Research

18 pages, 2554 KiB

Open AccessArticle

COVID-19 and Construction: Impact Analysis on Construction Performance during Two Infection Waves in Victoria, Australia

by James Bell, Henry Chan, Michael Chan and Sungkon Moon

Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2580; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14052580 - 23 Feb 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5438

Abstract

This research outlines the fluctuation in confirmed active cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as related to the changes in the Victoria state government’s rules and restrictions. Further, this study examines the impact of government restrictions on the performance of construction in Victoria, [...] Read more.

This research outlines the fluctuation in confirmed active cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as related to the changes in the Victoria state government’s rules and restrictions. Further, this study examines the impact of government restrictions on the performance of construction in Victoria, Australia. The data analyses in this paper identify the specific effects on industrial production, during the different lockdown stages, in three local construction companies. Companies were selected from different points along the supply chain. Company A is a supplier involved in the manufacturing of structural steel. Company B conducts logistics and procurement. Company C is a construction engineering business specializing in foundations. After reviewing relevant case studies and theories, data analyses were developed in collaboration with these companies. The results revealed that the impact of restrictions on the workers on individual construction projects was not significant. Stage 4 restrictions (Victoria’s highest lockdown level) significantly impacted overall income by limiting construction to only servicing essential infrastructure or essential businesses. The novel contribution of this study is the data analysis outcome for Victoria, where a high level of restrictions were experienced, such as curfew and enforced isolation at home, relative to other countries. In 2021 and 2022 (omicron variant dominated), Victoria was again at the brink of an infection wave, which showed a similar pattern to July 2020, and endured the world’s longest COVID-19 lockdown. The research findings contribute to the body of knowledge by providing empirical data analysis of each company, representing the economic impact of ordinary small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in construction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Industry 4.0 in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering)

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18 pages, 951 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing Cost and Schedule Growths of Road Construction Projects, Considering Project Characteristics

by Kang-Wook Lee and Kyong-Hoon Kim

Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13694; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132413694 - 11 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3458

Abstract

The development of road infrastructure is closely related to national competitiveness and presents significant socioeconomic impacts. However, road construction involves a large budget and is vulnerable to political, economic, social, and project-specific risks, which often result in cost overruns and schedule delays. Assessing [...] Read more.

The development of road infrastructure is closely related to national competitiveness and presents significant socioeconomic impacts. However, road construction involves a large budget and is vulnerable to political, economic, social, and project-specific risks, which often result in cost overruns and schedule delays. Assessing the gap between the final performance and the planned performance, and providing feedback to similar projects in the future is essential for successful project planning and management. The aim of this study is to empirically analyze the cost and schedule growth of road construction projects, considering project characteristics. Using the national-level project performance data, the primary goal is to answer, “Do project characteristics influence the road project performance? If so, how different is the performance because of the project characteristics?” To this end, this study analyzes the cost and schedule growth of 423 road construction projects, considering five project characteristics: facility type, construction type, bid type, contract type, and project size. Non-parametric tests (the Mann–Whitney U test and the Kruskal–Wallis test) are used to analyze the differences between sample groups. The results demonstrate (1) better management of the performance of the highway when compared to the national and provincial roads; (2) higher schedule growth of the expansion and renovation than that of the new construction; (3) lower cost growth of the design-build method (turnkey and alternative) than the design-bid-build methods (qualification examination and lowest price); and (4) relatively larger cost and schedule growth for projects over $50 million than those of smaller projects. These results present empirical references from the Korean construction industry that can help construction-related entities (clients, design consultants, and contractors) to estimate and manage the cost and schedule buffers of future projects by considering different project characteristics. Discussions and suggestions connected with the findings are also provided. Future research will continue to shed light on the critical factors affecting the cost and schedule growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Industry 4.0 in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering)

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22 pages, 7572 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study of the Fatigue Performance of the Bonding Surfaces and Load-Bearing Capacity of a Large-Scale Severely Damaged Hollow Slab Strengthened by CFRP

by Hao Hu, Chuan-Zhi Dong, Jiji Wang and Jiaqi Chen

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 12179; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132112179 - 04 Nov 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1546

Abstract

In recent years, carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) has been widely used in bridge repair, retrofitting, rehabilitation and strengthening to improve the bearing capacity. Although many studies have been conducted to explore the strengthening efficiencies of CFRP, the test specimens were small and [...] Read more.

