Construction, production and sustainability
Exploring the applicability of configuration information in construction projects
The architecture, engineering and construction industry focus on the project rather than on the product management. However, the development of digital and automated techniques requires more product based processes. Configuration information is an essential part of product management to ensure high performance. This study aims to explore if systematic configuration information, used in product development, can be applied in construction projects. An international guideline and an extensive literature study identified five key areas of configuration information applicable to construction projects. This knowledge was synthesised into a conceptual model for managing configuration information. A survey investigated the application of configuration information in construction projects. In comparison with the model, the results from the literature review and the survey show that configuration information was insufficient and not managed systematically. However, the findings also indicate that systematic configuration information can be used to improve control over the product and solve several problems encountered by construction projects. This study fills a knowledge gap regarding the management of configuration information in the context of construction projects. The ongoing development of new technologies in the architecture, engineering and construction industry will make the subject of configuration information increasingly important.
Contact: Pia Schönbeck, Malin Löfsjögård , Anders Ansell (profile pages)
Framework for change control in healthcare construction projects compared to current practice
Traditionally, the evaluation of changes in construction projects focuses on implications for cost and time. Analysis of impact on the configuration and subsequent end-user functionality is less analysed. Healthcare constructions have complex configurations and the functionality is imperative for patient care. There are problems with the deliveries in healthcare construction projects not fulfilling end-user functionality. Control of configuration changes reduces the risk for deviations from intended functionality. This study establishes the information required to obtain control and the availability in healthcare construction projects. A framework based on a literature review describes the information that is required to control configuration changes. In a case study of thirteen healthcare reconstruction projects, the available information about changes was compared with the framework. Management of changes was deficient in all the cases. In the investigated project logs, the implications of the configuration changes were significantly underestimated. Object models data provided detailed information about the impact of changes on the configuration, but this possibility was not used. There was no available information about requests to change the configuration, consequence analyses or implementation decisions. This study fills a research gap by adding the configuration perspective to change management in construction projects.
Contact: Pia Schönbeck , Malin Löfsjögård , Anders Ansell (profile pages)
Making concrete pavements competitive by using the standardized framework for comparisons of infrastructure projects in terms of cost-efficiency and climate impact
Despite the new Swedish client requirement to reduce the climate impact from the construction of roads, there has been relatively little research so far on how the optimization measures regarding the environmental impact of road pavements can be integrated in the traditional design. An increase in axle weights, changes of the traditional ways of travel, e.g. the use of automated and guided vehicles, and stricter customer requirements on reducing the climate impact require new approaches to steer the road and pavement industry towards more climate neutral solutions. The latest standards for sustainability assessment of engineering works is analysed. This is an attempt to adjust these standards for assessing various road design options in a comparable and fair way, also when various materials are included.
Contact: Larissa Strömberg , Johan Silfwerbrand , Anders Ansell (profile pages)