Case Study Of Concrete Floor Cycle In Construction Management: A Report

Concrete Trade Package

The case study of the Concrete Floor Cycle is considered. The researcher of this report works on a construction project of a tower, which has 50 storey office right at the center of the city. The tower has eight core floors in front of the decks. The case study states that four days floor cycle is accomplished, where 4D BIM and ADePT are used in the construction of this building. A thin concrete deck is accomplished by post tensioned construction. In construction, the perimeter beams are linked to the core using the band beams. Here, both the beams and the floor decks are tensioned. The construction of the tower includes a couple of basements and the concrete is used for constructing the central core. As a whole, this building is reinforced with concrete. Construction Management (CM) is regarded as a service, which utilizes the techniques of project management for effectively handling the construction projects. The construction projects require planning, designing, and implementing these process to complete the construction.

This report is structured as follows- 

Section 2: The second part investigates the concrete trade package along with its purpose and scope in construction management. This section also formulates how concrete trade package fits in the whole construction process. All the necessary details for concrete as a specialty trade package will be collected and provided, to help the other packages. Further, IDEF0 process map will be designed from the collected details of the package. The relative timing for the information flow will be demonstrated in this part. 

Section 3: The third part inspects the capacity of Microsoft Project software, to find time constraints and interfaces. This part mainly concentrates on providing the critical appraisal of the MS project software and shows its competencies in assisting the project managers who are involved in construction business. The overall structural construction programme will be provided here for the selected trade package programme. Further, the advantages and barriers for implementing an effective 4D BIM and ADePT in the construction of the tower will be depicted. 

The scope is to improve the efficiency of construction and improvising new and improved methods. The other scope is to quantify the cost incurred by the workers, main-contractors and sub-contractors.

• To enforce an effective construction process.
• To protect the building from falling.
• To provide external protection for the building.
• To effectively share the material resources.
• To ensure safety of the employees at the construction site.
• To keep the formwork in place, when the concrete is poured by properly fixing the metal decks to the beams’ sides.
• To ensure the process is followed in order, where the beam base is set first, then support is provided, next the beam sides are fixed to the metal deck, with nails.
• The angle of the splay is cross-checked.
• For concreting the whole floor.
• For managing the stressing system.
• To avoid any kind of delay in the completion of the work, and by accomplishing the floor cycle in four days span.
• Ensuring cleaning process before the concreting process starts.  
• To avoid any problems of lifting the screens.
• To take care of striking process.
• To maintain the collection of used materials, so as to pass it to the next floor to save time.
• To enforce security programme.
• To discard any kind of risks, in the whole process.
• To train the workers to follow the process effectively.
• To take extra care of stressing system. 

Construction Management is regarded as a process that takes care of the overall project, right from its scratch till the end. Construction Management also focuses on maintaining good relationship between the owner, manager and the contractor. Management mainly denotes to manage the time, quality and cost of the project, which is controlled by CM. CM is a compatible approach for the delivery of the project (“What is Construction Management?”, 2018).   

Microsoft Project Software

The selected specialist trade package is, concrete. In construction, procurement method completely relies on the preferences of the client and however it requires either the traditional contractor or the construction management contract. The concrete and sub-structure work requires the specialist trade contractors, for supplying the required workers, then materials and plant for completing the construction work (Dhir, Dyer & Halliday, 2002). 

This tower is reinforced with concrete and the main purpose is to secure the quality and strength of the building, which protects the building from falling. The concrete structure is divided into different components, which aims to estimate the cost of slab, columns, beams and walls. Therefore, the other purpose is to help in the project’s budget estimation and project management. 

The overall construction processes are, pre-construction tasks like designing the building, getting permit for laying the foundation of the building; next the procurement takes place; then construction begins which includes notice to proceed, drilling dewatering wells, installation of solider piles, excavation, installing lagging, installing tiebacks, concrete footing work, concrete wall work, formation of concrete columns, installation of concrete slabs and lifting the screens. Further the Reinforcement tasks take place such as positioning the band, perimeter beams, form beams and metal decks. Then, the stressing work continues followed by cleaning and inspection of the work. 

