The use of virtual prototyping to rehearse the sequence of construction work involving mobile cranes

Purpose – Rehearsing practical site operations is without doubt one of the most effective methods for minimising planning mistakes, because of the learning that takes place during the rehearsal activity. However, real rehearsal is not a practical solution for on-site construction activities, as it not only involves a considerable amount of cost but can also have adverse environmental implications. One approach to overcoming this is by the use of virtual rehearsals. The purpose of this paper is to investigate an approach to simulation of the motion of cranes in order to test the feasibility of associated construction sequencing and generate construction schedules for review and visualisation. Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes a system involving two technologies, virtual prototyping (VP) and four-dimensional (4D) simulation, to assist construction planners in testing the sequence of construction activities when mobile cranes are involved. The system consists of five modules, comprising input, database, equipment, process and output, and is capable of detecting potential collisions. A real-world trial is described in which the system was tested and validated. Findings – Feedback from the planners involved in the trial indicated that they found the system to be useful in its present form and that they would welcome its further development into a fully automated platform for validating construction sequencing decisions. Research limitations/implications – The tool has the potential to provide a cost-effective means of improving construction planning. However, it is limited at present to the specific case of crane movement under special consideration. Originality/value – This paper presents a large-scale, real life case of applying VP technology in planning construction processes and activities.

Construction Work

Construction at the Glenridge Campus.

Construction work on Davis Community Center and Apartments, Chapman College, Orange, California

Construction work on Davis Community Center and Apartments. The complex opened September,1974 at 625 North Grand Street, Orange, California, named in honor of Chapman College's fourth president, Dr. John L. Davis. The five three-story apartment buildings were designed by Harold Gimeno & Associates of Santa Ana and built by the J. Ray Construction Company, Inc. of Costa Mesa.

Construction work on Davis Community Center and Apartments, Chapman College, Orange, California

Construction work on Davis Community Center and Apartments, 1974. The complex opened September, 1974 at 625 North Grand Street, Orange, California, named in honor of Chapman College's fourth president, Dr. John L. Davis. The five three-story apartment buildings were designed by Harold Gimeno & Associates of Santa Ana and built by the J. Ray Construction Company, Inc. of Costa Mesa.

Infection Control in design and construction work

Objective: To clarify how infection control requirements are represented, communicated, and understood in work interactions through the medical facility construction project life cycle. To assist project participants with effective infection control management by highlighting the nature of such requirements and presenting recommendations to aid practice. Background: A 4-year study regarding client requirement representation and use on National Health Service construction projects in the United Kingdom provided empirical evidence of infection control requirement communication and understanding through design and construction work interactions. Methods: An analysis of construction project resources (e.g., infection control regulations and room data sheets) was combined with semi-structured interviews with hospital client employees and design and construction professionals to provide valuable insights into the management of infection control issues. Results: Infection control requirements are representationally indistinct but also omnipresent through all phases of the construction project life cycle: Failure to recognize their nature, relevance, and significance can result in delays, stoppages, and redesign work. Construction project resources (e.g., regulatory guidance and room data sheets) can mask or obscure the meaning of infection control issues. Conclusions: A preemptive identification of issues combined with knowledge sharing activities among project stakeholders can enable infection control requirements to be properly understood and addressed. Such initiatives should also reference existing infection control regulatory guidance and advice.

782 consecutive construction work accidents: who is at risk? A 10-year analysis from a Swiss university hospital trauma unit

BACKGROUND: Mortality and morbidity are particularly high in the building industry. The annual rate of non-fatal occupational accidents in Switzerland is 1,133 per 100,000 inhabitants. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the electronic database of a university emergency centre. Between 2001 and 2011, 782 occupational accidents to construction workers were recorded and analysed using specific demographic and medical keywords. RESULTS: Most patients were aged 30-39 (30.4%). 66.4% of the injured workers were foreigners. This is almost twice as high as the overall proportion of foreigners in Switzerland or in the Swiss labour market. 16% of the Swiss construction workers and 8% of the foreign construction workers suffered a severe injury with ISS >15. There was a trend for workers aged 60 and above to suffer an accident with a high ISS (p = 0.089). CONCLUSIONS: As in other European countries, most patients were in their thirties. Older construction workers suffered fewer injuries, although these tended to be more severe. The injuries were evenly distributed through the working days of the week. A special effort should be made that current health and safety measures are understood and applied by foreign and older construction workers.

