World Construction Symposium

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Adaptability of blockchain-based E-Procurement system in Sri Lankan construction projects.
(2022-06-24) Nitharsan, N; Francis, M; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
E-procurement and Blockchain are relatively new technologies that have the potential to provide a variety of benefits due to their unique features such as transparency, decentralized approach, immutability, and consensus. The Sri Lankan construction industry is corrupted and that drives up construction costs, which are then passed on to the general public. Procurement plays a major role in construction projects as it is the basis of any transaction. E-Procurement is one of the recent technologies used by modern businesses to save time, money, and effort. Therefore, the current research aims to investigate the adaptability of e-procurement using Blockchain technology in the Sri Lankan construction industry. A mixed research approach was adopted including a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interview. A total of 55 questionnaires were distributed among experienced professionals, and 37 responses were received. The data collected from the questionnaire survey were analysed using Relative Important Index (RII) and Gap analysis. For the interview, total of 5 professionals who have experience in procurement and tender management were drawn through the snowball sampling technique to identify the strategies for the adoption of Blockchain based E-procurement. The survey found that there is a gap between the desirability and readiness for Blockchain adoption. In addition, the eight important drivers and barriers to the adoption have been identified. As a result, from an organizational and governmental perspective, measures must be designed and implemented to overcome barriers and enhance readiness levels, so closing the gap between desirability and readiness. Finally, based on the findings, strategies for improving the readiness of Blockchain-based EProcurement practices in the Sri Lankan construction industry were identified
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Adapting the standard forms of contract to minimize the contractual effects of COVID-19 on construction projects.
(2022-06-24) Perera, C; Palliyaguru, R; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
The construction industry is a major economic driver in Sri Lanka. However, the construction industry was significantly affected by the responses made by the Sri Lankan government to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of those government responses on construction projects are diverse as time, cost, and qualityrelated impacts. These effects resulted in numerous contractual effects that were mostly to be dealt with reference to the provisions made in the standard forms of contracts such as ICTAD/SBD/02 and FIDIC 1999 in Sri Lanka. Since no similar pandemic has affected Sri Lanka at this magnitude before, neither ICTAD/SBD/02 nor FIDIC 1999 have been drafted giving due consideration to such exceptional circumstances. Furthermore, no studies that researched these kinds of aspects can be found in the existing literature. Hence, this research aims to explore the effects of the responses made by the Sri Lankan government to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction industry and the possible adaptations of standard forms of contracts to address the contractual implications of those effects to mitigate the effects on the contractual parties in both building and civil engineering projects. A desk review was carried out to identify the existing provisions of ICTAD/SBD/02 and FIDIC 1999 to overcome the effects of pandemic situations, and three case studies, including two building projects and one civil engineering project, were used for the empirical data collection. Representing contractors, consultants, and employers, twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted within the three case studies. The research findings reveal that a collaborative approach with cost and time-sharing is the best approach to address the effects of a pandemic situation. Furthermore, defining terminologies, developing transparency in contractual relationships, and establishing an equal assessment basis can all aid in the contractual development of the ICTAD/SBD/02. As a result, the study suggests improving documentation practices, developing guidelines for amicable settlement, and eliminating the adversarial effects of ICTAD/SBD/02 through an equal assessment process. Thus, this research contributes to the further development of ICTAD/SBD/02 while also improving Sri Lankan building and civil engineering projects by reducing contractual issues in future pandemics
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Analysis of the current housing market in Colombo metro region to enhance the prospective consumer satisfaction
(2022-06-24) Dunuwila, SR; Devapriya, K; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
Housing is an essential element of social development. One consumer may purchase such a house once for his/her entire lifetime. Therefore, when making a housing purchasing decision, it is intensively explored more than it is considered in purchasing other consumable products. Property developer has the responsibility of understanding the consumer behaviour. The main research problem is the lack of attention towards the analysis of the current housing market of the Colombo Metro region from the consumer perspective. An extensive literature synthesis was carried out to gather information on the general attributes of the housing market and determinants of housing supply. Furthermore, investigation on the housing demand and consumer behaviour reference to Colombo Metro region were conducted through the literature synthesis. Subsequently, case studies and a survey have been adopted to proceed with the study following the mixed research approach. Semi-structured interviews for case studies and questionnaire survey were employed as the primary data collection. The primary data analysis was conducted through manual content analysis, Relative Important Index (RII) techniques and elementary statistical analysis. The findings revealed, how the prospective consumers are considering Person, Product, Place, Price related factors when purchasing a residential property. For an example this research discovered that quick access to Colombo is the highly considered fact by the consumers. It revealed that the consumer behaviour in Colombo Metro region is different from other contexts. Therefore, carrying out a study to analyse the current housing will be very important to maximize the consumer satisfaction in house purchasing.
