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Theses and dissertations (Engineering and Built Environment)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/10

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Start date: 2023Subject: search.filters.subject.Construction industry

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    Integrated model for enhancing value management performance in the construction industry
    (2024-05) Olubukola, Iyiola Comfort; Mewomo, Modupe Cecilia
    The introduction and integration of Value Management (VM), originally stemming from the manufacturing sector, has been actively promoted within the construction industry to enhance project delivery performance and its economic impact. Regrettably, the application of VM in construction faces several formidable challenges. These challenges can be attributed to various factors, including the transplantation of a management concept from manufacturing without adequate consideration of the specific variables and conditions conducive to VM's effective application in the construction sector. This research diligently investigated and formulated the variables essential for achieving optimal VM performance, thereby ensuring the appropriate application of VM principles in the construction industry. The study employed a comprehensive research methodology, encompassing the sequential exploratory mixed-method research involving both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative aspect involved a Delphi study supported by relevant literature, engaging fourteen experts in a three-stage process. The insights obtained through the Delphi process aided in identifying the key dimensions (both primary and secondary) that contribute to the effectiveness of VM in the Nigerian construction industry. The findings derived from the Delphi study and the review of existing literature culminated in the development of a five-component model for enhancing VM performance in the Nigerian construction sector. These components comprise integration, collaboration, standardization, utilization of digital technologies, and the fostering of a conducive corporate culture. Subsequently, a quantitative survey employing questionnaires was conducted among professionals in the built environment. Over a three-month period, 202 completed questionnaires were collected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Initially, a descriptive statistical analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 to present the demographic information of the respondents. Furthermore, the study embraced structural equation modeling (SEM) utilizing the partial least squares (PLS) approach, leveraging the SmartPLS version 4 software. This analytical framework aimed to identify the constructs that most significantly influence effective VM performance and subsequently construct a model for improving VM performance in the Nigerian built environment. The methodological process, coupled with extensive analysis, pinpointed the constructs with direct influence and robust relationships with the outcome variables. This analysis encompassed assessments of indicator reliability, internal consistency reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, collinearity, explanatory power of the model, predictive relevance of the model, goodness of fit indices, path significance, and several other quality checks, culminating in the formulation of the final VM performance model (referred to as Model 2.0). The questionnaire findings substantiated that these constructs collectively serve as predictors of VM performance in the Nigerian construction industry. Additionally, the study unearthed that the performance indicators for VM in construction are associated with the benefits of adopting VM, which include cost savings, efficient time management, improved project management, and the elimination of delays. This study offers contributions to existing knowledge on three fronts: theoretical, methodological, and practical. Theoretical contributions encompass the recognition that existing constructs for modeling VM performance in construction are incomplete without the inclusion of corporate culture and digital technologies. Furthermore, the study highlights the most critical construct for predicting VM performance in the Nigerian construction industry. Methodologically, the study contributes by employing a mixed research approach, providing a comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand. The Delphi study enabled input from construction industry professionals to identify previously unaddressed indicators, while SEM effectively considers the indicators used in measuring the constructs and provides guidelines for adding or eliminating indicators. This methodological approach has facilitated the creation of a comprehensive VM model tailored to the Nigerian construction industry. On the practical front, the study aids construction stakeholders in improved project planning by identifying key variables that ensure VM performance. In conclusion, this study recommends that similar research should be conducted in other developing countries. It also underscores the importance of corporate culture in promoting integration and collaboration within the Nigerian construction sector. Furthermore, the utilization of digital technologies is encouraged to facilitate stakeholder collaboration. Finally, stakeholders in the Nigerian construction industry are advised to align their VM practices with the five-factor model, with particular emphasis on integration, collaboration, and fostering effective corporate culture as pivotal components.