Acceleration and Deflection Analysis for Class C Edge Protection Systems in Construction Work

The requirements for edge protection systems on most sloped work surfaces (class C, according to EN 13374-2013 code) in construction works are studied in this paper. Maximum deceleration suffered by a falling body and maximum deflection of the protection system were analyzed through finite-element models and confirmed through full-scale experiments. The aim of this work is to determine which value for deflection system entails a safe deceleration for the human body. This value is compared with the requirements given by the current version of EN 13374-2013. An additional series of experiments were done to determine the acceleration linked to minimum deflection required by code (200 mm) during the retention process. According to the obtained results, a modification of this value is recommended. Additionally, a simple design formula for this falling protection system is proposed as a quick tool for the initial steps of design.

Protection of New York's water supply from pollution during construction work,

"Reprinted from Journal of the New England Water Works Association, vol. XXV, no. 3."

Radford's cyclopedia of cement construction; a general reference work on up-to-date practice in the manufacture and testing of cements; the selection of concreting materials, tools, and machinery; the proportioning, mixing, and depositing of concrete, and its application to all types and reinforced; together with analysis of the principles of constructive design, cost estimating, and the allied branches of stone and brick masonry and steel construction; based on the practical experience of a large staff of experts in actual construction work ...

"Prepared under the supervision of William A. Radford, editor-in-chief ... Alfred Sidney Johnson ... editor in charge."

Research-to-Practice (R2P) Tools for Improving Safety in Nighttime Highway Construction Work Zones

The safety of workers in nighttime roadway work zones has become a major concern for state transportation agencies due to the increase in the number of work zone fatalities. During the last decade, several studies have focused on the improvement of safety in nighttime roadway work zones; but the element that is still missing is a set of tools for translating the research results into practice. This paper discusses: 1) the importance of translating the research results related to the safety of workers and safety planning of nighttime work zones into practice, and 2) examples of tools that can be used for translating the results of such studies into practice. A tool that can propose safety recommendations in nighttime work zones and a web-based safety training tool for workers are presented in this paper. The tools were created as a component of a five-year research study on the assessment of the safety of nighttime roadway construction. The objectives of both tools are explained as well as their functionalities (i.e., what the tools can do for the users); their components (e.g., knowledge base, database, and interfaces); and their structures (i.e., how the components of the tools are organized to meet the objectives). Evaluations by the proposed users of each tool are also presented.

An investigation into the barriers to the implementation of automation and robotics technologies in the construction industry

The rising problems associated with construction such as decreasing quality and productivity, labour shortages, occupational safety, and inferior working conditions have opened the possibility of more revolutionary solutions within the industry. One prospective option is in the implementation of innovative technologies such as automation and robotics, which has the potential to improve the industry in terms of productivity, safety and quality. The construction work site could, theoretically, be contained in a safer environment, with more efficient execution of the work, greater consistency of the outcome and higher level of control over the production process. By identifying the barriers to construction automation and robotics implementation in construction, and investigating ways in which to overcome them, contributions could be made in terms of better understanding and facilitating, where relevant, greater use of these technologies in the construction industry so as to promote its efficiency. This research aims to ascertain and explain the barriers to construction automation and robotics implementation by exploring and establishing the relationship between characteristics of the construction industry and attributes of existing construction automation and robotics technologies to level of usage and implementation in three selected countries; Japan, Australia and Malaysia. These three countries were chosen as their construction industry characteristics provide contrast in terms of culture, gross domestic product, technology application, organisational structure and labour policies. This research uses a mixed method approach of gathering data, both quantitative and qualitative, by employing a questionnaire survey and an interview schedule; using a wide range of sample from management through to on-site users, working in a range of small (less than AUD0.2million) to large companies (more than AUD500million), and involved in a broad range of business types and construction sectors. Detailed quantitative (statistical) and qualitative (content) data analysis is performed to provide a set of descriptions, relationships, and differences. The statistical tests selected for use include cross-tabulations, bivariate and multivariate analysis for investigating possible relationships between variables; and Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney U test of independent samples for hypothesis testing and inferring the research sample to the construction industry population. Findings and conclusions arising from the research work which include the ranking schemes produced for four key areas of, the construction attributes on level of usage; barrier variables; differing levels of usage between countries; and future trends, have established a number of potential areas that could impact the level of implementation both globally and for individual countries.