Baniassadi, F; Alvanchi, A and Mostafavi, A (2018) A simulation-based framework for concurrent safety and productivity improvement in construction projects. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 25(11), pp. 1501-1515. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: Safety and productivity are key concerns in the construction projects. While safety looks to the construction workers need to work in a safe environment, productivity affects the project’s profitability and is of a paramount importance from the project owner’s view. The different perspective to the safety and productivity from these two major players in construction projects poses a potential for the conflict between the two. This problem can be fundamentally addressed by methods concurrently improving project safety and productivity. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach: To this aim, a discrete event simulation (DES) based framework applicable was proposed for complex and hazardous operations. The utility of the framework was tested using a case study of an eight-story residential building in the north-east part of Tehran, Iran. The excavation and stabilization operation was identified as the most hazardous and critical operation in this case. The framework could improve safety and productivity of this operation by 38 and 4 percent, respectively. Findings: This framework is a complement to the conventional construction project safety and productivity planning methods. Its main application is in complex and hazardous construction operations. Originality/value: For the first time, a comprehensive framework for concurrently improving safety and productivity of an entire project was proposed in this research. DES was used as the main modeling tool in the framework to provide an ex-ante evaluation foundation applicable to a wide range of construction projects.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction planning; construction safety; productivity; simulation |
| Index terms: | construction safety, methodology, construction project, excavation, modelling, stabilization, construction worker, construction planning, profitability, owner, productivity, construction operation, Tehran, residential building, discrete event simulation, planning method, case study |
| Subjects: | analytical methods, construction planning, economic analysis, construction operations, modelling and simulation, urban planning, practitioner, data collection methods, construction type, environmental health, sociology, production management, Geography, research methods, management |
| Topics: | Site Management, Engineering Principles, Geographical Context, Project Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Governance, Sustainability, Construction Technology, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management |
| 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