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Applicability of public-private partnership to overcome the challenges encountered by public sector building projects in Sri Lanka.
(2022-06-24) Dissanayake, DMDD; Devapriya, KAK; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is a connection between public sector and private sector for a long duration with the aim of producing public services. PPP provides a mechanism for governments to bridge the supply-demand gap by developing new facilities in the construction industry. It is an extensive necessity for the Sri Lankan context due to the declining position in economic growth over the past years. Since PPP is already being practiced in Sri Lankan infrastructural projects, it is essential to investigate the ability of PPP to improve the public sector building projects (PSBP) in Sri Lanka (SL). An extensive literature synthesis was carried out to identify the PPP approaches and challenges encountered by PSBP. The challenges encountered by PSBP were validated and updated by conducting a semi-structured preliminary interview to comply with the Sri Lankan context. A questionnaire survey was conducted to identify the ability of PPP approaches to overcome the challenges in PSBP. Data analysis was done by conducting the Relative Important Index (RII) technique. The findings revealed that PPP has a high ability to overcome the challenges encountered by public sector building projects. Therefore PPP can be recommended as a procurement strategy for PSBP in SL.
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Application of computer vision for construction progress monitoring.
(2022-06-24) Moragane, HPMNLB; Perera, BAKS; Palihakkara, AD; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
Progress monitoring of construction work is crucial to identify the discrepancies between the as-built product and as-planned design and take necessary action based on the results. Construction work is time consuming and labour intensive. However, the use of new technologies, such as computer vision (CV), in construction progress monitoring (CPM) can minimise human errors. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the current applications of CV in the construction industry in general and in the different stages of CPM. A qualitative approach based on the Delphi technique comprising two interview rounds was used to collect the required data. The study findings revealed that CPM has seven stages: initial planning, data acquisition, information retrieval, verification, progress estimation and comparison, results visualisation and schedule updating. During these stages, CV can be used in various CPM activities, such as earthmoving operations, crane operations, formwork and rebar tracking, worker activity tracking, safety assurance, landscape identification, work item monitoring and integrating with other technologies. Familiarisation of the workforce with CV and research on the applications of CV in construction can help the construction industry to move with technology and be on par with other industries. This study would enable construction personnel to explore the possibility of applying CV in CPM. Further research on identifying the synergy between CV and CPM can be based on the study findings.
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As-built data acquisition for vision-based construction progress monitoring: A qualitative evaluation of factors.
(2022-06-24) Reja, VK; Varghese, K; Ha, QP; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
The accuracy of computer vision-based progress monitoring of construction projects depends on the quality of data acquired. The data acquisition can be conducted through different vision-based sensors combined with several options for sensor mounting. Several factors affect this combination and considering these factors in selecting the acquisition technology and sensor mounting combination is critical for acquiring accurate vision-based data for the project. Currently, their definition and impact of these factors on the selection of these technologies are both subjective, and there are no formal studies to evaluate the impact. Hence, in this study, we first identify and define twelve key factors affecting data acquisition technology and eight factors affecting sensor mounting. Next, a questionnaire survey was designed, and responses from professionals were used to evaluate the Relative Importance Index (RII) for the individual factors for these technologies and methods. The obtained ratings were compared to the author's initial assessment, and the cause for a few variations obtained was justified. This study provides a clear assessment of these factors and forms a basis for selection based on the factors involved with the project requirements.
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An assessment of maintenance cost of residential apartments in Sri Lanka.
(2022-06-24) Kajavathani, P; Ramachandra, T; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
Buildings require maintenance for their continuous operation at a higher level through their extended life. Early prediction of maintenance costs (MC) would enable efficient maintenance and smooth operations of the buildings and thereby ensure achieving value for the investment. The effects of factors on MC provide a chance to refine the design to ensure the optimisation of MC during early design development. Thus, this study aims to analyse the MC of high-rise residential apartments along with the effects of factors influencing MC in Sri Lanka. Initially, a questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the factors’ impact on the MC elements based on a 1-5 Likert scale. Then, a case study approach was employed using three high-rise residential apartments with above 30 floors located in Colombo to analyse the costs of MC elements. The data collected from semi-structured interviews and document review were analysed manually as a percentage of MC. The findings revealed that MC accounts for 30% of running costs (RC). According to Pareto analysis, 11 out of 29 sub-elements including lifts and escalators, maintenance management, repairs and replacement, and electric power and lighting contribute to 80% of MC. Further, most of the building design factors and technical factors highly affect the MC. The annual MC per GFA is about Rs. 350.00. It is expected that these findings would enable the designers to forecast the MC and focus on the relevant design and technical factors to optimise the maintenance costs of highrise residential buildings at the early design stages
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Availability of reliable cost data for whole life costing in the Tanzania building construction industry.
