Ahmed Elyamany | British University in Egypt (BUE) (original) (raw)
Papers by Ahmed Elyamany
International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 2019
The effective knowledge management (KM) at construction company level is rapidly becoming a key o... more The effective knowledge management (KM) at construction company level is rapidly becoming a key organizational capability that adds a sustainable competitive advantage. Managing intellectual asset is considered a challenge facing construction firms in today's business environment. However, these challenges can be overcome by applying best KM practices. This study investigates practices that influence the effectiveness of KM at the company level. During phase I of the study, a review of the available literature was conducted to identify the implemented practices for KM. Based on this review the main processes of KM system were compiled in a model and a list of best practices for KM that are relevant to the local industry was introduced. During phase II, questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from 27 Egyptian construction companies. The main objectives of phase II is to prioritize KM practices that were identified during phase I. The quantitative data analysis demonstrated all practices mentioned in the questionnaire are important for successful KM system. It was found that document management, training and support, knowledge creation, and knowledge capturing and storing to be the top four practices for KM. The results of this study assist construction organizations in leading the implementation of KM practices. The results can be used not only in the planning phase of implementation of KM practices but also in evaluating the completeness of the implementation.
IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 2019
One drawback of the Line of Balance (LOB) method is the unavailability of commercial software fea... more One drawback of the Line of Balance (LOB) method is the unavailability of commercial software featuring its fundamentals. Studies pointed out this drawback as a factor that prevents a more frequent use. Recognizing the potential of the LOB method for managing construction projects, the objective of this paper is to propose a methodology for modeling Line of Balance schedules using CPM software like MS Project®. Previous researches developed an integrated Critical Path Method (CPM) and LOB model in an analytical nongraphical manner. This paper advances LOB modeling one step further to deal with other possible logical dependencies between activities. The presented framework can be used to develop a scheduling model that can link input and output data to commercial scheduling software; MS project®. The results of model application on a case study show the model ability in dealing with all possible relations with lags between activities and data transfer to MS project®.
Water Resource Management, 2018
Field Canals Improvement Project (FCIP) aims to conserve fresh water. Several methods are existed... more Field Canals Improvement Project (FCIP) aims to conserve fresh water. Several methods are existed to predict project preliminary cost. However, identification of model inputs remains a challenging task during model development. This study utilizes two procedures,
Traditional Delphi Method (TDM) and Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM), which are used for collecting and initially ranking cost drivers. According to the second approach, Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) is used for finally ranking the screened parameters by FDM. Delphi rounds and Likert scale are conducted to determine the most important factors
from the viewpoint of consultant engineers and contractors. Regression analysis and R square is used as a comparison criteria between traditional technique and fuzzy techniques. The study suggests using Fuzzy theory and Delphi method with Analytic Hierarchy Process in order to identify cost drivers efficiently. Paper contribution is proposing a methodology to evaluate cost drivers of FCIP using qualitative data such as experts’ opinions.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2018
A conceptual cost estimation is prepared to assess the feasibility of a project or establish the ... more A conceptual cost estimation is prepared to assess the feasibility of a project or establish the project’s initial budget at the early stages of the project. The main objective of the paper is automating the cost estimate at the conceptual stage with the highest accuracy. The key contribution of this paper is developing a quadratic regression model with a prediction accuracy of 9.12% and 7.82% for training and validation,
respectively. This research has identified the model’s key parameters to establish a reliable conceptual cost estimate model for field canal improvement projects (FCIPs). Two machine learning models were developed utilizing multiple regression analysis (MRA) and artificial
neural networks (ANNs). Searching for a better model, several data transformations have been conducted to improve the model performance. The quadratic regression model has shown the highest performance based on the correlation and the mean absolute percentage
error (MAPE) criteria. A parametric model has been presented in this paper to predict the conceptual cost of FCIPs. This research maintains
the importance of identifying key parameters and conducting data transformation and sensitivity analysis for developing a reliable parametric cost prediction model.