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    Building information modelling technologies for intelligent road engineering design, construction and digital twinning
    (2023-09) Yunos, Shuaib; Allopi, Dhiren
    Roads form an integral part of civil infrastructure, providing safe and reliable access from a point of origin to a destination. With the rapid growth in population, urbanisation, and the pursuit of smart cities, the pressure on effective road design, construction, and maintenance is ever-increasing, with sustainability and innovation being at the focal point to derive better and more intelligent ways to accomplish this infrastructure requirement. With this influx of demand, traditional processes are put under strain, resulting in roads being designed inadequately, impacting the safety and service, exploration of minimal alternative routes due to time pressure or lack of information, material wastage affecting design sustainability and construction cost, and poor maintenance affecting safety and design life. With the progression in technology, building information modelling (BIM) is an intelligent 3D model-based process that gives architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals the insight and tools to plan, design, construct and manage buildings and infrastructure more efficiently. BIM has been implemented, adopted, and mandated by many countries across the world, seen as an intelligent, innovative necessity for enhanced civil infrastructure design, construction, and maintenance. This leads to the question of BIM on civil infrastructure projects, with the focus being roads, and how would it compare to the traditional way of accomplishing road projects. In this regard, an in-depth investigation into the application and impact of BIM technologies across a typical road project had been conducted. This was achieved by describing the processes associated with a typical project when employing a traditional and BIM approach across 9 stages of the project lifecycle. This methodology effectively allowed for a detailed comparison between the two approaches, with the findings collated. The dissertation also expands on what is BIM, its levels, dimensions, benefits, its application on projects across various continents, its role in digital twinning and smart cities, its presence and development globally, its presence and development in Africa, as well as the hurdles experienced in its adoption and implementation and recommendations on how to overcome them. The conclusion arrived at was that BIM provides a plethora of advantages across the road project lifecycle, resulting in innovative, economical, and sustainable civil infrastructure, paving the way to enhanced operations and maintenance and digital twinning in the pursuit of smart cities, correlating with BIM being mandated by countries across the globe and various literature confirming its positive impact. The BIM approach outperformed the traditional approach across all stages of a typical road project lifecycle, conforming to the MacLeamy curve. The BIM technologies applied to derive and illustrate this conclusion were BIM technologies developed by Autodesk and the Devotech Group of Companies. It was also observed that whilst BIM has been around since the 1970s, BIM is still seen as a new concept, particularly in the civil infrastructure industry, and whilst professionals acknowledge its advantages, they are resistant to change, overwhelmed by how to become BIM ready, or do not know where to turn to for guidance, particularly in South Africa, Africa, and other developing countries. Other main challenges observed were those of education, training and upskilling, upfront cost, and the absence of a BIM mandate, as well as challenges specific to Africa were unpacked such as infrastructure gaps, skill gaps, digital division, and digital transformation.
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    An appraisal of building information modelling technology in building construction and maintenance in Africa : a case of Nigeria and South Africa
    (2023-05) Toyin, James Olaonipekun; Mewomo, Modupe Cecilia
    Building Information Modelling technology (BIM-T) continues to gain attention. Its adoption creates a platform that allows the built environment professionals to share project information through a common database. At the same time, there is an increased perception that implementing BIM on construction projects will positively influence building production throughout its lifecycle. Recent studies have revealed a low level of BIM implementation in the African construction industry. Currently, the utilisation of BIM for building production has received a significant acceptance rate in developed regions, while in African countries, it is still at an infant stage. Moreover, previous studies have established that BIM application comes with various barriers. These barriers contribute to its low adoption, application and implementation. Nevertheless, there are still some notable benefits and impacts on building production, which have been the main drivers for its continual adoption. Therefore, this study aimed to research BIM-T applications in African countries, focusing on the Nigerian and South African construction industries. The goals are to assess its level of awareness, usage, barriers hindering its application/implementation and benefits accruable with its adoption. BIM impacts the building production lifecycle and determines the strategies to promote its application among construction professionals for sustainable construction in developing countries. To achieve the objective of this research, an extensive review of the literature was conducted on usage, barriers to BIM adoption, application/implementation, benefits of adopting BIM, its impacts on building production, and strategies to promote its application/implementation. A structured questionnaire elicited constructive data from the Nigerian built environment professionals (NIA, NIOB, NIQS, and NSE) and the South African construction-related professionals (SACPCMP). The web-based (Google form) questionnaire was distributed online. According to the distribution among the professionals, 276 and 105 respondents indicated their willingness and availability to participate in the research from Nigeria and South Africa, respectively. The generated data was analysed using the following descriptive measures: mean item score (M.I.S), relative important index (RII), ranking and frequency and quantitative inferential analysis (factor analysis, pairwise comparison, one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis). It was found that there is a significant increase in the level of BIM awareness among Nigerian and South African construction professionals compared to previous findings. 98.55% and 96.19% of respondents, respectively affirmed that they are aware of BIM. Nevertheless, these findings established that there are still BIM-related barriers peculiar to both countries; the top common three barriers are low computer skills among some of the professionals, habitual resistance to change from the traditional style of design and build, and government's unwillingness to support BIM use. These barriers could be responsible for the professional’s low level of BIM tool usage. The study also revealed that all 13 identified BIM benefits are significantly important in both countries. From this, it could be concluded that BIM application has significantly improved the production of buildings through its contribution to performing tasks from building design to post-construction stages. Finally, the respondents identified the need for foundational knowledge in an educational institution on BIM tool use and its applications as a critical area of focus that could assist the promotion of BIM. This study has extensively documented the various research contributions carried out in this study's area of focus. The preliminary survey result concludes that the findings will assist the professional body in making intelligent decisions and adequate measures to advance the adoption, application/implementation of BIM among their members. It will also inform the institutions about what is required from their construction graduates to improve their employability in the industry.