Transforming Construction Through Technology

INTRODUCTION

According to Egbu and Sidawi (2012), the construction industry has been facing a shift in paradigm to increase efficiency, productivity and infrastructure value to enhance quality and sustainability of buildings. Further, much emphasis is directed towards reduction of lead times, lifecycle costs and improvement of communication between stakeholders (Dang & Tarar, 2012). Technology has been identified as the new frontrunner in the improvement of quality and safety in modern buildings. According to Bayliss and Beck (2013), the construction industry is among the most important in the UK and technology is driving high-level skills requisite in the sector. For example, offsite construction is evolving and largely driven by technology. The industry is embracing technology by embracing alternative products other than the conventional building materials. Ekstrand and Tarandi (2012) note that construction planning plays an important role but drafting a suitable building plan is among the most challenging tasks for project management teams. While a wide range of planning methodologies have been designed and documented, there is still a huge disparity between plans and execution (Hansen, et al., 2015). Therefore, there is need to incorporate more construction technologies to minimise instances of scope creep, delays and cost overruns. Construction technologies such as Business Information Modelling (BIM) have transformed the building process by supporting virtual designs and analysis of models (Construction Skills Queensland, 2014). BIM software is used by construction and project management professionals to design, plan, construct, operate and maintain a variety of physical infrastructures ranging from electricity, gas, wastewater, water, communication utilities and apartments among a host of others (Johnson, 2014). Such technologies assist in the attainment of better cost estimates drawn from actual essentials of buildings and facilitate better planning, designing and construction processes (MacLeamy, 2012). This review provides an understanding of how technology affects the design and production phases of construction processes.

Task 1: The impact of modern technology that is readily available to the designers, planners and builders and the use of BIM (Building Information Modelling) Technology in the construction industry

There is a broad range of construction technologies that are readily available to construction professionals such as designers, planners and builders and the impact of the application of such techniques is significant. The effects of specific modern technologies are discussed below: Dang and Tarar (2012) observe that in the civil construction sector, technological advancement including global positioning system (GPS), updated Trenchless Technology and Ground Penetrating Radar Systems (GPR) have become the core technologies for planners and designers. As such, GPS technology is used in construction surveying in activities such as measurement of grading, site exploration and mapping. Beforehand, mechanical and electro-optical devices were used, and manual calculations introduced errors (Dang & Tarar, 2012). Additionally, tracking elevation using conventional methods was challenging in instances of undulating topography. With GPS, planners and designers collect accurate measurements in 3-dimensions (3D) with the aid of satellites (Egbu & Sidawi, 2012). GPS has had a positive impact in that it has shortened the amount of time needed to perform construction surveys from a few days to a few hours. Additionally, the technology has been instrumental in the eradication of errors in tracking elevation and has simplified the task to a large extent. Similarly, GPR technology has facilitated identification of best sites for establishment of construction projects. GPR is a geophysical technique that uses radar pulses to provide imagery of the subsurface (Johnson, 2014). As such, before laying the foundation, planners and designers can detect voids, cracks and subsurface objects, or in general, the outlook of the subsurface and make proper decisions using the information obtained. The technology uses similar principles as seismology in imaging the subsurface except that GPR techniques implement electromagnetic energy while acoustic energy is implemented in seismology (Thomas, et al., 2001). GPR technology has had a positive impact, in that planners and designers can establish the structure of the subsurface and decide on the most appropriate foundation. This reduces maintenance and lifecycle costs associated with weak foundations. Likewise, trenchless technology has had a significant positive impact particularly in urban and built environments (Bayliss & Beck, 2013). Forms of trenchless technology include tunnel boring, micro-tunnelling, directional drilling and pipe ramming. Builders have used the technology for subsurface construction and thereby ensuring minimal or no disruption to surface activities (MacEachrane, 2006). Therefore, underground infrastructure can be installed and repaired without bringing other activities to a standstill.

Prefabricated materials are built offsite and assembled into buildings onsite. Prefab technology is also known as modular construction or volumetric construction and has been instrumental in sustaining workplace health and safety due to reduced time onsite and thereby less exposure to harm (Hansen, et al., 2015). Prefab technology is critical given that the construction industry is among the most hostile and dangerous sectors for employees. Builders use prefabricated products and fit them into foundations, and in so doing, they eliminate loads of work that would present harm (Fischer & Kunz, 2004). The advent of 3D printing has been hailed for its potential contribution in construction. It has already been implemented in pilot projects in China, and the results indicate that it can transform modern designs (Egbu & Sidawi, 2012). Designers and planners used the technology to print their designs and identify possible flaws which was much simpler with printed designs. Bayliss and Beck (2013) define Building Information Modelling (BIM) as an IT package that facilitates management of, and collaboration within the construction process. Egbu and Sidawi (2012) define BIM as a process that entails generation and administration of digital representations of functional and physical characteristics of a given place. HM Government Construction report of 2013 defines BIM as collaborative ways of working, supported by digital technologies that unlock more effective and efficient approaches to designing, establishment and maintenance of assets. From the above definitions, it is evident that BIM enables efficient coordination of programming, specification and building. In fact, the UK government made incorporation of BIM mandatory in government projects since 2016. BIM is used throughout project lifecycles and provides full details regarding management of building information models, construction management, facility operation and land administration (see Appendix A). BIM is used a specific technology in the construction industry and is used in various phases in the construction process. First, in the management of building information models, BIM is employed to ensure proper management of information processes during the concept-to-occupation timespan (Construction Skills Queensland, 2014). Second, in construction management, BIM reduces uncertainty by envisaging actual construction virtually before actual construction. It assists in working out problems, simulation and analysis (Pellerin, et al., 2013). Most BIM systems enable conflict detection which prevents errors. Through its envisaging ability, BIM identifies wrong intersections in parts of buildings. In facility operation, BIM is critical in bridging information loss which is inherent when projects are handled by multiple stakeholders (MacEachrane, 2006). As such, facility operators can reference to the model when there are issues. For example, in the case of electrical faults, facility managers can refer to BIM to identify flaws instead of exploring whole buildings.