Al-Azhar university Civil Engineering Research Magazine
Many construction projects could be considered as repetitive projects. Researchers developed many... more Many construction projects could be considered as repetitive projects. Researchers developed many scheduling models for repetitive projects. Although these models showed enhancement in meeting deadline and resources limitations, they ignored the effect of learning curve on the production rate of construction crews. The effect of learning in repetitive work are being studied since the 1930. Despite the fact that there is an effect on Line of Balance (LOB), no further development has been made to their applications. This paper develops a scheduling model which incorporate the effect of learning with LOB. The model is validated using a case study to show the learning effect on activities duration.
Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 2018
Shortage of irrigation water is a challenge frequently occurs at Canal Tail-end (CT). This paper ... more Shortage of irrigation water is a challenge frequently occurs at Canal Tail-end (CT). This paper uses Value Engineering (VE) methodology to find solutions of this problem. VE methodology includes collecting
information about the water shortage at CT, analyze functions of canals, develop creative ideas, assess creative ideas based on evaluation criteria, obtain a short list of value alternatives, and develop value alternatives using Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Net Present Value (NPV). Study results indicate that VE methodology is a problem solving tool that helps in finding solutions with focus on achieving the basic
function of the system.
Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 2018
Egypt depends on the Nile River to secure 95% of the water needed for different purposes as drink... more Egypt depends on the Nile River to secure 95% of the water needed for different purposes as drinking, household uses, agriculture, fishing source, water transportation, tourism, electricity generation from
the High Dam and industry. Although, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is essential to Ethiopia’s development, many research pointed out its negative impact on Egypt. Although previous
researches addressed the problem of GERD using stochastic data, they used deterministic methods .
This paper aims to use a stochastic method to assess risks of GERD on Egypt, and propose strategies to mitigate these risks. Management actions and policies are proposed to manage fresh water resources
and mitigate GERD risks. The study concluded that the expected amount of saved water using proposed strategies exceeds the expected losses caused by GERD by 12.1 Billion m3. Adopting the suggested strategies
could reduce or eliminate the impact of GERD on Egypt
International Journal of Engineering and Management Research, 2017
Sustainability is one of the rising concepts in construction industry. The goal of sustainability... more Sustainability is one of the rising concepts in construction industry. The goal of sustainability is to help people all over the world to satisfy their needs without compromising the future generations' needs. Sustainability is a wide concept, which requires environmental, economic, social and technological criteria to be met. This paper aims to asses and analyzes the sustainability knowledge among construction industry members. The analysis results show that 66.67% of respondents have medium to well sustainability knowledge while 12.5% of the respondents know nothing about the sustainability and only 4.17% have very well sustainability knowledge. LEED certificate was the sustainability certificate that 66.67% of respondents enteritis are targeting. Construction industry was the most area where 66.67% of respondents are familiar with sustainability in, followed by architectural, mechanical and electrical with 33.3%, 29.17, and 29.17% of respondents respectively.
IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 2017
Intense competition among construction companies urges for continuous improvement and evaluation ... more Intense competition among construction companies urges for continuous improvement and evaluation of performance. Many researches recognized the importance of financial performance (FP) and attempted to develop a reliable model to evaluate the company FP. The main objective of this research is developing an accurate model to evaluate the financial performance of residential construction companies. Financial data of a number of residential construction companies were collected from the Egyptian Authority of Money Market in the form of balance sheets and income statement. The most six ratios affecting company financial performance were identified and calculated. Every financial point (case) defined with six financial ratios. The financial ratios represent the model input while the model output, i.e. performance index, is developed using fuzzy c-mean clustering (FCM). Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is utilized to develop the relation between the input and output variables. Some points were kept for the purpose of testing the validity of the developed model. The validation of the model showed satisfactory results which provide a sufficientdegree of reliability to use the model in evaluating the financial performance of construction companies.
Int. J. Engineering Management and Economics, 2016
This paper reports the findings of research intended to document the current status of adoption a... more This paper reports the findings of research intended to document the
current status of adoption and use of building information modelling (BIM) in the Egyptian construction industry. This study utilised an online survey which was sent to 120 contracting firms and 10 consultancy offices in Egypt.
