Master of Science in Construction Project Management

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item: Thesis-Abstract
Enhancing facility management efficiencies in low-income family condominiums : a survey - based approach
(2023) Jayalath, JAAE; Jayasinghe, C
The governments of most developing countries face a challenging situation with resettling of people residing in unauthorized structures in urban areas. Literature reveals that low-income family condominiums (LIFC) can use for the abovementioned purpose. However, efficient facility management of such condominiums has become challenging for local authorities since it would burden those structures' durability and functionality. Therefore, having a scientific plan to manage LIFC facilities in the long run, is essential. This research focused on identifying the factors relating to facility management of LIFC, followed by developing a strategic plan to enhance efficiencies. In order to achieve the above objective, a structured questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the operational issues of LIFCs by targeting residents and officials. Further, secondary data was collected from National Housing Development Authority (NHDA), Condominium Management Authority (CMA), and Urban Development Authority (UDA) on the current practices in condominium facility management. The collected data was used to assess the current status of LIFC and the challenges in the facility management process. The output of the questionnaire survey was used to develop guidelines on best practices to enhance the efficiency of the facility management process. The findings of this study will benefit the LIFC planners, policymakers, facility managers, and municipalities to enhance the efficiencies of the current facility management process. Key words Facilities Management, Low-Income Families Condominium, Strata Management, Asset Management, Condominium Management, Policy Making
item: Thesis-Abstract
Assessment of the effects of LICIT and ILLICIT drug use on Sri Lankan construction labour productivity
(2023) Sajotha, GHAB; Siriwardana, C
It is assumed that licit and illicit drugs are commonly used by construction workers. The risk profile for alcohol and drugs on construction sites varies, from catastrophic accidents that result in severe injury or death to minor incidents. An investigation of the impacts of substance misuse among construction workers was carried out in Sri Lanka, which served as the basis for this study. Information was gathered about the issues that lead to substance abuse among construction workers, and qualitative and quantitative research method was used. According to the study's findings, many construction workers do not use drugs or alcohol to cope with the financial crisis. Additionally, these issues affect the workers' families, generating a setting that encourages the "vicious cycle." The research findings highlight the significance of eliminating substance abuse in the construction industry due to the socioeconomic impact it has on construction workers and the industry as a whole in Sri Lanka. The management of safety measures as well as the views, attitudes, and conduct of construction workers were the main subjects of this study. By dissecting its conclusions, this study shows that the major construction firms in Sri Lanka that were taken into account have a high level of risk awareness and perceive health and safety as critical issues, notably the effects of legal and illicit substances on productivity. This study aimed to understand the data collected and create a question-and-answer survey based on it. This study examines and compiles quantitative data on productivity in the construction sector to give the first systematic examination of the economic effects of drug usage in Sri Lanka. As a result, policymakers will better understand the current condition and the problem’s severity. Productivity loss is one of the consequences of drug abuse. Costs of healthcare, crime, institutionalization, and incarceration, as well as the cost and loss of welfare. Many of these costs must be borne by the industry, which has an adverse effect. Externalities are borne by society as well. Due to Sri Lanka's continued development, it is essential to calculate the economic cost of drug misuse in order to assess the severity of the issue and how it affects the nation. The value of resources lost as a result of a specific illness is referred to as the direct cost. According to this study, the total cost of drug abuse for institutionalized people includes direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs, and lost productivity due to drug abuse. According to the study, Sri Lanka project management is experiencing a micro- and macroeconomic crisis, as is the construction industry, and as a result, the use of expensive drugs and alcoholic beverages is very low, with some inexpensive substances such as smoking beedi and bit betel being used. In terms of productivity loss, it is estimated to be very minor. Keywords: Project Management, Construction Workers, Productivity, Drug Abuse, Substances
item: Thesis-Abstract
Effects of COVID 19 pandemic for price fluctuation in construction materials Sri Lanka
(2024) Cooray, MMP; Siriwardana, C