The concrete specialist handles all the processes related to the concrete package. The order of the activities for concrete package are as follows:

1st Activity: Lift the screens.

2nd Activity: Reinforcing and formation of columns.

3rd Activity: Position formation for the band and perimeter beams.

4th Activity: Formation of beams.

5th Activity: Positioning the metal deck.

6th Activity: Reinforcing along with stressing the cables.

7th Activity: Performing concrete floor slab. 

The below table represents the information required and supplied for the successful delivery of the package.   

Information supplied by SPM	Information supplied by CS
Engineering Design	Reports of the laborers available
Reports of the schedule.	So far completed project report i.e., project updates.
Cost plan	Importance of health and safety at site.
Schedules of all the processes at the site.	Scheduled report of the employees.
Training programme	Training programme schedule
Security programme	Details of laborers.
Roles and responsibility list	Details of encountered risks.
	Other process information
	Expenditure report

Information Exchange between Safety Manager and Concrete Specialist 

Information supplied by SM	Information supplied by CS
Training programme	Handling process of lifting the screens.
Security Programme	Managing process for reinforcing and formation of columns.
Details of possible risks at the site.	Steps taken for positioning the formation for the band and perimeter beams.
Cautious steps to be taken.	Process followed in the beam formation.
Training Schedule	Fixing procedure of metal deck.
	Handling concrete floor slab.

Information Exchange between Layout Engineer and Concrete Specialist 

Information supplied by LE	Information supplied by CS
Layout design	Reinforcing and cable stressing report
Inspected report, to correct the mistakes if any in the process.	Inspection report
Approval report	Acknowledgement

The IDEF0 (Integrated DEFinition) process mapping is utilized for modelling a business process, which is easy to use (Introduction to IDEF0/3 for Business Process Modelling, 2013). IDEF0 is developed and depicted below (Damelio, 2011), (“IDEF0 – Part 1 (understanding it)”, 2018). 

The overall construction project plan’ information flow is shown below. 