The response rate was 17.2% of the total firms included in the survey which may be explained that the majority of current construction practitioners know little or nothing about BIM. Findings of the research revealed that BIM is expanding within the construction industry and practitioners think it is the future while moving to sustainable buildings. The research findings urge the need to provide more information to the industry regarding the benefits of BIM technology. Government doesn’t promote the utilisation of BIM in public work.
International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, 2016
Conceptual cost estimates have substantial consequences on success of infrastructure projects at ... more Conceptual cost estimates have substantial consequences on success of infrastructure projects at early stages. This paper presents a parametric model for conceptual cost estimate of highway projects. A database of 75 highway projects was collected and complied for model development. In-depth interviews with experts were conducted to select the convenient input factors for model development. A supervised neural network model with one hidden layer optimized using Genetic A lgorith ms was established for determination of parameters significantly impacting cost of highway projects. The model utilize d Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm as a back-propagation rule and Hyperbolic Tangent functio n as a transfer function for both hidden and output layers. The model was trained and evaluated to derive the linkage between highway projects' cost, its input factors and to ensure its predictive performance, respectively. Then, a case study was carried out to test its validity and accuracy in handling real p ractical applications. The results showed that the developed model is reliable to be used at early stages of highway projects. Accordingly, a graphical user interface module was coded for the model to facilitate its usage and manipulation with future h ighway projects.
Water Resource Management, 2015
The globe is facing an increase in water demand associated with an increase in the world populati... more The globe is facing an increase in water demand associated with an increase in the world population especially in developing countries. The increasing population urges an additional agricultural land and irrigation water. Traditional system of irrigation water supplier is open canals which allow a high percentage of water dissipation and evaporation. This paper presents a new approach to evaluate design alternatives of Improved Field Irrigation Canals (IFIC) using Life Cycle Cost (LCC) methods. LCC is a methodology for calculating the total cost of a system from inception to disposal taking into account the time value of money. The main objective of this paper is using LCC to evaluate irrigation improvement canals to save water and increase agricultural production. Four methods such: i) Net Present Value (NPV); ii) Benefit/Cost ratio (BCR); iii) Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and iv) Pay Back Period (PBP) are used to compare between three IFIC design alternatives. These alternatives are i) pipeline with one pump at canal head, ii) pipeline with one pump at the head and one pump at the middle,
and iii) lined open canal and compared to the reference case; i.e. open canal. Results show that the best economic alternative for IFIC is pipeline with one pump at the intake of the canal.
IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 2014
Best-Value contracting is a mechanism that many agencies used to effectively implement projects w... more Best-Value contracting is a mechanism that many agencies used to effectively implement projects with multiple objectives. It allows the government to acquire goods and services from the businesses that offer the Best-Value to the government, not simply the low-bid. The Low-bid contracting is false economy as the initial savings from price-based competition are erased by additional long-term costs. This paper discusses the implementation of the Best-Value concept in the procurement of construction projects. The main goal of the model implementation is studyingthe effect of changingBV model variables on the selection decision. Sensitivity analysis isconduct using scenarios of selection decisions. These scenarios are extremely important to the decision makers as it provide them with the reliability level and limitations of the model utilization. The paper provides both the decision makers and researchers with Sensitivity Charts that offer the guidelines for model implementation in real-world projects. Sensitivity Charts shows the effect of past performance data on the resulted Best-Value and the selected contractor as well.
IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 2013
Most highway agencies are using subjective measures to rate the quality of construction projects.... more Most highway agencies are using subjective measures to rate the quality of construction projects. The main purposes of rating the contractor performance are for qualification, bidding, or payment schedules. The pay factor (PF) can be defined as a multiplication factor that is often used to determine the contractor pay for the unit of work. The objective of this paper is to propose a rational methodology for defining PF based on basic understanding of the effect of different hot mix asphalt parameters on pavement life. Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) software is used to find the effect of different variables on pavement life. Three main factors considered in pay factor equation for their effect on pavement life:air voids, asphalt content, and percent passing sieve # 200 (P200). The pavement lifebased on the fatigue and rutting failure criteriaare used in the PF model to reflect actual contractor performance.The developed PF model was implemented on a case study.