(2022-06-24) Manege, SL; Kennedy, CJ; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
Whole life costing plays a major role in ensuring that value for money is attained from the inception of a building to its end of life. Availability of reliable cost data is essential ensuring that whole life costing is undertaken with utmost precision. This study explores the availability of reliable cost data for whole life costing in the Tanzania building construction industry. It aims at realising the key sources of cost data as well as analysing their reliability. It will also suggest ways to improve cost data availability in the industry. The research involved the use of questionnaire survey and structured interviews to collect data from quantity surveyors and other industry professionals respectively in Tanzania. The study revealed that in-house and market survey as the most familiar and most used sources of cost data in the Tanzania building construction industry. It also realised that running cost data, which are crucial for undertaking whole life costing, did not have a source in Tanzania which is contrary to other countries. The study also revealed that despite cost data sources being considered reliable, they still lacked credibility as most respondents still had doubts about them. To improve the availability of reliable cost data for whole life costing, the study suggests that the Tanzania building construction industry should adapt to the online information service which will ensure easy and fast access to reliable cost data. The industry should also engage in the collection and sharing of running cost data which is essential for whole life costing.
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Beyond the iron-triangle: Accommodating sustainable construction in the new-normal conditions. In: Sandanayake
(2022-06-24) Rathnakumara, LRVN; Chandanie, H; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
As one of the economic stabilisers in Sri Lanka, the construction industry is affected severely due to the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Unbalance of the Irontriangle which refers to key Construction Project Goals (CPG) (i.e., time, cost, and quality) is one of the phenomena that can be addressed while Sustainable Development (SD) (i.e., economic, social, and environmental sustainability) has been streamlined to worse condition. Even though, sustainability must be prioritised in developing countries e.g., Sri Lanka, where significant construction works are currently underway, especially during this situation. Further, the appropriate construction and implementation in a construction project can make a dramatic contribution to the mandate of sustainable development. Hence, this research intends to investigate how the Iron triangle would be unbalanced during the new-normal situation where it has a significant impact on SD simultaneously. A qualitative survey strategy was used to achieve the research aim. A semi-structured interview survey was conducted to solicit the perception of experts. Nine experts were selected purposively, who had experience in both Sustainable Construction (SC) and project management, especially proceedings during the new-normal condition. To analyse the empirical data, the manual content analysis method was used. As the decisive outcome, the ‘Iron-star’ model was developed by merging the Sustainable triangle and Iron-triangle which pertained to the interrelation between SD and Construction Project Goals (CPG). Initially, interrelations between SD measures and CPG were cogitated by literature findings. Economic depletion, health-related issues, supply chain disruption, and cash flow issues were identified as interventions to achieve CPG through SD measures. Further, it revealed that the Iron-star can implement as the way forward for the construction industry in the Sri Lankan (SL) context.
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Beyond the reuse: Potentials and barriers for exchanging treated wastewater among the industries in Sri Lanka.
(2022-06-24) Mallawaarachchi, H; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, G; Liu, C; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
A major drawback in the present industrial system is that the industries are directly discharging industrial effluent to nearest waterbodies in a linear way. Even though, a few of industries have considered reusing treated and untreated wastewater in their industrial premises, it can be further extended towards ‘exchange’ among the multiple industries under the concept of Industrial Symbiosis (IS). Initiating IS-based treated wastewater exchange networks is a novel approach to Sri Lankan industries and there is a lack of a study on potentials and barriers of implementing the concept. Hence, this research aimed to investigate the potentials and barriers for exchanging treated wastewater among industries. In order to achieve the aim, 16 semi-structed interviews were conducted with industry experts in the field of Industrial Water Management (IWM) to collect the data. Code-based content analysis technique was used to analyse the data by applying QSR NVivo.12 software. Findings revealed geographical proximity of industries, willingness of industries to engage in water exchange and industry level water management initiatives as major potentials for initiating water exchange networks. Lack of expected water quality for industrial needs, outdated technologies used in water management and lack of expertise and awareness were identified as major barriers. Accordingly, strategies, such as introducing national policy enhancements, ensuring cultural adaptation, enhancing technology & infrastructure, and empowering research & development, were proposed to overcome the identified barriers to ensure a successful implementation of treated wastewater exchange networks targeting the socioeconomic development of the country
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BIM-Lean relationship assessment framework: A conceptual establishment.