The study, titled "Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Price Fluctuation in Construction Materials in Sri Lanka," aims to investigate the impact of the global health crisis on the construction sector, which has seen substantial difficulties. The construction materials industry in Sri Lanka, like many other industries, has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its global economic repercussions. The outbreak has resulted in disruptions to the supply chain, shortages of labor, and changes in client demand. These factors have the potential to cause significant variations in costs. The outbreak has posed a substantial challenge of volatile availability and expense of construction supplies. The procurement of essential materials for construction projects is presently uncertain due to disruptions in both domestic and international supply chains. The disruption has the capacity to affect the feasibility of construction projects, escalate expenses, and result in project schedule setbacks. Researchers, legislators, and industry stakeholders are all highly interested in comprehending the magnitude and fundamental causes of the oscillations in building material costs in Sri Lanka. The research problem is highly important since there is a lack of empirical evidence that particularly investigates the influence of the pandemic on the construction materials industry in Sri Lanka. The construction materials sector in Sri Lanka lacks sufficient study on its specific features, in contrast to the abundant literature available on the worldwide economic effects of COVID-19. This research adds to the literature by closing a crucial gap in our knowledge of how covid 19 pandemic effect for price fluctuation in construction materials Sri Lanka. This study improves upon prior research by adding accuracy and context through thorough examination. Through this analysis and further research, a comprehensive model has been developed by examining the relevant literature. The academic community extensively utilized multiple regression models to evaluate hypotheses. Descriptive statistics, regression and correlation analysis, and reliability tests are among the approaches employed in the broader research. The study relied on a self-administered questionnaire and non-probabilistic convenience sampling to get to the bottom of things. SPSS was used to do statistical analysis on all 100 replies. Conclusions from this research show that "Identified Factors on Covid 19 have significant impact on Price Fluctuation”. Keywords: Global Supply Disruptions, Workforce Disruptions, Government Policy, Currency Exchange Rat
item: Thesis-Abstract
Assessment of key competencies for client management in health sector construction projects in Sri Lanka
(2023) Munasinghe, BSCK; Ekanayake, LL
The goal of this study was to identify the key competencies of a client who is responsible for the success of a health sector project in Sri Lanka. A literature review was carried out to determine the client's competency profile in terms of management and project success. To design the questionnaire survey and validate the competencies identified in the literature, expert interviews were conducted. A web-based questionnaire was distributed to clients in the health sector project, particularly medical doctors, and a few engineers in the Sri Lankan health sector. They were asked to rank the client competencies based on their experience, and 66 completed questionnaires were returned and analyzed. Respondents' perceptions of competency ranking were also evaluated, and the results revealed a strong relationship between Technical and Leadership competencies. The mean-variance analysis performed to examine the relationship between client representatives' work experience and their competency ranking discovered that it was not significant. A project's scope is a detailed outline that includes all the work required to deliver a product or service. Goals, deliverables, tasks, project members, deadlines, and milestones are all part of the project. The competency of the client is critical for management. It is critical to manage infrastructure scope management, particularly in the health sector, and this research can find the best selection method for client representatives for the work. Communicate the change with all affected parties was identified as the most important competency under the category of Leadership Competencies, followed by Obtain approval from at least three major stakeholders for variations in analytical thinking skills under the category of Technical Competency and Personal interests and expectations of client representatives over general requirements under the category of Leadership Competencies. The findings of this study can be used to guide the selection of client representatives for projects as well as the development of training programs for client representatives to improve their competencies. It is advised that the client implement a project-based project management unit.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Assessment of key competencies for workplace health, safety concerns and minor injury accidents for building construction sites in Sri Lanka
(2023) Munasinghe, KGTC; Perera, A
Sri Lankan construction industry is experiencing a boom. The lack of skilled labor in the construction sector causes numerous problems for projects. Many medium sized construction projects heavily rely on skilled labor to be effective. In Sri Lanka's construction industry, Health, Safety and Minor injuries or accidents are not reported or kept track of. Health concerns like ergonomics and other issues relating to unsafe acts and labor exposure to the outer limits of human capabilities are frequently ignored. Therefore, establishing a safe workplace is essential to make effective use of the skilled labor that is available. This study will shed light on important variables influencing Health, Safety and Minor illnesses and injuries to skilled laborers on medium scale Sri Lankan Navy construction sites. In the data collection, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were taken in to account. Thus, a study was conducted to identify the underlying causes of health, Safety problems and minor injuries that skilled laborers do not count. A questionnaire survey for professionals working on medium-sized construction sites was conducted from SL Navy building construction sites' Management and skilled staff were participated in the initiation interviews and questioner survey. Back pain was found to be the health issue most significantly impacted by the study. Workers' lower back pain was a major contributing factor. With regard to the entire survey, 30% of attempts were near misses. For skilled workers, lacks of knowledge of important manual handling techniques and pushing human limits have led to numerous health problems. It was discovered that 4% of workers experienced more than four near misses while at work. Five why (5Why) analysis and accident investigation techniques were