Al-Mutairi, Y (2015) Development of implementation strategies for offsite construction techniques in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. PhD thesis, University of Salford, UK.
Abstract
Offsite construction is considered a new method of building in Saudi Arabia in comparison to other developed countries. The aim of this research is to examine the main factors affecting offsite construction in Saudi Arabia in order to propose a feasible strategy for its wider implementation. The broad range of factors affecting the impact of its application, the reasons for its use, and the challenges it faces were extracted from the existing literature. As a result, each reflects a factor affecting offsite construction. To achieve the research aim, the researcher adopted a mixed method approach, combining Semi-Structured interviews and Questionnaires. The interviews were administered amongst 6 expert participants in the construction industry in Saudi Arabia, while 136 participants from this industry filled in the questionnaire. All of the data were gathered and analysed based on scientific methods of analysis. The interviews revealed many factors that affect the implementation of offsite construction in Saudi Arabia and highlighted that there are four main offsite construction techniques (Offsite preassembly, Hybrid system, Panelised system and Modular building); this was also confirmed by the questionnaire. The questionnaire revealed that an increase in labour productivity and product quality as well as an overall reduction in project schedule are the main attributes of offsite construction. However, there are many challenges facing offsite construction in Saudi Arabia, including inflexibility in making on-site changes, limited design options, associated costs and risks, low awareness and resistance to OCT. An ISM validation confirmed similar outcomes. All of these factors are discussed in relation to the literature review in the discussion chapter, based on which the researcher developed an OCT implementation strategy which he tested using the ISM methodology. In its investigation of the viability of offsite construction in Saudi Arabia, this study extends its scope beyond standard considerations of time and cost in construction, to examine these and other factors in the context-bound circumstances in which they are applied. This approach sets the background for a detailed examination of offsite fabrication in Saudi Arabia. This study considers the individual factors of cost, quality, environmental impact, negative perceptions, etc., and some of the implementation-related drivers and barriers. It also includes an examination of the social and cultural factors which could hasten the successful implementation of OCT, such as Saudi society’s capacity to collaborate by adopting an open-minded, questioning approach to sharing information and to innovate by anticipating and responding to change.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | environmental impact; fabrication; interview; labour productivity; offsite; productivity; Saudi Arabia |
| Index terms: | product quality, productivity, Saudi Arabia, mixed method, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, modular building, option, fabrication, construction industry, implementation, labour productivity, investigation, hybrid system, face, literature review, strategy, society, interview, developed country, questionnaire, validation, environmental impact, methodology |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, data analysis and analytics, management, professional development, decision analysis, industry analysis, systems and processes, environmental impact, psychology, contractual arrangements, manufacturing engineering, research methods, Geography, development economics, building construction, communities and social development, quality assurance |
| Topics: | Site Management, Organizational Design, International Construction, Stakeholder Management, Construction Technology, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Information Management, Quality Management, Risk Management, Procurement, Sustainability, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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