(2022) Rahman, MA; Belayutham, S; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
The construction industry is seeking ways to reduce waste (material and productionrelated process waste) to improve productivity and efficiency. Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Lean are two vital innovations for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operation (AECO) industry used in the industry to improve aspects of productivity and efficiency. BIM has been used to generate and compare designs to ensure optimum use of resources, reduce design time, improve collaboration between stakeholders, and reduce errors in design and construction. On the other hand, the main agenda of Lean is to reduce (both material and production process) waste, increase value, and thrive for continuous improvement. In the construction industry, BIM and Lean have been mostly used in isolation. However, studies suggest that BIM and Lean have mutual relationships and are complementary to achieve each other’s objectives. To do so, it is very crucial to understand the mechanism behind the relationship and the interaction between BIM and Lean. Informed analysis and understanding of the mutual relationship would help construction management decision-makers to achieve the utmost benefits from the implementation of these two drivers. However, previous studies have explored BIM and Lean relationships, but limited studies were done to support construction management decision-makers in identifying relevant BIM functions to enable Lean or to identify relevant Lean principles to support BIM. Therefore, this paper aims to represent a conceptual BIM-Lean relationship assessment framework by using Design Science Research methodology to identify and measure the relationship between BIM and Lean to support construction management decision-makers.
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Challenges on bonds and guarantees under the payment security regime in the construction industry of Sri Lanka.
(2022-06-24) Manohara, PWV; Abeynayake, MDTE; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
The construction industry is a significant contributor to the national economy. Since construction has been facing risk management issue, bonds and guarantees have become a feasible solution, as a management too and mechanism. Professionals will have to undertake consequential responsibilities in managing bonds and guarantees. However, no significant efforts have been taken to identify how bonds and guarantees affect the construction industry of Sri Lanka. This research aims to explore the challenges and problems in bonds and guarantees, which are used in Sri Lankan construction projects, and to make recommendations to projects in the Sri Lankan context. Initially, a literature review has been carried out on different bonds and guarantees. Consequently, a mixed research approach has been used, which included expert interviews and a questionnaire survey. The collected data from expert interviews were analysed using content analysis that supported the design of the questionnaire. To achieve the study's aim, the bonds and guarantees were ranked against merits, demerits, issues, and suggestions in questionnaires using a Likert scale, considering the significance of those competencies in bonds and construction guarantees. The collected data were also analysed using the Relative Importance Index The research findings are revealed that there are several suggestions to overcome the barriers in bonds, guarantees and payment securities in Sri Lanka. Additionally, contractors' requirement to set up a special guarantee fund to protect business practices and it was identified as new suggestions that would aid the challenges and problems in line with bonds and guarantees in Sri Lankan construction projects.
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Circular Economy (CE) based material selection: Development of a CE-based ‘10R’ evaluation framework for building construction projects in Sri Lanka.
(2022-06-24) Wanaguru, K; Mallawaarachchi, H; Vijerathne, D; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
The building construction industry is globally identified as one of the major consumers of materials. Thus, the material wastage in building construction projects is very excessive. In the Sri Lankan construction industry, it was identified that the main reason for generating material wastage is the absence of proper material selection criteria. The concept of Circular Economy (CE) has been obtained the world attention in reducing material wastage in the construction industry as it targets zero waste and pollution throughout the lifecycle of materials. Applying CE principles in the material selection not only reduces the wastage of materials but also reduces the use of virgin materials. Hence, this research aimed for developing a CE-based 10R evaluation framework for materials selection in order to reduce the wastage of materials in building construction projects in Sri Lanka. A comprehensive literature review was first conducted to review the concept of CE, CE principles and its importance for reducing material wastage in the construction industry. Deductive approach was chosen as the suitable research approach in this study. Survey method was applied as the suitable research strategy under quantitative phenomenon. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a conveniently selected sample of 58 industry professionals to collect the data. The collected data were analysed by using Weighted Mean Average (WMA) technique. As key findings derived through analysis, the level of importance of each CE principle for selection of materials was determined. Accordingly, the CE-based 10R evaluation framework for material selection was developed as the main implication of this research. Various strategies, such as reusing demolition materials, adopting prefabricated building components, developing plans to on-site recycle and using alternative materials were also proposed to implement the all identified CE principles assuring a successful application of the developed framework.