successful in identifying the roof causes of minor injury accidents involving skilled laborers at medium-scale construction sites in Sri Lanka. Poor safety practices on construction sites have been linked primarily to two factors: a lack of knowledge about site safety and a dislike of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Enhancing professionals' interests in active safety management and the implementation of awareness programs, which must be developed and implemented among construction workers, is one of the industry's most pressing needs. Site safety will be improved by workers and contractors being aware of potential risk factors and knowing how to reduce those risk factors. The study that ranked behavioral competency as the top important competency in health, safety, and minor accident prevention took the top spot. Technical competency came in second and core competency in third. According to the study's relationship between competencies for Health, Safety, and Minor Accident, Technical versus Core high, Technical versus Behavioral, and Behavioral versus Core moderate Finally, the study demonstrates that it is crucial to establish new guidelines and frameworks for using modern technologies in Sri Lanka.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Application and acceptance of Eco- friendly walling materials for state sector projects
(2022) Jansz NY; Jayasinghe C
Eco-friendly materials have promptly grown worldwide with its demarcating benefits to the construction industry. However, in Sri Lanka, construction industry still primarily use traditional methods and standard materials (e.g. conventional bricks and cement masonry blocks). The usage of the Eco-Friendly wall materials is still lagging behind in Sri Lankan construction industry. Developing countries are also largely responsible for increasing global warming from housing and construction industry. And 90% of households are having thermal issues due to the heated interior of the houses in Sri Lanka hence it is highly required to use alternative Eco-Friendly materials for construction purposes to solve these problems as a developing country. However, it is required to identify why there is less demand in using Eco-friendly construction materials for the construction purposes. This thesis aims to explore why there is a less demand for Eco-friendly materials for wall construction in Government construction projects in Sri Lanka. Further, it is required to analyze the factors that contribute to lack of demand for Eco-Friendly wall materials in Government construction sector in Sri Lanka and find the strategies to overcome this problem. The study analyzed the data under three factors namely, psychographic, product-specific and demographic, and found most critical barriers to implementation the Eco-Friendly wall materials in the Government construction projects in Sri Lanka. Strategies were recommended to increase and promote the Eco-Friendly wall materials (Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks and Eco-Friendly Wall Panels) in the Government construction sector in Sri Lanka. This thesis provides a critical evaluation on the preferences of EWM and strategies to encourage the adoption for the EWM in Sri Lanka. This study gives insights on ways to motivate Sri Lankan to use environmental friendly concepts.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Time overrun events accountable to the client in bridge construction projects, Sri Lanka
(2022) Lakshamana NWH; Siriwardana C
The bridge construction industry in Sri Lanka has been severely affected by the time overrun events in the past. The trend is continuing and the requirement of taking mitigation measures in the industry is a high priority. Once a time overrun event occurs, it will be analysed by the consultant of the contract. If the accountability of it is on the client, the contractor will be granted an Extension of Time and the relevant compensations. Therefore, identifying the causes of the time overrun events and the accountable party of those is a high necessity for forecasting and taking mitigation measures. The research is on identifying the key time overrun events accountable to the client in bridge construction projects, Sri Lanka. Seventy (70) time overrun events in bridge construction projects have been found by literature review and case studies of 18 projects. These time overrun events are analysed from the responses by the professionals through a questionnaire survey and found out nineteen (19) time overrun events accountable to the client using the Relative Importance Index. The analyses have been continued through interviews with the key experts of the field as well to understand the probability and impact of the events. Accordingly, by using the Frequency Index and Severity Index, the events were prioritized and the use of Probability-Impact Matrix, it has been identified the five (5) most critical events accountable to the client in the bridge construction projects which are Possession of site, Unclear scope (Variation Orders), Land acquisition matters, Utility shifting matters and Design changes. Further, it has been observed that around 70% of time overrun events accountable to the client can be forecasted in the planning phase (before awarding the contract) of the project. Therefore, the research recommends several methods for conducting a proper planning phase of a project by highlighting the current drawbacks and hence avoiding or mitigating the risk of time overrun events that would be generated during the construction phase of the project.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Assessing resilience of water infrastructure projects in urban areas (a case study of Colombo Metropolitan Region - CMR)
(2022) Anistonraj M; Siriwardana CSA
