Wambeke, B W (2011) Identifying, prioritizing, and reducing variation of construction related tasks. PhD thesis, North Carolina State University, USA.
Abstract
In this research, variation is defined as the time difference between what was planned and what occurred in terms of task starting times and duration. Variation in construction tasks is important as it can impact overall productivity performance. Construction projects consist of a large number of interdependent tasks. When the starting time or duration of one task varies, it can affect other downstream tasks and result in disruptions to the schedule and/or decreased productivity. The construction process is complicated and involves numerous people with different levels of responsibility, which can make identifying the root causes of the variation difficult. The primary goals for this research include identifying, prioritizing, and reducing variation of construction tasks. Identification involved determining the most prevalent root causes of variation. Factor analysis was utilized to illustrate how those individual causes were interrelated with one another. A risk assessment matrix, commonly used in military planning, was used to quantify the associated frequency and severity of the causes of variation and prioritize which causes posed the greatest threat to project performance. Social network analysis was conducted to identify the underlying network of trades, along with the key members of the network. The results of the variation and social network analyses were combined to develop a decision support system to target variation for elimination. The analytical hierarch process (AHP) was used to support decision making when multiple and conflicting criteria were involved. Lastly, the research examined the feasibility of reducing variation by using the Last Planner System ®. This research is important and valuable as it serves to address several gaps in the body of knowledge pertaining to variation associated with a construction project. Additionally, this research has a broader impact on the construction community. It provides a framework and repeatable associated analytical methods to identify, prioritize, and reduce variation on a construction project.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Liu, M and Hsiang, S M |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | decision support; duration; decision making; risk assessment; factor analysis; network analysis; productivity; project performance; social network analysis; construction project |
| Index terms: | network analysis, prioritizing, productivity, risk assessment, construction community, project performance, factor analysis, duration, decision support, social network analysis, variation, construction process, last planner system, decision-making, construction project, body of knowledge |
| Subjects: | decision analysis, project controls, statistical analysis, management, project management theory and practice, professional development, contractual condition, data analysis and analytics, building construction, research methods, financial risk, production management, knowledge management |
| Topics: | Project Management, Risk Management, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Information Management, Contract Administration, Time Control, Site Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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