Journal of Civil Engineering and Management

Numerical simulation analysis of controlling settlement by water-resisting curtain combined with recharge in deep foundation pit

2024-07-12T18:26:43+03:00

This study takes a nearby foundation pit project of a high-speed railway in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province as an example to investigate the impact of deep foundation pit projects on groundwater and the surrounding environment. Through on-site monitoring, in-situ testing, and numerical simulation, we conducted a comprehensive study of the impact of foundation pit projects on groundwater and the surrounding environment. The evolution of groundwater levels and surface displacement during the excavation of foundation pits was analyzed, and a method for measuring the permeability of target soil layers in situ was studied. The simulation of recharge under various soil conditions was performed, and the outcomes demonstrated the effective isolation of hydraulic connections between the interior and exterior of the foundation pit by the water-resistant curtain. Precipitation head and constant head recharging tests were employed to ascertain the actual permeability. The characteristic time method calculation exhibited remarkable efficiency and accuracy in determining the permeability coefficient of the recharging soil layer. Recharging phreatic and confined water layers has differing degrees of influence on surface deformation, with the impact of confined water layers requiring more time to stabilize. These findings contribute significantly to a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental repercussions associated with deep excavation projects, thereby enhancing safety and environmental protection measures in excavation construction practices.

Attracting private investment in public-private-partnership: tax reduction or risk sharing

2024-07-18T09:51:09+03:00

With the financial burden of government increasing, the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model has become an alternative method to develop public infrastructure. To efficiently promote the private sector to participate in PPP, making a proper incentive policy is critical for the government. This paper examined the effects of two governmental support policies, i.e., tax reduction and risk-sharing, on the investment decision of the private sector, and further compared the relative efficacy of these two policies. The results manifest that: first, both tax reduction and risk-sharing policies motivate private sector to invest earlier; second, although the capital structure decision of the private sector is free from the influence of the risk-sharing policy, the optimal debt level under tax reduction policy shows a U-shape relationship with the incentive ratio; third, when completion risk is large, there exists efficiency loss for total benefits of the project under the risk-sharing incentive policy. Besides, the efficacy of two incentive policies varies depending on the scenario. Firstly, given the same incentive ratio, the risk-sharing policy proves to be more effective than the tax reduction policy. Secondly, when considering the same level of incentive loss for government, tax reduction policy outperforms than risk-sharing policy in terms of efficacy. Thirdly, the efficacy of these policies also depends on the completion risk level: under small completion risk, risk-sharing policy is more effective, whereas under large completion risk, the tax reduction policy takes precedence. Based on these findings, some managerial insights that could assist government in formulating more effective incentive policies are proposed.

Factors affecting implementation of computer vision-based technologies adopted for monitoring buildings construction projects

2024-08-26T18:27:33+03:00

Construction monitoring in dynamic construction site environments poses significant challenges for construction management. To overcome these challenges, the implementation of computer vision (CV) technologies for construction project monitoring has gained traction. This study focuses on investigating the factors influence the successful implementation of CV technologies in monitoring construction activities within building projects. A comprehensive methodology was employed, including a systematic review of CV technologies implemented in construction and qualitative surveys conducted with construction experts. Additionally, a quantitative questionnaire was developed, and the collected data was analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings reveal the presence of 10 factors categorized into four constructs. Notably, all 10 factors demonstrate high value factor loadings and statistical significance, and among the four constructs (device, jobsite, environment, human), device (0.82) has the highest impact on the implementation of CV-based technologies on the construction site, followed by jobsite condition (0.62), human (0.61), and environment (0.51) came in the last place. By addressing these influential factors and mitigating their effects, construction stakeholders can enhance the implementation of CV technologies for monitoring construction sites. This study contributes valuable insights that inform the implementation and optimization of CV technologies in construction projects, ultimately advancing the field of construction management.

Designing a construction supply chain model using backup supplier aiming at optimizing resiliency against disruption

2024-08-26T18:27:32+03:00

Resilience is a topic that has recently emerged concerning the basics of the construction project supply chain and we can consider it as a response to disruption in the supply chain of the project. Disruption also is an unavoidable reality in today’s complex and dynamic construction supply chain, the occurrence of which can cause irretrievable damages to the system, such as financial losses. Successful companies seek to minimize disruption and maintain adequate supply chain performance before disruption occurs, rather than looking for costly and challenging post-disruption solutions. This paper covers this gap by proposing a scenario-based mixed integer-programming model aiming to minimize logistics costs and delays, while scheduling projects to address selecting the appropriate supplier at risk of disruption. So far, this quantitative view was not presented in discussions about disruptions in the project supply chain, therefore different scenarios are applied in the process to validate the model. To improve its resilience level, this model benefits from back-up suppliers’ strategy. This study focuses on providing the required materials for the project site in an emergency without incurring additional costs using a back-up supplier. Results reveal the model’s suitability in confronting the unavailability of a supplier due to disruption.

Green procurement in the construction industry: unfolding new underlying barriers for a developing country context

2024-08-26T18:27:32+03:00

Despite the construction industry’s detrimental effects on environmental sustainability, the concept of green procurement (GP) is still relatively new in the developing world. The barriers hindering GP adoption need detailed investigation as studies in the context of developing countries are still limited and the underlying dimensions remain a known-unknown. This study appraised the critical barriers to GP adoption in the Malaysian construction industry. Twenty (20) barriers were identified from the detailed literature review and a field survey was conducted with 150 professionals. The ranking analysis results indicated the top five barriers are: high initial cost; lack of expertise and regulations; lack of government regulations; lack of top management commitment and lack of awareness among construction stakeholders. A factor analysis further identified five major underlying dimensions. The study showed that both government and organisational commitments are crucial in promoting GP adoption. This study adds to incremental knowledge in GP literature by analysing the critical barriers and the associated underlying dimensions to GP adoption in a developing country, which could help practitioners and policymakers in evaluating the organisation’s or industry’s readiness to adopt GP practices along with devising apt measures to mitigate the barriers to shift to sustainable and environmentally friendly construction.

When BIM meets blockchain: a mixed-methods literature review

2024-09-11T18:27:53+03:00

Building information modeling (BIM) and blockchain applications have introduced significant benefits to the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) industry in recent years. Although publications on BIM and blockchain integration have been increasing, no systematic examination of the present status and managerial implications of integrated BIM and blockchain has been conducted. To bridge this gap, this paper conducts a state-of-the-art review of the development of integrated BIM and blockchain in a built environment. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was adopted to synthesize and analyze the research evidence. The results revealed five key managerial implications of BIM integration with blockchain at the project level: design and collaboration, financial management, construction management, information management, and integration management (with other cutting-edge technologies). Challenges and opportunities are outlined and articulated from both technological and managerial perspectives, such as stakeholder management, impact assessment, real-time project management, information redundancy, and incompatibility.