In the Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR), sustained productivity development is key to Sri Lanka's 2022 growth as a middle income economy. One of the most valuable growth engines in Sri Lanka is the increased productivity of the CMR or Western Province. However, the CMR must remain comparable with other Asian urban areas. Priority should also be given to reinforcing the most vibrant service industries such as Information Technology (IT), financial services and shifting from low to high valueadded production opportunities. Urban sprawl is the consequence of legal and structural restrictions on land prices and insufficient resources for effective and productive land usage and property development. Several underground water pipelines were built in the Colombo Metropolitan Region about fifty years ago. These pipes have reached the end of their useful life and require extensive repairs. Based on the literature review, it was identified that water and wastewater treatment systems require upgrades to meet contemporary environmental standards. However, as per the objectives of the research, it is to assess the resilience of water infrastructure projects in urban areas to examine the required level of policies for resilience of water infrastructure projects in urban areas and to examine the impact and externalities on the resilience of water infrastructure projects in urban areas. The capacity utilization and requirements, policies, strategy, and capital accumulation to the resilience of water infrastructure projects in Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR). Additionally, it implies that the impact and the corelation of the independent variables, capacity utilization and requirements, policies, strategy, capital accumulation to resilience of water infrastructure in Sri Lankan urban areas.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Human skill factors that affect on digital transformation of the construction industry in Sri Lanka
(2022) Jayasingha SHVD; Perera AADAJ
The world is leading to an Industrial revolution by automating and integrating novel construction technologies for efficient decision-making. However, the local Construction industry lacks to adopt state-of-the-art digital transformation techniques due to the lack of awareness, technical know-how, and a higher capital cost of those technologies. Literature reveals numerous research studies in this area have sufficient frameworks worldwide to improve human digital skill factors. However, there is a lack of information on improving human digital skill factors in the Sri Lankan context. Therefore, developing a comprehensive guideline to expedite the construction industry digitalization process in Sri Lanka is essential. Available competencies and frameworks were identified using a Literature review. Required competency levels were categorized according to the complexity of the task, autonomy, and cognitive domain from Level 0 to Level 4 (No skill to Expert Level). For the ease of the data collection, the workforce was divided into 4 categories: Senior Management, Engineers/Architects, Quantity Surveyors and Storekeepers. /TO. A questionnaire survey was conducted with the help of industry experts for the local Construction Industry regarding digital transformation techniques, training, and consultation programs. According to the analysis, 94% of respondents believe the construction industry needs to upskill its digital skills. In Sri Lanka, digital technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Three-Dimensional Printing, Drones, Robotics, and the Internet of Things are relatively less than developed countries. Only 28% of the responders are experienced in Building Information Modelling (BIM) applications, while 53% are involved in productivity and planning apps, Communication and Document management systems and Enterprise Resource Planning. Moreover, it’s found that Senior Management and Middle Management need a higher digital skill competency level (Level 3) while the technical officer level needs a comparatively lower level of competency (Level 2). Senior management's active involvement is critical for the successful digital transformation process. This research's findings benefited the public and Private sectors in their construction digitalization process.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Applicability of priority based fixed asset maintenance in construction contractors : a case from Sri Lanka
(2022) Arachchi GRV; Perera A
Construction industry is identified as one of the most asset intensive industries. The dependance on fixed assets such as construction machinery, equipment, plant and vehicles has made industry vulnerable to failures due to not having standard practices of utilization of these fixed assets. Being a fast-moving economy in South Asia, Sri Lanka is yet to fully standardize its Construction Industry and resources utilization. The published literature suggest that it heavily depends on utilization of better Fixed Assets and Fixed Asset Maintenance Systems (FAMS). Implementation of FAMS has been a challenging task for local contractors as failure cases have seen in the recent past frequently. Delays, idling, accidents, environment damage, low service level and less efficiency of fixed assets could be identified as major drawbacks, which in return produced finance outflow from the organizations. This paper elaborates on existing maintenance approaches like corrective, preventive and predictive while aiming to research the validity of Priority based Fixed Asset Maintenance approach (PFAM) in local Construction Contractors. Based on previously conducted relevant researches of more than 5 authors, it was decided to conduct a questionnaire survey followed by a Delphi consensus to establish priority parameters on a randomly selected sample of 56 organizations to develop a suitable priority score framework. Based on the survey responses and expert opinion, Physical Condition (PC), Performance (PER), and Criticality (C) were identified as three main priority categories under which subpriority factors were determined. 33 construction equipment were selected from a road construction company and assigned priority scores to validate the suggested methodology as a case study. 54.4% of all the contractor organizations have classified their fixed asset register including construction equipment, office equipment, spare parts or service units, furniture and fittings, plant and machinery, building and land and building fixed asset categories which are stated by IAS 16 global standard and LKAS 15 local standard. It could be concluded that majority of contractors still utilizes 'fail and fix‘ or 'preventive‘ maintenance approaches, where there is technical possibility implement PBFAM practices. The priority score framework has shown substantial validity while testing with the local road contractors with real world data.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Mobile phone technology applications in the construction project management sector in Sri Lanka