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Construction industry on the brink: The COVID-19 impact.
(2022-06-24) Parameswaran, A; Ranadewa, KATO; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all industries globally, including the construction industry. As a result, the construction industry is experiencing several challenges in terms of delivering projects on time and on budget. However, a few studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has a positive impact on the construction industry. Hence, analysing the issues caused by COVID-19 is vital to lessen the effects of the pandemic. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry. Accordingly, a detailed literature review was carried out to gain a theoretical understanding of the topic. A quantitative research approach was used to collect data. The questionnaire survey was conducted using snowball sampling with a total of one 108 respondents. Statistical Package for Social Science" (SPSS) was used to analyse the collected data. The findings revealed 86 negative impacts for the construction industry owing to the pandemic, which was classified as resources-related issues, project management issues, quality issues, financial issues, contractual issues, safety issues, technology-related issues, and other issues for the construction industry. An increase in the price of materials and equipment, project cost, exchange rate, and inflation rate were noted as significant negative impacts to the construction industry. The research further identified twelve (12) favourable impacts for the construction industry as a result of the pandemic. Encouraging risk assessment and collaboration and encouraging Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) were highlighted as the significant positive impacts. Therefore, strategies need to be identified to neutralise the negative impacts using the positive impacts caused by the pandemic. This study contributes to the body of knowledge to advance the construction industry towards the next level during the post- COVID-19 scenario, which will be the focus of the next phase of this research.
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Container-based relocatable modular buildings for construction site offices in Sri Lanka: Contractors’ perspective
(2022-06-24) Sandamini, KY; Waidyasekara, KGAS; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
The temporary site offices are directly provided by the contractor, and hence, any associated risk is non-transferable. Thus, the contractors should be aware of sustainable, and cost-effective technologies to be implemented to survive in the competitive construction industry. Relocatable Modular Building (RMB) technology is employed globally as a multi-beneficial building technology for temporary shelter purposes such as site offices. Hence, the research aimed to explore the applicability of RMB technology for temporary offices on construction sites in Sri Lanka. The literature synthesis reviewed the modular building concept and RMB technology globally. Following the qualitative approach, the research adopted a survey strategy. Data was collected through seven semi-structured interviews with industry professionals who were purposively selected under several criteria. Further, data collection was limited to container-based RMBs due to the limited availability of RMB varieties in Sri Lanka. Template analysis was the data analysis technique followed. The findings disclosed that RMBs have already been established in the Sri Lankan construction industry. ‘Relocatability’, reusability, high security, larger usable space within limited land space, ability to rent out, and air-conditioned working environment were found as key benefits of RMBs whereas the unbreathable smell of glue in newly fabricated RMB, handling difficulties, the possibility of overturning, initial cost and external body corrosion were identified as key challenges. Significantly, the contractors are recommended to use RMBs for temporary site offices following proposed strategies such as periodic maintenance procedures, systematic site administration, and safety improvements to overcome identified challenges.
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Contractual implications related to the construction industry in pandemic situations: A review of case laws.
(2022) Jayathilaka, RDWW; Waidyasekara, KGAS; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
COVID-19 catastrophe has created various complications related to the construction industry. Conflicts arise between parties to the contract and among the majority of stakeholders. A successful contractual implication can manage the contractual challenges arising within construction job sites. The most common contractual provisions for the situation are Force Majeure and Changes in Legislation clauses in standard conditions of contracts. Sufficiency of the available remedies under the provisions applicable to COVID-19 or any other pandemics is a current talking point in the construction industry. Following questions are addressed to manage these unprecedented situation-related contractual conflicts: ‘what are the contractual challenges faced by the construction industry?’, ‘what are the most applicable contractual provisions to a pandemic situation?’, ‘what are the pandemic-related guidelines applicable to the construction industry?’, and ‘what are the available legal cases to use in a pandemic situation?’ The questions were discussed by carefully analysing existing literature referring to Case Laws. Future researchers are encouraged to suggest appropriate strategies for contractual challenges to facilitate the construction stakeholders to prepare them for future pandemics.
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Cost overrun factors in pre-contract and post-contract stages: A critical analysis.