Task Name	Duration	Start	Finish	Resource Names
Construction Project Management	266 days	Fri 3/16/18	Fri 3/22/19
Pre-construction	10 days	Fri 3/16/18	Thu 3/29/18	Layout Engineer, Project Engineer, Senior Project Manager
Prepare contract Drawings	2 days	Fri 3/30/18	Mon 4/2/18	Equipment and Facilities, Layout Engineer, Project Engineer
Permit Foundation	1 day	Tue 4/3/18	Tue 4/3/18	Equipment and Facilities, Senior Project Manager, Senior Superintendent
Permit full building	3 days	Wed 4/4/18	Fri 4/6/18	Equipment and Facilities, Project Engineer, Senior Project Manager
Site utility relocation	5 days	Mon 4/9/18	Fri 4/13/18	Layout Engineer, Senior Project Manager, Senior Superintendent
Project Procurement	14 days	Mon 4/16/18	Thu 5/3/18
Subcontractor bid and interview period	3 days	Mon 4/16/18	Wed 4/18/18	Project Engineer, Senior Project Manager, Sub-Contractor
Recommendation and approval of subcontracts	6 days	Thu 4/19/18	Thu 4/26/18	Contractor, Project Admin, Project Executive, Senior Project Manager
Shoring and sheeting procurement	2 days	Fri 4/27/18	Mon 4/30/18	Equipment and Facilities, Layout Engineer, Senior Project Manager, Senior Superintendent
Other material procurement	3 days	Tue 5/1/18	Thu 5/3/18
Construction	231 days	Fri 5/4/18	Fri 3/22/19
Notice to proceed	1 day	Fri 5/4/18	Fri 5/4/18	Contractor, Equipment and Facilities, Layout Engineer, Senior Project Manager, Senior Superintendent
Drill Dewatering Wells	30 days	Mon 5/7/18	Fri 6/15/18	Contractor, Equipment and Facilities, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor, Unskilled Laborer
Install Solider Piles	20 days	Mon 6/18/18	Fri 7/13/18	Contractor, Equipment and Facilities, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor, Unskilled Laborer
Excavation	10 days	Mon 7/16/18	Fri 7/27/18	Equipment and Facilities, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor, Unskilled Laborer
Install Lagging	5 days	Mon 7/30/18	Fri 8/3/18	Equipment and Facilities, Layout Engineer, Project Engineer, Project Executive, Safety Manager
Install Tiebacks	5 days	Mon 8/6/18	Fri 8/10/18	Contractor, Equipment and Facilities, Project Engineer, Project Executive, Unskilled Laborer
Concrete Footings	6 days	Mon 8/13/18	Mon 8/20/18	Equipment and Facilities, Project Engineer, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor, Unskilled Laborer
Concrete Walls	7 days	Tue 8/21/18	Wed 8/29/18	Contractor, Equipment and Facilities, Project Accountant, Project Admin, Project Executive, Unskilled Laborer
Concrete Columns	9 days	Thu 8/30/18	Tue 9/11/18	Contractor, Equipment and Facilities, Project Engineer, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor
Concrete Slab	20 days	Wed 9/12/18	Tue 10/9/18	Contractor, Project Engineer, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor, Unskilled Laborer
Lift screens	12 days	Wed 10/10/18	Thu 10/25/18	Equipment and Facilities, Project Engineer, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor, Unskilled Laborer
Reinforce and form columns	5 days	Fri 10/26/18	Thu 11/1/18	Contractor, Equipment and Facilities, Project Engineer, Sub-Contractor, Unskilled Laborer
Position forms for the band and	7 days	Fri 11/2/18	Mon 11/12/18	Contractor, Equipment and Facilities, Project Engineer, Project Executive, Safety Manager
Perimeter beams	8 days	Tue 11/13/18	Thu 11/22/18	Equipment and Facilities, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor, Unskilled Laborer
Form beams	9 days	Fri 11/23/18	Wed 12/5/18	Project Executive, Project Scheduler, Sub-Contractor
Position metal deck	12 days	Thu 12/6/18	Fri 12/21/18	Equipment and Facilities, Layout Engineer, Project Admin, Sub-Contractor
Reinforce including stressing	8 days	Mon 12/24/18	Wed 1/2/19	Project Engineer, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor
Cables	10 days	Thu 1/3/19	Wed 1/16/19	Equipment and Facilities, Layout Engineer, Project Accountant, Project Engineer
Concrete floor slab	15 days	Thu 1/17/19	Wed 2/6/19	Contractor, Layout Engineer, Project Executive, Project Scheduler, Safety Manager, Sub-Contractor, Unskilled Laborer
Inspections & Closeâ€ÂOut	32 days	Thu 2/7/19	Fri 3/22/19
Weather Day Allowance	4 days	Thu 2/7/19	Tue 2/12/19	Project Admin, Project Engineer, Project Executive, Project Scheduler, Senior Superintendent
Commissioning & Training	7 days	Wed 2/13/19	Thu 2/21/19	Equipment and Facilities, Project Engineer, Senior Project Manager
Final Clean	9 days	Fri 2/22/19	Wed 3/6/19	Contractor, Equipment and Facilities, Project Admin, Unskilled Laborer
Punchlist Generation	4 days	Thu 3/7/19	Tue 3/12/19	Contractor, Layout Engineer, Project Engineer, Project Executive, Sub-Contractor
O&M Manual Submission	6 days	Wed 3/13/19	Wed 3/20/19	Layout Engineer, Senior Project Manager, Senior Superintendent, Project Admin
Substantial Completion Process	1 day	Thu 3/21/19	Thu 3/21/19	Project Accountant, Project Admin, Senior Project Manager, Senior Superintendent
Substantial Completion	1 day	Fri 3/22/19	Fri 3/22/19	Project Admin, Project Executive, Project Scheduler, Senior Project Manager, Senior Superintendent

 Section 3: Microsoft Project Software Implementation

Microsoft Project software’s capability to determine the overall structural construction programme and the selected trade package programme is presented in this part of the report. The overall project construction tasks are listed in the below table (Levy, 2012). 

