future of collaboration in virtual environments, particularly in the AEC industry where 3D models can be imported into the virtual environment and explored synchronously by a project team.
Keywords
Architectural Design; Human Resource Management; International Trade; Bim Coordination; Collaboration Technology; Distributed Teams; Social Norm; Virtual Worlds; Communication; Design; Technology; Dimensions; Teamwork; Behavior; Collaboration Technologies; Social Norms