(2022) Ariyawansha, C; Francis, M; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
“Cost overrun” is considered as an unavoidable phenomenon in the construction industry. Despite the professional effort and adaptation of advanced technologies, still the construction industry experiences cost overruns. Especially, among many stakeholders, contracting organizations are one of the key stakeholders that would be highly affected by the construction cost overrun. Poor coordination between the pre & post-contract stages in the contracting organizations has been a critical issue over many decades which leads to cost overruns. Professionals involved in the pre-contract stage have not possessed the knowledge regarding the significance of the cost overrun factors that may appear in the post-contract stage and vice versa. Therefore, this research aims to comparatively analyze the significance of cost overrun factors in the pre & postcontract stages in Sri Lankan construction projects from the perspective of industry professionals. A total of 5 semi-structured interviews were conducted among professionals who have experience in cost estimation and post-contract cost management in contracting organization to categorize the selected cost overrun factors into pre-contract and/or post-contract stages. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate the significance of those categorized cost overrun factors. A total of 80 responses were collected from the questionnaire survey and the data were analyzed using statistical analysis. Then the quantitative data was analyzed using the Mann- Whitney U-Test. The results of the Mann-Whitney U test concluded that there is a statistically significant difference between the perspective of professionals involved in the pre & post-contract stage.
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A methodology to study the complexity of buildability in construction projects: Phenomenological research perspective.
(2022-06-24) Wimalaratne, PLI; Kulatunga, U; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
The construction industry is crucial to the economic development of any nation. However, the achievement of the project objectives has become challenging in the construction industry. Thus, research on improving the construction project performance is often appealed. One of the reasons for poor performance in the construction industry has been identified as lack of buildability. Buildability is expected to give a boost to construction project performance throughout the entire project life cycle. Even though the existing knowledge domain suggests various buildability guidelines, appraisal systems, and concepts targeting different phases or different elements of construction, there is no established set of practices or directives that can be incorporated into a construction project throughout its various stages to improve construction project performance. This is mainly due to the absence of clear identification of the deep meaning of the key drivers of the buildability concept. Therefore, it is important to obtain a clear picture of the key drivers of this concept. This challenge may be handled by obtaining perception from the industry experts with regard to their lived experience concerning buildability. This paper utilises works of literature related to research methodology to design a suitable research framework for this study. The research onion model was adopted for the framework development and phenomenological philosophy was proposed with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The paper highlights the importance of adherence to micro-interactions and a systematic approach to research work throughout the research process to maintain the quality of the study.
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A review of drivers of sustainability in mega infrastructure projects: An institutional approach.
(2022-06-24) Thounaojam, N; Devkar, Devkar, G; Laishram, B; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
The need for sustainable practices in megaproject implementation is becoming acute. With the ongoing progress and expansion of mega infrastructure projects (MIPs), a lot of attention has been attracted among policymakers and researchers due to their enormous impacts on the economy, society, and the environment. Given the complexity of MIPs and the sustainability-related challenges it faces; the successful management of sustainability-related targets requires influence from the institutional forces (regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive). However, existing research on the institutional drivers that can effectively promote the sustainability of megaprojects has been largely unexplored and calls for attention. Therefore, this study aims to present a review of what drives the adoption of sustainable practices in MIPs. A systematic literature review was conducted based on a combination of keyword search in the Scopus database. Using the lens of institutional theory and deductive approach, 11 drivers for sustainability in MIPs were identified from reviewing 33 selected peer-reviewed articles. This study would enhance project stakeholders’ and policymakers’ understanding of drivers for sustainability and help further improve policies, strategies, norms and culture to support MIPs in contributing to sustainable development goals.
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A review on unexploited features of n-dimensional BIM: An Indian construction scenario.
(2022-06-24) Sood, R; Laishram, B; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
Infrastructure sector is a backbone of economic development for most of the countries worldwide. Indian AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry is one of the leading sectors in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment. With the increasing demand for infrastructure and continuous development in field of technology, the speed of construction has been improved in various countries. But most of the projects still face the issues of cost and time overruns due to un-exploitation of digital tools and technology. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is one such promising technology that spans several levels of maturity (Level 0, 1, 2, and 3) and dimensions (3D, 4D, 5D, 6D and 7D). Many studies have shown that the construction industry is still lagging behind the rate with which technology should have been adapted, particularly in developing countries including India. This paper, therefore aims to answer systematically about various dimensions and level of maturity and its current status in Indian construction industry and the key factors responsible for un-exploitation of BIM’s features due to low maturity. Finally, the paper presented some future research agendas. The study’s findings may be of significant value to the practitioners and policymakers in incorporating mandatory BIM based framework for Indian construction industry and also in other developing nations.