In recent years, carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) has been widely used in bridge repair, retrofitting, rehabilitation and strengthening to improve the bearing capacity. Although many studies have been conducted to explore the strengthening efficiencies of CFRP, the test specimens were small and the results were difficult to apply to full-scale bridges. Investigations into the strengthening effects of CFRP on real life structures rely on field load tests (without damaging the structures), making it difficult to understand actual improvements in load carrying capacity and strengthening effect. Moreover, there have been few experimental studies on the fatigue performances of CFRP-strengthened structures, especially on the large-scale structures with real wheel moving loads. In this study, the feasibility and efficiency of CFRP strengthening and repair was investigated on a large-scale, prestressed concrete hollow slab decommissioned from a real-life concrete bridge. The hollow slab was first put through a destructive test to test the ultimate load-bearing capacity. Then, CFRP strips were installed on the surface of the severely damaged slab to repair and strengthen it. Fatigue load test—including the moving load test and single point sinusoidal load—and load-bearing capacity tests were conducted on the CFRP-strengthened hollow slab after the destructive test to evaluate the strengthening performance. This study could help us to understand the actual load-bearing capacities of severe damaged concrete structures strengthened by CFRP, reduce waste, save resources and improve the utilization of our infrastructures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Industry 4.0 in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering)

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16 pages, 452 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Artificial Intelligence in the Industry 4.0, and Its Impact on Poverty, Innovation, Infrastructure Development, and the Sustainable Development Goals: Lessons from Emerging Economies?

by David Mhlanga

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 5788; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13115788 - 21 May 2021

Cited by 100 | Viewed by 19460

Abstract

Artificial intelligence in the fourth industrial revolution is beginning to live up to its promises of delivering real value necessitated by the availability of relevant data, computational ability, and algorithms. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the influence of artificial intelligence on the [...] Read more.

Artificial intelligence in the fourth industrial revolution is beginning to live up to its promises of delivering real value necessitated by the availability of relevant data, computational ability, and algorithms. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the influence of artificial intelligence on the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals with a direct focus on poverty reduction, goal one, industry, innovation, and infrastructure development goal 9, in emerging economies. Using content analysis, the result pointed to the fact that artificial intelligence has a strong influence on the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals particularly on poverty reduction, improvement of the certainty and reliability of infrastructure like transport making economic growth and development possible in emerging economies. The results revealed that Artificial intelligence is making poverty reduction possible through improving the collection of poverty-related data through poverty maps, revolutionizing agriculture education and the finance sector through financial inclusion. The study also discovered that AI is also assisting a lot in education, and the financial sector allowing the previously excluded individuals to be able to participate in the mainstream economy. Therefore, it is important that governments in emerging economies need to invest more in the use of AI and increase the research related to it so that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to innovation, infrastructure development, poverty reduction are attained. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Industry 4.0 in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering)

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13 pages, 4410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantitative Analysis of Waiting Length and Waiting Time for Frame Construction Work Activities Using a Queue Model; Focusing on Korean Apartment Construction

by Jin-Won Kim, Namhyuk Ham and Jae-Jun Kim

Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 3778; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13073778 - 29 Mar 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2068

Abstract

The frame construction of an apartment complex that consists of multiple buildings encounters various uncertainties, owing to the complex relationships between units of work. Currently, the period of such a construction is calculated based on the number of floors of the highest building [...] Read more.

The frame construction of an apartment complex that consists of multiple buildings encounters various uncertainties, owing to the complex relationships between units of work. Currently, the period of such a construction is calculated based on the number of floors of the highest building in the complex. This study quantitatively analyzes an apartment frame construction period using a queue model and evaluates the validity of the estimated period. In this regard, a methodology is proposed for analyzing the construction period by applying the concept of a customer and a server. A case study on the duration of an apartment frame construction period is conducted with the Korea Land and Housing Corporation, which has supplied the largest number of apartments in South Korea. It was found that the stable state of a queue system was observed when the rate of server utilization was applied to the basement and above-ground floors. However, a stable state was not reached on the ground floor. This study includes non-working days in its calculation and quantitatively analyzes uncertainty factors during construction. Therefore, the findings can be practically utilized to quantitatively plan the durations of work units in an apartment frame construction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Industry 4.0 in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering)

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15 pages, 5682 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Total Repair Cost Simulation Considering Multiple Probabilistic Measures and Service Life

by Yong-Sik Yoon, Yong-Han Ahn, Xiao-Yong Wang and Seung-Jun Kwon

Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2350; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13042350 - 22 Feb 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1727

Abstract

In this study, the total maintenance cost for public houses in South Korea was analyzed, and the effect of each repair process on the total maintenance cost was evaluated with probabilistic and deterministic methods. In the probabilistic method, quality of repair materials and [...] Read more.