International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology, 2013
Both PWL and PF data are analyzed against three performance indicators’ data to study whether PWL... more Both PWL and PF data are analyzed against three performance indicators’ data to study whether PWL and PF are good indicators of the contractor performance. The ANCOVA test is used to examine the relation between either PWL or PF and the performance indicators such as IRI, PCI, and Rutting. This test is used since the effect of the change of performance indicators over time is not important. What is important is the significance of using PWL and PF as representative of the performance of the contractor quality. Road performance data, such as Pavement Condition Index (PCI), International roughness Index (IRI), and Rutting, are collected for different road classifications from the Iowa Department of Transportation. The records include the performance data for pavement sections over a period of 5 years. Data are classified according to functional class and pavement type in order to avoid the variability of performance indicators for different pavement types. Data used in the analysis belong to contractors different from the five contractors considered in the development of the quality score model.
Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 2012
Most construction agencies have a quality management system in order to control and manage the qu... more Most construction agencies have a quality management system in order to control and manage the quality of their final product. Once the project is over, the testing results are kept in archives in which they are rarely re-visited or utilized. Quality testing results carry much information about the contractor performance that could be useful during the contractor evaluation/selection process. Previous attempts to implement the Best Value (BV) used the average performance records as the expected performance, which was utilized to evaluate contractors. The objective of this research is to develop, based on random data obtained from the contractor's performance records, a methodology that provides decision makers with the level of confidence or risk associated with the contractor selection using the BV model. Simulation technique is used to develop the BV model and analysis. Field performance data have been used to obtain the Percentage Defective, which indicates the contractor's performance in the BV model. The analysis of data indicates that performance follows a normal distribution. Sensitivity analysis of the BV model illustrates the significance of the weights in the BV model, which demands special attention when selecting the parameters’ weights. The developed methodology provides the decision makers with the confidence and risk associated with their selection decision.
Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2008
The best-value procurement strategy is gaining the interest of federal and state agencies. The st... more The best-value procurement strategy is gaining the interest of federal
and state agencies. The strategy increases the value added to a project
for each dollar added. A new concept of best value, that is, a rational and
flexible model based on expected performance, is presented. The model’s flexibility is obvious in the selection of parameters to be included in the contractor selection process and in the determination of their weights.
The model’s rationality will be achieved through relating all awarded
scores to the agency’s expected performance. The establishment of the
best-value model relies on the past record of the contractor’s work for the agency as an indicator of qualification trend. This research incorporates prequalification as a first-level screening technique in selecting top contractor bids in the best-value procurement and then applies a rational scoring system in the final selection. Selection of the most appropriate contractor with the best qualifications for a given project will be based on contractor best value. Data are collected from groups of experts in the Minnesota Department of Transportation and processed through the analytic hierarchy process to establish the parameter weights. Although this research assists departments of transportation in selecting the best contractor, the results are relevant to both academics and practitioners.
The paper provides practitioners with a tool for ranking contractors based on best value and provides academics with selection parameters,
a model to evaluate the best value, and a methodology for quantifying the qualitative effect of subjective factors.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2010
The best-value BV procurement process uses other key factors as well as bid price in the evalua... more The best-value BV procurement process uses other key factors as well as bid price in the evaluation and selection of the
best-performing contractor for the job. Contract time, lane rental, warranty, and quality of delivered product are examples of the key
factors that indicate the contractor-expected performance. Literature on best value shows a need for analyzing the past performance of the
contractor in similar jobs as an indicator of his/her qualification trend. This paper addresses this issue and proposes a methodology to
incorporate quality of delivered product in the BV procurement system of asphalt construction. The paper uses past quality control QC
testing results and utilizes Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the probability that the contractor gets full payment as an indication of
qualification trend. The QC data were obtained from the Nebraska Department of Roads for a number of Superpave pavement projects.