(2022) Madhubhashini DBA; Perera AAJ
Managing resources effectively in all fields including Construction and Project management industry is essential for the development of the country. Many countries have tended to adopt modern technologies such as mobile phone technology to succeed in their projects. Various mobile phone apps designed for the Construction and Project management sectors are freely available. It was observed that many foreign researchers have broadened their study area into applications of mobile phone technology in the construction and project management sector while local researchers are lagging. Therefore, this study attempted to review the awareness and usage of mobile phone applications designed for the construction and project management sector and to identify the pros and cons of using mobile phone apps. Both primary and secondary data were collected. A comprehensive literature review was carried out to identify the research gap as well as to select an appropriate methodology. The primary survey consisted of a questionnaire survey and structured interviews. The targeted group for the study was professionals involved in the Construction and Project management sector. Out of the responses received 100 fully answered survey data was converted into a coded format for analysis. The data analysis was performed using data analysis tools available in excel. According to the data analysis, it was found that respondents are not much aware of apps related to Construction Project Management but they use those apps unknowingly. Also, it was observed that respondents are not aware of the usefulness of those apps for their profession. Documenting apps were observed as the most popular app category among respondents. The second and third popular types of apps were drawing apps and Estimation apps. Usage of other types of apps was very low. However, it was found that few respondents are using different types of apps at the same time. It was justified that, mobile phone apps help to make work more effective, time-saving, user- friendly. Also, the mobile phone is convenient to use from any location, convenient to connect to the internet, and memory capacity is satisfactory. This study attempted to expand the study on beneficial ways of using mobile phones in the Construction Project Management sector. The findings of this study can be used as a baseline study for further studies relevant to this research area.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Workforce management, safety, healthcare and welfare strategies in construction sites in the context of COVID - 19 pandemic
(2022) Niroshana UWAN; Siriwardana C
As the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 (Coronavirus 2019) outbreak as a pandemic, many countries have declared national lockdown in 2020. This unexpected lock down situation has mainly restricted the movement of people and performance of services. Finally, it has resulted in a full shutdown of the business sector and other industries globally. The construction industry in Sri Lanka is considered a significant sector of the national economy with no exception. Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) declared an island wide lockdown for 52 days completely due to the COVID19 pandemic and all the construction projects across the country were shutdown accordingly. Therefore, the effect of COVID-19 on the construction industry in Sri Lanka will be investigated and analyzed through this research study. The impact for certain areas in the construction sector has been determined and analyzed using the feedback from experts in the industry. For the research study, the effect has been classified into different sectors which include workforce management, health and safety practices, welfare facilities and preparation for emergency and pandemic situations in construction sites. The study was carried out through a questionnaire survey which confirmed that the lockdown of construction sites had a high impact on the site activities, construction methods, management processes, safety and healthcare practices. The findings of this study will help to understand the consequences of a sudden occurrence of pandemic situations in the future and raise awareness in the industry. In addition to that, the outcome will help the project managers to plan for the worst-case scenario during the design and planning stages of construction projects. It has been considered that Sri Lanka is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Financial System of Sri Lanka is mainly dependent on the foreign investment and trade. Therefore, both direct and indirect impact to the economy and other sectors can be expected including the construction industry. As the COVID-19 pandemic has started to continue since December 2019, lockdowns have been imposed around the globe several times. This has changed the day-to-day physical activities to online activities everywhere. However, it is impossible to perform some activities remotely. For instance, construction activities are not possible to carry out virtually. In addition to that, in Sri Lanka, it is not practical to maintain social distancing in construction industry as this sector is totally dependent on the manpower. Construction sites had been disturbed by their material supply chains and workforce due to the lockdown situations and various quarantine procedures. Therefore, COVID-19 pandemic has highly disrupted the construction industry in Sri Lanka. As the construction sector contributes a significant amount to the economy of Sri Lanka, it is