Task Name

Construction Project Management

Pre-construction

Prepare contract Drawings

Permit Foundation

Permit full building

Site utility relocation

Project Procurement

Subcontractor bid and interview period

Recommendation and approval of subcontracts

Shoring and sheeting procurement

Other material procurement

Construction

Notice to proceed

Drill Dewatering Wells

Install Solider Piles

Excavation

Install Lagging

Install Tiebacks

Concrete Footings

Concrete Walls

Concrete Columns

Concrete Slab

Lift screens

Reinforce and form columns

Position forms for the band and

Perimeter beams

Form beams

Position metal deck

Reinforce including stressing

Cables

Concrete floor slab

Inspections & Closeâ€ÂOut

Weather Day Allowance

Commissioning & Training

Final Clean

Punchlist Generation

O&M Manual Submission

Substantial Completion Process

Substantial Completion

Importance of Construction Management

Project executive, Senior Project manager, Admin, Accountant, Scheduler, Safety manager, Layout engineer, Contractor, Concrete Specialist, sub-contractor, Equipment and facilities management, and Laborers are the people involved in this process. Microsoft Project software allows to represent the graph of the available data. For instance, the Gantt chart. As a whole, this construction project is processed step-by-step, as per the plan, which helps to meet the deadline. It helps to track the progress of each task. All the tasks are links. It shows the risk, if any. It highlights the milestones of the project. 

There are various tools like BIM (Building Information Modeling), which helps the project management. BIM represents a smart three dimensional model for the architectures and the engineers to help in construction based planning, designing, constructing and managing the infrastructure of the building, using effective tools  (“BIM and the future of AEC”, 2018). In the construction industry, BIM is utilized for monitoring the construction works’ progress, and helps in making right decision. Whereas, 4D BIM has a significant role in adding value for the BIM projects, which creates data sets or information model based on both graphical and non-graphical information in CDE Common Data Environment. This information has huge value in all the stages of the project as it helps in detecting the progress of the project. The information model simultaneously can be added with the scheduling data for various components, then helps to generate programme information which is accurate and provides step wise visuals that represent the development of the project. Furthermore, it provides details like lead-time, period of construction and installation, allowances for curing and drying process, then arrangement of process its interdependencies with the other construction processes. Therefore, the data can help the planners to instantly develop accurate programmes for projects, which are based on a reliable source. It also benefits with linking the other activities with graphical representations (“What is 4D BIM?”, 2018). 4D Building Information Modeling are well designed and has high value for its work, yet it doesn’t take the place of the planners instead it helps the construction based project team to work closely on their plans. 

On the other hand, ADePT methodology helps in resolving the challenges related to time and cost in the construction industry.

The duration for complete the construction is controlled by the concrete package. It creates the task in the package with sufficient time allotment. Any kind of changes in the duration will be added automatically with the total duration of the project. The delays are updated on the software, where any problem arises with the updates will be highlighted. Here, the issues can be related to material and human resources. This package helps to resolve such issue. All the tasks in the package are inspected and the information conflicts are discarded. Time management, communication and security management is ensured in this package. 

The other important software that helps construction management is, “Microsoft Project”. It helps the construction manager with creation of plans, in monitoring, in scheduling the resources of the projects among people included in the project, then it calculates the cost and time for the completion of the overall project. As a whole, MS project has the efficiency of tracking and better way of analyzing the negative and positive impacts of changes on the project.  

The advantages for implementing 4D BIM are listed below (Ahmed, Emam & Farrell, 2014):

• 4D BIM provides four dimensional representation for the building to be constructed.
• Generally, the Gantt chart is used as a tool that helps in planning and scheduling the project, but it fails to provide the visualization the desired schedule’s output. This is where the designing tool named 4D BIM comes to rescue (Hardin & McCool, 2015).
• It is an effective tool that supports in the development of plans and scheduling.
• It is a significant tool that combines design and construction.
• The construction project manager with enough 4D BIM skills is an asset.
• It has smart features where each object contains data attributes and parametric rules.
• With 4D BIM, the defects of the schedule can be found instantly.
• It eradicates the inconsistencies of scheduled activities.
• It also contributes in cost saving in terms of rework and scheduling. 