The results show the possibility of assigning a quality score for the contractor based on the past performance. This paper contributes to
the current practice of best value with a new approach of employing QC as part of the selection process.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2008
Best-value becomes a well known procurement practice in many states in the country. The objective... more Best-value becomes a well known procurement practice in many states in the country. The objective of this transformation
from the old practice of lowest bid to best-value is to increase the value added to the project for each dollar added. This paper discusses
a new concept of best-value modeling that is unique and tailored to each project. The model uses records of past projects to obtain specific
evaluation criteria, from which a best-value score is determined for each contractor. Primary parameters that impact contractor selection
are identified and analyzed based on which best-value model is designed. Data are collected from groups of experts in the Minnesota
Department of Transportation. Two application methods are used to assess the best-value: 1 the weighted average method; and 2 the
analytic hierarchy process. Although the paper is written to assist government agencies in selecting the best contractors, the research
results shared in this paper are relevant to both academics and practitioners. The paper provides practitioners with a tool for ranking
contractors based on best-value and provides academics with selection parameters, a model to evaluate this best-value, and a methodology
of quantifying the qualitative effect of subjective factors.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2007
The dynamic nature of today's construction industry compels construction partners to seek strateg... more The dynamic nature of today's construction industry compels construction partners to seek strategies in order to improve performance. Current research introduces a performance evaluation model for construction companies in order to provide a proper tool for a company's managers, owners, shareholders, and funding agencies to evaluate the performance of construction companies. The model developed helps a company's management to make the right decisions. Financial, economical, and industrial data are collected from Egyptian construction companies for nine consecutive years 1992-2000. Five indices models are developed: company performance score, economy performance score, industry performance score, performance index, and performance grade. The models developed consider companies in four construction sectors: general building, heavy, special trade, and real estate. These models accommodate the effect of macroeconomic and industry related factors and company size on the performance evaluation. The final outcome of current research is a performance grade, which provides the performance of a construction company. The developed model is validated, which shows robust results.
International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 2019
The effective knowledge management (KM) at construction company level is rapidly becoming a key o... more The effective knowledge management (KM) at construction company level is rapidly becoming a key organizational capability that adds a sustainable competitive advantage. Managing intellectual asset is considered a challenge facing construction firms in today's business environment. However, these challenges can be overcome by applying best KM practices. This study investigates practices that influence the effectiveness of KM at the company level. During phase I of the study, a review of the available literature was conducted to identify the implemented practices for KM. Based on this review the main processes of KM system were compiled in a model and a list of best practices for KM that are relevant to the local industry was introduced. During phase II, questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from 27 Egyptian construction companies. The main objectives of phase II is to prioritize KM practices that were identified during phase I. The quantitative data analysis demonstrated all practices mentioned in the questionnaire are important for successful KM system. It was found that document management, training and support, knowledge creation, and knowledge capturing and storing to be the top four practices for KM. The results of this study assist construction organizations in leading the implementation of KM practices. The results can be used not only in the planning phase of implementation of KM practices but also in evaluating the completeness of the implementation.
IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 2019
One drawback of the Line of Balance (LOB) method is the unavailability of commercial software fea... more One drawback of the Line of Balance (LOB) method is the unavailability of commercial software featuring its fundamentals. Studies pointed out this drawback as a factor that prevents a more frequent use. Recognizing the potential of the LOB method for managing construction projects, the objective of this paper is to propose a methodology for modeling Line of Balance schedules using CPM software like MS Project®. Previous researches developed an integrated Critical Path Method (CPM) and LOB model in an analytical nongraphical manner. This paper advances LOB modeling one step further to deal with other possible logical dependencies between activities. The presented framework can be used to develop a scheduling model that can link input and output data to commercial scheduling software; MS project®. The results of model application on a case study show the model ability in dealing with all possible relations with lags between activities and data transfer to MS project®.