essential to continue the construction activities according to the health and safety measures while reducing the spread of COVID-19. This research study has found that the workforce has been reduced by 30% to 90% in the construction sector due to the spread of Covid-19. This implies that construction project managers have to forecast and plan the future construction activities considering adequate health and safety measures for workers at construction sites and dormitories while maintaining minimum chances of spreading COVID-19 virus. This research study is based on the primary data collected from the officials who are from the top management and middle management levels in various construction projects in Sri Lanka through an online questionnaire survey. The outcomes of this study have indicated that there is a significant effect to the construction industry of Sri Lanka due to COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, effective policies and procedures should be utilized to mitigate the consequence of the Pandemic in the construction industry in Sri Lanka.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Improving of land acquisition procedure in major construction projects
(2022) Jayawardena LANSP; Siriwardena C
With the view of wining the global economic race and achieving inspiration of the nation, Sri Lanka is undergoing several number of major construction projects all over the country. It is one of the key ways of investment process that leads towards growth of economic of the country consequently. Thus, the completion of the construction phase in time, is important to commence the next scheduled process of the chain. This phase of development requires the government to use private lands for development projects in addition to the use of state lands. It is the responsibility of the government to acquire the private land as appropriate as well as recognize and emphasize the need to secure the rights of persons who have been acquired private land restore their live hood and resettlement. It is necessary that all the parties such as acquiring officers, project development officers, affected persons gain a comprehensive knowledge on the legal process of acquisition of private lands, particularly methodologies for valuation of acquired properties, determination of entitlements for compensation, compensation payment procedures, of LARC and super LARC procedures as it would facilitate a smooth implementation of the entire process. It would further help facilitate their participation in the development process in effective and efficient. As development is ultimately intended for the wellbeing of the people, it should be implemented with least inconvenience to the people so that development projects can win the support and confidence assuring sustainable development. Land acquisition is one of the main components having considerable impact for these development projects. The land value has gone up compared to few decade bake and people are keen on their lands now. Hence, it is much difficult to handle land matters relevant to development matters. The original schedule of the Colombo – Katunayaka express way project was delayed for more than ten years and the government had to compensate huge amount of money to the duly awarded contractor as the land acquisition matter could not attended as scheduled. During this research, the topic is studied in two main aspects that ;Technical issues and Safeguard issues. The main organizations involved in the land acquisition process such as Divisional secretariats, Department of Valuation, Department of Surveying, Printing corporation, Ministry of lands, Ministry of public Administration, were closely considered during the research. Although the developments projects were delayed due to delay in Land Acquisition it has not recognized/highlighted or count the real reason. Hence, studying and evaluating of the ways and means of smooth and efficient Land Acquisition process which get benefit each stakeholder for better future of the country.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Improvements essential for monitoring and evaluvation systems in stages of road construction projects in Sri Lanka
(2022) Rupasinghe LDAS; Perera A
Main reasons for the failure of construction projects in Sri Lanka are the lack of an effective Monitoring and Evaluation. Because project management is such an important component of the planning and execution of a construction project, it's critical to identify the major factors that necessitate leadership from the project team. In this research expert interviews were conducted to develop the questionnaire survey and validate the Monitoring and Evaluation methodologies described in the literature base shortfalls and in the Sri Lankan road construction context, which was separated into three stages: pre-construction, construction, and post-construction Project Directors, Team Leaders, Project Managers, Senior Engineers, and Engineers in the Sri Lankan road construction business were sent a web-based questionnaire. Reviewing available literature and by interviewing the relevant people, 104 Shortfall factors, change the all part of matters were identified and categorized as per the stage of their occurrence. When the road construction projects are being implemented, it is important to be aware of the possible factors to mitigate the matters arises through and accordingly take suitable Monitoring and Evaluation. For all these measures, it is important to consider the ranking of these matters in a way to identify/indicate priority for higher ranked matters to minimize adverse impacts by using the Monitoring and Evaluation system in stages wise. The research explores and analyzes the flaws in present monitoring systems, and can be used as a guideline for selecting Monitoring and Evaluation systems for projects as well as designing training programs for project staff to improve their skills. Furthermore, this study will offer detailed insights and recommendations for improving project Monitoring and Evaluation in the Sri Lankan road construction business. Respondents' perceptions of precontraction stage, construction stage, and post-contraction stage rankings were also assessed and the findings revealed that strong Monitoring and Evaluation are vital throughout the construction stage of project secondary preconstruction stage and finally post construction stage.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Using GPS monitoring system to enhance productivity of construction equipment in large - scale construction companies in Sri Lanka