The barriers for the effective implementation of 4D BIM are as follows:

1. Shortage of skilled professionals is the major barrier to implement the 4D BIM, which is due to the lack of 4D BIM knowledge among the professionals.
2. The team members have no access to the model.
3. The users lack necessary training.
4. Lack of clear information on ROI (Return on Investment) with the use of 4D BIM.
5. Lack of availability of contractual requirement to implement 4D BIM.
6. Interruption of the current process also acts as barrier.   
7. The complication of the 4D BIM model.
8. Lack of required software for 4D BIM.
9. The industry standards are a significant barrier.
10. The preliminary cost for upgrading the hardware and for software. 

The other set of barriers are legal problems, cost to run the 4D BIM implementation and interoperability between different software.   

The advantages for implementing ADePT are listed below (Schultz, 2002) (Clarkson & Eckert, 2005):

• Analytical design Planning Technique is a methodology used for planning to resolve related complexities (Austin, Baldwin, Li & Waskett, 2000).
• Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) present in ADePT as a central part, helps in designing process.
• ADePT overcomes the drawing limitations to effectively plan the design of the building.
• It also helps in managing the design of the building.
• It helps in decision making in the design process.
• It enhances the involvement of the users.
• It is beneficial in the early stage of the planning.
• It helps the design team with design programmes and defines the complicated relationship roles of the designers.
• ADePT supports the information flow between the designers, to avoid complications.
• As a whole, ADePT takes care of design’s execution and improves the plan, provides necessary information of the design and defines the responsibilities.
• ADePT significantly improves both the process and the project management.
• It helps in prioritizing the design work.
• It aims to complete the task and provides efficient integration with the sub-contractor.
• It offers better management for change.
• It has design fee validation. 

The barriers for the effective implementation of ADePT are as follows (Baldwin & Bordoli, 2014):

1. High cost for engineering the project design is the main barrier for implementing ADePT.
2. It is information driven and increases the barriers to process the work.
3. The other barriers include- Over running of the design commission, difficulty of understanding the design, more number of people involved and delay in construction work. 

References

Ahmed, S., Emam, H., & Farrell, P. (2014). Barriers to BIM/4D Implementation in Qatar‏. 1St International Conference On Smart, Sustainable And Healthy Cities [CIB-MENA], At Abu Dhabi, UAE. https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.4990.4164

Austin, S., Baldwin, A., Li, B., & Waskett, P. (2000). Analytical design planning technique (ADePT): a dependency structure matrix tool to schedule the building design process. Construction Management And Economics, 18(2), 173-182. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/014461900370807

Baldwin, A., & Bordoli, D. (2014). Handbook for construction planning and scheduling.

BIM and the future of AEC. (2018). Autodesk.com. Retrieved 17 March 2018, from https://www.autodesk.com/solutions/bim

Clarkson, J., & Eckert, C. (2005). Design process improvement. London: Springer-Verlag London.

Damelio, R. (2011). The basics of process mapping. New York: Productivity Press/Taylor & Francis Group.

Dhir, R., Dyer, T., & Halliday, J. (2002). Sustainable Concrete Construction (1st ed.). London: Thomas Telford Ltd.

Hardin, B., & McCool, D. (2015). BIM and construction management (2nd ed.).

IDEF0 – Part 1 (understanding it). (2018). Syque.com. Retrieved 19 March 2018, from https://syque.com/quality_tools/tools/Tools19.htm

Introduction to IDEF0/3 for Business Process Modelling. (2013).

Levy, S. (2012). Project management in construction. New York, NY [u.a.]: McGraw-Hill.

Schultz, T. (2002). ADEPT-The Advanced Database Environment for Planning and Tracking. Bell Labs Technical Journal, 3(3), 3-9. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bltj.2111

What is 4D BIM?. (2018). Theb1m.com. Retrieved 17 March 2018, from https://www.theb1m.com/video/what-is-4d-bim

What is Construction Management?. (2018). Cmaanet.org. Retrieved 17 March 2018, from https://cmaanet.org/about-profession