Water Resource Management, 2018
Field Canals Improvement Project (FCIP) aims to conserve fresh water. Several methods are existed... more Field Canals Improvement Project (FCIP) aims to conserve fresh water. Several methods are existed to predict project preliminary cost. However, identification of model inputs remains a challenging task during model development. This study utilizes two procedures,
Traditional Delphi Method (TDM) and Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM), which are used for collecting and initially ranking cost drivers. According to the second approach, Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) is used for finally ranking the screened parameters by FDM. Delphi rounds and Likert scale are conducted to determine the most important factors
from the viewpoint of consultant engineers and contractors. Regression analysis and R square is used as a comparison criteria between traditional technique and fuzzy techniques. The study suggests using Fuzzy theory and Delphi method with Analytic Hierarchy Process in order to identify cost drivers efficiently. Paper contribution is proposing a methodology to evaluate cost drivers of FCIP using qualitative data such as experts’ opinions.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2018
A conceptual cost estimation is prepared to assess the feasibility of a project or establish the ... more A conceptual cost estimation is prepared to assess the feasibility of a project or establish the project’s initial budget at the early stages of the project. The main objective of the paper is automating the cost estimate at the conceptual stage with the highest accuracy. The key contribution of this paper is developing a quadratic regression model with a prediction accuracy of 9.12% and 7.82% for training and validation,
respectively. This research has identified the model’s key parameters to establish a reliable conceptual cost estimate model for field canal improvement projects (FCIPs). Two machine learning models were developed utilizing multiple regression analysis (MRA) and artificial
neural networks (ANNs). Searching for a better model, several data transformations have been conducted to improve the model performance. The quadratic regression model has shown the highest performance based on the correlation and the mean absolute percentage
error (MAPE) criteria. A parametric model has been presented in this paper to predict the conceptual cost of FCIPs. This research maintains
the importance of identifying key parameters and conducting data transformation and sensitivity analysis for developing a reliable parametric cost prediction model.
Al-Azhar university Civil Engineering Research Magazine
Many construction projects could be considered as repetitive projects. Researchers developed many... more Many construction projects could be considered as repetitive projects. Researchers developed many scheduling models for repetitive projects. Although these models showed enhancement in meeting deadline and resources limitations, they ignored the effect of learning curve on the production rate of construction crews. The effect of learning in repetitive work are being studied since the 1930. Despite the fact that there is an effect on Line of Balance (LOB), no further development has been made to their applications. This paper develops a scheduling model which incorporate the effect of learning with LOB. The model is validated using a case study to show the learning effect on activities duration.
Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 2018
Shortage of irrigation water is a challenge frequently occurs at Canal Tail-end (CT). This paper ... more Shortage of irrigation water is a challenge frequently occurs at Canal Tail-end (CT). This paper uses Value Engineering (VE) methodology to find solutions of this problem. VE methodology includes collecting
information about the water shortage at CT, analyze functions of canals, develop creative ideas, assess creative ideas based on evaluation criteria, obtain a short list of value alternatives, and develop value alternatives using Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Net Present Value (NPV). Study results indicate that VE methodology is a problem solving tool that helps in finding solutions with focus on achieving the basic
function of the system.
Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 2018
Egypt depends on the Nile River to secure 95% of the water needed for different purposes as drink... more Egypt depends on the Nile River to secure 95% of the water needed for different purposes as drinking, household uses, agriculture, fishing source, water transportation, tourism, electricity generation from
the High Dam and industry. Although, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is essential to Ethiopia’s development, many research pointed out its negative impact on Egypt. Although previous
researches addressed the problem of GERD using stochastic data, they used deterministic methods .