(2022) Bogahawatta JRM; Perera AADAJ
Productivity of construction equipment refers to the value of work done in a period as a piece of individual equipment or as a fleet of equipment. Estimating the actual productivity of construction equipment requires tracking and monitoring. Manual data collection methods and data input procedures restrict access to precise and real-time performance data. This limitation creates a need for GPS tracking, eliminating human reporting errors and increasing productivity. GPS-based equipment tracking and monitoring systems are more efficient than traditional performance estimating systems on productivity assessment. Therefore, the main objectives of this study will be to i) Identify current issues in tracking and monitoring the construction equipment, ii) Investigate the tracking and monitoring information needed to enhance the productivity of construction equipment, and iii) Analyse the impact of GPS monitoring systems on the productivity of construction equipment. Relatively important issues in construction equipment tracking and monitoring were prioritized based on questionnaire responses. Using relative important index, tracking information needed to enhance productivity was prioritized based on questionnaire responses. The current equipment monitoring process of the selected construction company for the dump trucks was mapped and analyzed. The production of the dump truck is based on truckload, the number of trucks used for the operation, truckload time, truck haul time, dump time, and return time. The areas for process improvement for the dump trucks were identified using the prioritized outputs of the GPS monitoring system, which are machine location tracking, fuel consumption, trip history, idling trends, and route optimization. Finally, realistic recommendations for identified issues and future developments were suggested.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Developing a correlation between indoor air quality and sick building syndrome in apartment buildings
(2022) Alwis PH; Jayasnghe C
Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is currently a widely discussed topic all around the world since most of the population spend majority of their time indoors. However in Sri Lanka, there is less discussion on SBS. Among the contributory factors for SBS, polluted air plays a leading role while aggravating the situation with poor ventilation. In order to assess the magnitude of SBS prevail in Apartment buildings in Sri Lanka, a field study was carried out placing the focus on Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) concentrations. A series of measurements were taken on selected Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) parameters in a sample of apartment buildings located close to a main highway. The IAQ monitoring was coupled with a questionnaire survey on SBS symptoms, building operational practices and other related parameters. The results of the study revealed that IAQ parameters could correlate with SBS symptoms at different significant levels. Moreover, poor ventilation had been identified as a prominent contributory factor for substandard air quality which in turn would result several SBS symptoms. The results of this research will be benefited to Engineers, Architects, Developers, and general public.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Significance of contractor's internal team collaborative practices to manage construction project delays during implimentation stage
(2022) Dhammika ACPCP; Ekanayake LL
Completion of projects on time is one of the major challenge faced by the construction industry. There are many studies conducted on construction project delays focusing on causes and effects of delays and mitigation measures, etc. Initial literature survey has been highlighted that Internal Team Collaboration In order to achieve the objectives a pre-survey was done by reviewing literatures, gathering industry expertise ideas and incorporating researcher’s experience in the industry for conducting pilot questionnaire design. Subsequently, final questionnaire survey was conducted with industry experts comprised of engineers, managers and executives who directly involve in large scale construction projects representing client/consultant and contractor organizations. Questionnaire forms were emailed and hand delivered to eighty The results of the analysis from overall perspective revealed that these four major categories related to ITC practices; planning & scheduling, construction management, contract administration and document management are equally contributed to contractual management of construction project delays but high attention should be paid on document management practices. And also project manager has a major role to act as a focal point for making ITC process successful during implementation. Moreover, the researcher has identified the barriers to internal team collaborative approach and the methods and techniques that can be implemented to enhance the ITC process at project implementation stage in order to reduce and manage project delays.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Developing an effective waste management plan for building construction sites
(2022) Edirisinghe BJP; Jayasinghe C; Kariyawasam K
