Prasertrungruang, T and Hadikusumo, B H W (2008) System dynamics modelling of machine downtime for small to medium highway contractors. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 15(6), pp. 540-561. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose - Downtime resulting from equipment failure is a major problem consistently faced in highway construction. Since managing construction equipment is tightly connected to various activities and parties inside as well as outside of the firm, failure to account for this fact invariably causes downtime to be even more severe. Variation in equipment management practices is thus, indeed, a root cause of the dynamics of machine downtime. This study is intended to address key dynamic features of heavy equipment management practices and downtime in small to medium highway contracting firms and propose policies for equipment performance improvement. Design/methodology/approach - Face-to-face interviews with equipment managers from five different small to medium highway construction companies in Thailand were conducted. Data were analysed using a system dynamics (SD) simulation approach. Findings - To overcome downtime problems, contractors need to understand the dynamics of downtime as well as its influential factors, and thus manage their equipment as a dynamic process rather than one that is static. Based on the simulation, various policies are proposed to improve the performance of heavy equipment for small to medium highway contractors. Originality/value - The research is of value in facilitating better understanding on the dynamics of equipment management practices and downtime as well as their interdependency.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction industry; dynamics; main roads; production equipment; system analysis; Thailand |
| Index terms: | methodology, variation, influential factor, system dynamics, equipment management, face, manager, interview, construction industry, modelling, highway construction, performance improvement, dynamics, Thailand, construction equipment |
| Subjects: | analytical methods, psychology, operational management, computing systems, practitioner, data collection methods, risk assessment, systems engineering, industry analysis, construction equipment, Geography, contractual condition, research methods, civil engineering, performance measurement |
| Topics: | Geographical Context, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Roles and Professions, Risk Management, Plant and Equipment, Digital Applications, Quality Management, Organizational Design, Contract Administration |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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