In this study, the total maintenance cost for public houses in South Korea was analyzed, and the effect of each repair process on the total maintenance cost was evaluated with probabilistic and deterministic methods. In the probabilistic method, quality of repair materials and construction skills were considered in the variability of extended service life through repair, while the deterministic method considered it by simple summation of repair step. The repair cost was analyzed considering the coefficient of variation (COV) of extended service life, so the reasonable total maintenance cost was able to be evaluated. Since the results through the probabilistic method provided a continuous cost line, a reasonable repair strategy was carried out by simply changing the intended service life of the structure. The repair cost was additionally analyzed with constant COV (0.15) of each repair process for considering various situations. The analysis results with a COV of 0.15 exhibited a slightly higher maintenance cost than those with current COV. The total maintenance costs can be adjusted if the initial repair timing is extended to the largest possible extent for the highest-repair-cost process since the total repair cost is dominated by the process with the highest repair cost. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Industry 4.0 in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering)

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14 pages, 3348 KiB

Open AccessArticle

MultiDefectNet: Multi-Class Defect Detection of Building Façade Based on Deep Convolutional Neural Network

by Kisu Lee, Goopyo Hong, Lee Sael, Sanghyo Lee and Ha Young Kim

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9785; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12229785 - 23 Nov 2020

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4307

Abstract

Defects in residential building façades affect the structural integrity of buildings and degrade external appearances. Defects in a building façade are typically managed using manpower during maintenance. This approach is time-consuming, yields subjective results, and can lead to accidents or casualties. To address [...] Read more.

Defects in residential building façades affect the structural integrity of buildings and degrade external appearances. Defects in a building façade are typically managed using manpower during maintenance. This approach is time-consuming, yields subjective results, and can lead to accidents or casualties. To address this, we propose a building façade monitoring system that utilizes an object detection method based on deep learning to efficiently manage defects by minimizing the involvement of manpower. The dataset used for training a deep-learning-based network contains actual residential building façade images. Various building designs in these raw images make it difficult to detect defects because of their various types and complex backgrounds. We employed the faster regions with convolutional neural network (Faster R-CNN) structure for more accurate defect detection in such environments, achieving an average precision (intersection over union (IoU) = 0.5) of 62.7% for all types of trained defects. As it is difficult to detect defects in a training environment, it is necessary to improve the performance of the network. However, the object detection network employed in this study yields an excellent performance in complex real-world images, indicating the possibility of developing a system that would detect defects in more types of building façades. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Industry 4.0 in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering)

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18 pages, 3032 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Major Environmental Impact Categories of Road Construction Materials

by Won-Jun Park, Rakhyun Kim, Seungjun Roh and Hoki Ban

Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 6951; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12176951 - 02 Sep 2020

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4743

Abstract

To address the environmental problems associated with construction materials, the construction industry has made considerable efforts to reduce carbon emissions. However, construction materials cause several other environmental problems in addition to carbon emissions and thus, a comprehensive analysis of environmental impact categories is [...] Read more.

To address the environmental problems associated with construction materials, the construction industry has made considerable efforts to reduce carbon emissions. However, construction materials cause several other environmental problems in addition to carbon emissions and thus, a comprehensive analysis of environmental impact categories is required. This study aims to determine the major environmental impact categories for each construction material in production stage using the life cycle assessment (LCA) technique on road projects. Through the review of life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methodologies, the abiotic depletion potential (ADP), ozone depletion potential, photochemical oxidant creation potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, eco-toxicity potential, human toxicity potential, as well as the global warming potential (GWP) were defined as impact categories. To define the impact categories for road construction materials, major environmental pollutants were analyzed for a number of road projects, and impact categories for 13 major construction materials were selected as mandatory impact categories. These materials contributed more than 80% to the impact categories from an LCA perspective. The impact categories to which each material contributed more than 99% were proposed as specialization impact categories to provide basic data for use in the LCIA of future road projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Industry 4.0 in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering)

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