D2: Take responsibility for managing and organising activities

As mentioned earlier, HM government requires contractors working on government projects to use BIM. Some of the legal issues surrounding BMI are: Dealing with BIM in contracts. It is unclear since current codes of practice in the industry do not mention it. Therefore, there are no standards. Management of BMI and liability. There are no guidelines regarding appointment and requirements for BIM coordinators. Lastly, regarding intellectual property rights and data management, it is important to note that BIM consists of contribution from multiple stakeholders. The UK law recognises IP rights for all contributors, and it is not clear how such rights will be upheld once contracts are completed (John & Ganah, 2015). BIM will impact tendering and procurement in that the focus will be on four key stages which are, identification and prioritisation of clients’ key uses of BIM, Definition and development of the processes that support each BMI use, defining information exchange processes required for each process and implementation of BIM systems and methods. The stages are important in ensuring BMI does not fail to deliver due to a variety of reasons. Case studies for the failure of BMI include inconsistent modelling practice and lack of inputs from end users.

Task 2: The effect of technology on the various phases of construction projects

Technology has played a critical role in various phases of construction as discussed below. First, in the concept stage, planning and architectural programming are performed using computer aided design (CAD) software. Such software eliminates human errors before they are propagated into other stages, and they finally emerge during construction. The use of CAD has had a positive impact, in that planners and designers can eliminate errors, optimise designs and reduce the time required (Popov, et al., 2008). In the contract and bidding stage, technology plays in role in awarding of contracts. Conventionally, contracts were awarded to lowest bidders but the current emphasis on quality and sustainability has rendered the practice inadmissible. By employing software, contract working plans, designs and drawings can be analysed for appearance, equipment, layout and amenities (Hansen, et al., 2015). Modern software can perform comparison of price and quality of designs to provide an estimate of price per unit which aids in decision making. During the construction phase, technology is widely applied. For example, concrete builders use laser guided screeds regularly to obtain levelness and flatness of walls and floors in buildings. The effect of the increased accuracy optimum and equal distribution of force and pressure which prevents cracks and enhances building stability. A variety of novel technologies are assisting in improving health and safety of builders in a site. The effect is that builders are equipped with advanced versions of traditional health and safety gear. Other applications of technology in construction include use of drones, use of construction management software and mobile apps.

M2: Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques

CAD was first used in industries to design products such as locomotives. It has been employed in the construction industry to create graphical representations of buildings. CAD has had major effects in the industry. Numerous researchers, (Egbu & Sidawi, 2012; Bayliss & Beck, 2013; Pellerin, et al., 2013; Popov, et al., 2008) point out to the importance of CAD for structural engineers where steel frames are made much lighter since every force can be analysed. Therefore, less steel is used leading to savings. The built-in clash detection checks identify and report errors and designers are usually aware of the outcomes once construction begins. This has major advantageous effects in that errors, which are very costly, are minimised and project delays and cost overruns are avoided.

References

Bayliss, M. & Beck, H., 2013. Technology and skills in the construction industry. London: Pye Tait Consulting.

Egbu, C. & Sidawi, C., 2012. Building information modelling (BIM) implementation and remote construction projects: Issues, challenges and critiques. Journal of Information Technology in Construction, Volume 17, pp. 75-92.

Hansen, K., Ladre, O., Knotten, V. & Svalestuen, F., 2015. Design management in the building process - A review of current literature. Procedia Economics and Finance, Volume 21, p. 120 – 127.

John, A. & Ganah, A., 2015. Integrating uilding information modeling and health and safety for onsite construction. Safety and Health at Work, Volume 6, pp. 39-45.

Pellerin, R., Perrier, N., Guillot, X. & Leger, P., 2013. Project management software utilization and project performance. Procedia Technology, Volume 9, pp. 857-866.

Popov, V., Juocevicius, V., Migilinskas, D. & Mikalauskas, S., 2008. Application of building information modelling and construction process simulation ensuring virtual project development concept in 5D environment. Vilnius, Institute of Internet and Intelligent Technologies, pp. 616-625.

Thomas, R., Macken, L. & Lee, S., 2001. Impacts of design/information technology on building and industrial projects. New York: National Institute of Standards and Technology.