Assessment of the significance of identified attributes affecting the rebar-fixing productivity using multiple regression

Arora, J; Kar, S and Jha, K N (2023) Assessment of the significance of identified attributes affecting the rebar-fixing productivity using multiple regression. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 149(6): 04023039, ISSN 0733-9364

Abstract

Reinforced concrete structures are an inherent part of the construction sector. Every in situ reinforced concrete structure cardinally involves rebar-fixing works, which entails activities like transporting, marking, laying, and tying the rebar for the components under construction. Rebar-fixing absorbs a significant number of man-hours during the operation. Therefore, productivity of rebar fixers is a critical concern in construction. Several attributes influence rebar-fixing productivity. Former studies have investigated the impact of the attributes separately and predominantly using qualitative data. A few studies have assessed rebar productivity quantitatively but ignored the effects of some crucial parameters, such as congestion, crew composition, and construction delays. Moreover, studies are limited to account for all time proportions like productive, semiproductive, and nonproductive while assessing rebar productivity. Therefore, this study addresses the aforementioned research gaps by assessing the impact of diverse attributes using direct measures of rebar-fixing productivity and its attributes. Initially, hypotheses were developed to determine the influence of eight attributes identified in this study on rebar-fixing productivity. Next, the data were recorded from one large construction project in Gujarat, India. The work sampling approach was adopted for the productivity assessment of rebar fixers at the project site to evaluate each time proportion. Furthermore, the stepwise regression analysis was performed on the data set to examine the hypotheses. Results indicate that attributes such as quantity of reinforcement, characteristic rebar diameter, and congestion have a significant positive impact on rebar-fixing productivity, whereas work duration has a significant negative impact on it. The outcomes of this research can aid the site management, structural engineers, and construction planners in decision-making to enhance the productivity of rebar fixers, thereby adhering to the budget and schedule constraints of the project.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: construction; rebar-fixing productivity; stepwise regression; work sampling
Index terms: construction planner, rebar, decision-making, large construction project, multiple-regression, in-situ, reinforcement, structural engineer, duration, construction sector, construction delay, regression analysis, reinforced concrete, productivity, India, site management, sampling
Subjects: practitioner, construction operations, organizational theory, industry analysis, building construction, management, project controls, data collection methods, decision analysis, building materials, profession, statistical analysis, Geography
Topics: Engineering Principles, Business Strategy, Time Control, Risk Management, Site Management, Construction Materials, Project Management, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Geographical Context
Descriptive scope: 5 PCTEA

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