Shakantu, M W (2004) An investigation into building material and waste logistics: The case of Cape Town. PhD thesis, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.
Abstract
The aim of this thesis was to establish a base level of understanding of building material and construction and demolition (C&D) waste logistics. The methodology used included an extensive literature review and a field study conducted on seven sites in Cape Town, whose main tasks were to establish the dynamics of construction logistics and deliver a set of criteria for the assessment of vehicle utilisation efficiency and to establish a benchmark for future policy. The field study used principles of naturalistic enquiry and purposive sampling. The critical finding from the literature review was that by adopting supply chain management (SCM), construction could reduce waste at all stages of the construction process. Analysis of the findings lead to the conclusions that vehicle utilisation is sub-optimal; there is spare capacity in both material delivery and waste removal; material delivery and waste removal are not integrated; reverse logistics could be developed to integrate material delivery and C&D waste removal. The implication of the conclusions is that by utilising the spare capacity of delivery vehicles, 26% of vehicle movements in Cape Town can be removed. The recommendations for industry include that, logistics and sustainability should be used as criteria for contractor selection and that contractors should rationalise their staff transport. The recommendations for academia include the need to conduct a city wide simulation of logistics to highlight potential for synchronisation; extensive statistical testing to establish generalisability of the results and development of a prototype multiple use construction vehicle. By developing a theoretical best practice for construction logistics using bespoke methodology, the research has contributed to the enhancement of the understanding of construction logistics as the industry moves into the 21st century.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | best practice; contractor selection; logistics; naturalistic enquiry; policy; simulation; supply chain management; sustainability |
| Index terms: | methodology, construction process, prototype, literature review, construction and demolition, movement, naturalistic enquiry, field study, testing, purposive sampling, reverse logistics, academia, building material, investigation, construction logistics, best practice, dynamics, efficiency, contractor selection |
| Subjects: | professional practice, waste management, health behaviours and lifestyles, building construction, tendering, supply chain operations, research methods, data analysis and analytics, modelling and simulation, building materials, construction logistics, data collection methods, business, systems engineering, educational institutions, methods and analysis, performance management |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Procurement, Sustainability, Quality Management, Supply Chain Management, Education, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Design Practice, 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