AbulHassan, H S (2001) A framework for applying concurrent engineering principles to the construction industry. PhD thesis, Pennsylvania State University, USA.
Abstract
The most crucial stages in the product life cycle are the product planning and design stages. It is here that decisions are made that have the greatest impact on the final product and its operating characteristics. The manufacturing industry has successfully applied downstream information to the planning and design stages of the product life cycle through a process called concurrent engineering. The benefits of concurrent engineering include reduced cost, increased speed, and improved quality. The objective of this research was to develop and test a framework for implementing concurrent engineering in construction. A case study research methodology was used to study the effect of concurrent engineering on construction projects. The principles of concurrent engineering were applied to a conceptual model of the building process to create a concurrent engineering model of the building process. A set of twenty-six rules that differentiate a concurrent engineering building project from a non-concurrent engineering project was derived from the revised functions of the conceptual model. A concurrent engineering index was also created to measure the level of concurrent engineering on a building project. Nineteen construction projects were studied to measure the effect of concurrent engineering on project performance. Evidence was found of a positive correlation between the concurrent engineering index and increased project delivery speed and improved project quality. While such a correlation was not found with the respect to project unit cost, it was apparent that unit cost remained constant with an increasing concurrent engineering index. Lastly, the more influential concurrent engineering rules were written in the form of a set of guidelines to be implemented in a construction company in order to achieve improved project unit cost, project delivery speed, and project quality.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Sanvido, V |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | building process; concurrent engineering; life cycle; manufacturing; project delivery; project performance; case study; construction project |
| Index terms: | life cycle, case study, construction industry, project delivery, concurrent engineering, project performance, research methodology, manufacturing industry, construction company, building process, unit cost, construction project, design stage, evidence, product life cycle |
| Subjects: | production management, project management theory and practice, engineering methods, industry analysis, building construction, value management, innovation studies, evaluation and assessment methods, data collection methods, organization, research design and methodology, professional practice, project delivery, financial and cost management |
| Topics: | Site Management, Design Practice, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Cost Management, Procurement, Engineering Principles, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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