Shapira, A and Glascock, J D (1996) Culture of using mobile cranes for building construction. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 122(4), pp. 298-307. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
While tower cranes traditionally are identified with high-rise, congested urban building construction, and mobile cranes primarily are associated with heavy civil and infrastructure construction, there exists a vast population of building projects where both are feasible. The question, then, is: why are different crane types used under similar project conditions in different geographic areas (e.g., tower cranes in Europe, mobile cranes in the United States)? This paper examines the culture of using mobile cranes for building construction, as observed in the southwestern United States. Project-specific and environmental characteristics are identified, classified, and described, while comparatively relating to tower crane practice. The role of non-project-specific factors (such as planning culture, operating style, employment patterns, and market organization) is emphasized in shaping the mobile crane culture. A rather homogeneous population of projects with distinct features, such as short construction duration, spacious sites, and supportive terrain, creates the grounds for this culture's evolution. Understanding the relationships between and within project and environmental characteristics is vital for a construction market that is becoming global and for a fresh examination of traditional equipment selection practices.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | tower crane, infrastructure construction, building construction, population, construction market, equipment selection, evolution, Europe, United States, employment, becoming, duration |
| Subjects: | project controls, management, philosophical process, market analysis, maintenance engineering, civil engineering, procurement capability, Geography, physical geography and landforms, building construction, demography, environmental science |
| Topics: | Time Control, Engineering Principles, Business Strategy, Supply Chain Management, Human Resources, Research Practice, Construction Technology, Geographical Context, Sustainability, Urban Studies |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 PC |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here