MacArulla, M; Forcada, N; Casals, M; Gangolells, M; Fuertes, A and Roca, X (2013) Standardizing housing defects: Classification, validation, and benefits. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 139(8), pp. 968-976. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Defects produce economic and temporal deviations in construction projects. Although learning from past experiences can help reduce defects and their consequences, usually data is not easily available or is poorly structured and difficult to analyze. Several structured classification systems for defects exist, but regionally specific construction activities make the data unviable for research use. This paper presents the development and the validation of a defects' classification system for the Spanish housing sector. From the analysis of the existing defect classification systems, a first draft was developed to be discussed and improved in a series of workshops done by a panel of experts. Afterward, the final classification was validated by experts' interviews. The experts evaluated the epistemological adequacy and reusability of the proposed classification system. The results demonstrate the suitability of the classification system. In addition, the validation revealed that the classification can be implemented in tracking systems, and it can be used to analyze defects in the Spanish housing sector. Finally, the classification was used in a case study to analyze the real use, and it demonstrated the potential uses of the classification.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | defects; defects' mitigation; housing; Spain |
| Index terms: | suitability, housing, construction project, mitigation, validation, interview, construction activity, Spain, deviation, case study, workshop |
| Subjects: | construction operations, financial and cost management, construction type, data collection methods, design criteria, Geography, production management, financial risk, professional development |
| Topics: | Construction Technology, Cost Management, Information Management, Project Management, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Site Management, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
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