Construction and demolition waste is a major problem to the environment as 40% of worldwide waste is generated from the construction industry. Waste material is generated in building construction sites as a result of construction, demolition, renovation, excavation, and site clearances. Construction waste constitutes reusable or recyclable materials such as concrete, steel, wood, ceramic tiles, bricks, cement blocks, cement mortars and paints. However, 35% of construction waste is directly dumped into the landfills without any further reusing or recycling due to the lack of onsite or offsite sorting. Since a considerable amount of waste materials is ended up as waste, management of the construction waste is very much a crucial economic and environmental challenge to project stakeholders. This research examined the applicability of various waste sorting methods that are essential before reusing and recycling. Three waste sorting methods were considered, namely: (i) onsite sorting based on material type (ii) onsite sorting based on economic value, and (iii) offsite sorting based on economic value. These methods were studied based on eleven influencing factors through a questionnaire survey on Construction Project Managers, Planning Engineers, Site Engineers, and Quantity Surveyors who were at 30 sites across Sri Lanka. Based on the responses, the most applicable sorting method was found as ‘(ii) onsite sorting based on economic value’. The most influencing factors for all sorting methods were 'management effort', 'market for recyclables', 'waste sortability', and 'site space'. 'Management effort', the most critical factor, was found to be a result of 'lack of waste sorting out process', 'high labour involvement in sorting process', and 'lack of market for recyclable products. This research therefore encourages the construction project stakeholders to leverage ‘onsite sorting based on economic value’ with increased “Management effort” to improve waste sorting for reusing and recycling and contribute towards reducing worldwide waste.
item: Thesis-Abstract
The Impact of client involvement on public building project performance in Sri Lankan construction industry
(2021) Arumugam S; Halwatura RU
The clients are most important contributor and main participant for the successful construction project completion which depending on client’s behaviors and play major role that cannot be avoided. Client involvement is linked to the achievement of a project on performance. Therefore, the level of client involvement should be increased to minimize the negative impact of project performance. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the impact level of client involvement on the Public Building project performances during the construction process in Sri Lanka. This research has been conducted through literature reviews and questionnaire survey (quantitative method). The results from the survey were analyzed using descriptive analysis. Following this, inferential statistical analysis of testing was conducted on the data results of the survey. The Findings revealed that over all the current client had neutral or low involvement in 27 out of 40 tasks. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used assess whether there is significant relationship between client involvement stages and performance and; all involvement of five construction stages is positively linked to performance of Time, Cost and Quality. Leaner regression analysis used to calculate the impact level of client involvement on project performance. The level of client involvement in the planning stage, design stage and construction stage were found to be the most significant and had a high level of impact on the project outcomes. The study recommended the clients need to have progressed information to review the documents, should give consideration to tasks prior to construction of the project and conduct regular site visits during construction. And assign a special O&M representative to advise the project team on how to complete the product in a manner that best achieves the project's O&M needs.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Identifying factors affecting the project success of private sector buildings in Sri Lanka
(2021) Pushpajith PGP; Perera AADAJ
Building construction projects are inherently complex, dynamic, and involve challenges due to lots of uncertainties. It is difficult to produce a complete solution to manage such projects successfully. Therefore, to achieve project success in building construction of projects, recognising the most significant factors affecting project success is an emerging concern in the industry. Although there is abundant research conducted globally on project success factors, only a few have attempted to explore project success factors pertaining to Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is necessary to identify project success factors that particularly impact the private sector building projects in Sri Lanka which have been carried out in this research. In this study, a literature survey was carried out to gather the project success factors identified in a global context out of which 115 factors were selected. The Delphi technique was adopted to collect data and to obtain expert opinions; two rounds of questionnaire surveys were conducted. An academically and professionally qualified panel of experts who are currently practising in Western Province, Sri Lanka participated in the survey. In the first-round questionnaire, 66 project success factors were identified out of 115 factors as factors applicable to the Sri Lankan Context. Relative Importance Index formulae (RII) were utilized for data analysis, after which factors were ranked respectively. The second-round questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data to analyse the most significant factors affecting project success in Sri Lanka. Twenty- eight factors were identified as the most significant factors affecting project success in private sector building projects in Sri Lanka. Contractor’s Cash flow, Contractor’s Planning efforts, Easiness to reach to the site (Project Location) and Control of sub-contractors works are the most significant factors that received the ranking position of 1 to 4 respectively. The outcome of the research can be used as a guideline to achieve the project success of building construction projects in Sri Lanka. Further studies are required to create a conceptual framework, which shall be a benchmark to monitor project success in Sri Lanka.