This paper aims to use a stochastic method to assess risks of GERD on Egypt, and propose strategies to mitigate these risks. Management actions and policies are proposed to manage fresh water resources
and mitigate GERD risks. The study concluded that the expected amount of saved water using proposed strategies exceeds the expected losses caused by GERD by 12.1 Billion m3. Adopting the suggested strategies
could reduce or eliminate the impact of GERD on Egypt
International Journal of Engineering and Management Research, 2017
Sustainability is one of the rising concepts in construction industry. The goal of sustainability... more Sustainability is one of the rising concepts in construction industry. The goal of sustainability is to help people all over the world to satisfy their needs without compromising the future generations' needs. Sustainability is a wide concept, which requires environmental, economic, social and technological criteria to be met. This paper aims to asses and analyzes the sustainability knowledge among construction industry members. The analysis results show that 66.67% of respondents have medium to well sustainability knowledge while 12.5% of the respondents know nothing about the sustainability and only 4.17% have very well sustainability knowledge. LEED certificate was the sustainability certificate that 66.67% of respondents enteritis are targeting. Construction industry was the most area where 66.67% of respondents are familiar with sustainability in, followed by architectural, mechanical and electrical with 33.3%, 29.17, and 29.17% of respondents respectively.
IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 2017
Intense competition among construction companies urges for continuous improvement and evaluation ... more Intense competition among construction companies urges for continuous improvement and evaluation of performance. Many researches recognized the importance of financial performance (FP) and attempted to develop a reliable model to evaluate the company FP. The main objective of this research is developing an accurate model to evaluate the financial performance of residential construction companies. Financial data of a number of residential construction companies were collected from the Egyptian Authority of Money Market in the form of balance sheets and income statement. The most six ratios affecting company financial performance were identified and calculated. Every financial point (case) defined with six financial ratios. The financial ratios represent the model input while the model output, i.e. performance index, is developed using fuzzy c-mean clustering (FCM). Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is utilized to develop the relation between the input and output variables. Some points were kept for the purpose of testing the validity of the developed model. The validation of the model showed satisfactory results which provide a sufficientdegree of reliability to use the model in evaluating the financial performance of construction companies.
Int. J. Engineering Management and Economics, 2016
This paper reports the findings of research intended to document the current status of adoption a... more This paper reports the findings of research intended to document the
current status of adoption and use of building information modelling (BIM) in the Egyptian construction industry. This study utilised an online survey which was sent to 120 contracting firms and 10 consultancy offices in Egypt.
The response rate was 17.2% of the total firms included in the survey which may be explained that the majority of current construction practitioners know little or nothing about BIM. Findings of the research revealed that BIM is expanding within the construction industry and practitioners think it is the future while moving to sustainable buildings. The research findings urge the need to provide more information to the industry regarding the benefits of BIM technology. Government doesn’t promote the utilisation of BIM in public work.
International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, 2016
Conceptual cost estimates have substantial consequences on success of infrastructure projects at ... more Conceptual cost estimates have substantial consequences on success of infrastructure projects at early stages. This paper presents a parametric model for conceptual cost estimate of highway projects. A database of 75 highway projects was collected and complied for model development. In-depth interviews with experts were conducted to select the convenient input factors for model development. A supervised neural network model with one hidden layer optimized using Genetic A lgorith ms was established for determination of parameters significantly impacting cost of highway projects. The model utilize d Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm as a back-propagation rule and Hyperbolic Tangent functio n as a transfer function for both hidden and output layers. The model was trained and evaluated to derive the linkage between highway projects' cost, its input factors and to ensure its predictive performance, respectively. Then, a case study was carried out to test its validity and accuracy in handling real p ractical applications. The results showed that the developed model is reliable to be used at early stages of highway projects. Accordingly, a graphical user interface module was coded for the model to facilitate its usage and manipulation with future h ighway projects.
Water Resource Management, 2015
The globe is facing an increase in water demand associated with an increase in the world populati... more The globe is facing an increase in water demand associated with an increase in the world population especially in developing countries. The increasing population urges an additional agricultural land and irrigation water. Traditional system of irrigation water supplier is open canals which allow a high percentage of water dissipation and evaporation. This paper presents a new approach to evaluate design alternatives of Improved Field Irrigation Canals (IFIC) using Life Cycle Cost (LCC) methods. LCC is a methodology for calculating the total cost of a system from inception to disposal taking into account the time value of money. The main objective of this paper is using LCC to evaluate irrigation improvement canals to save water and increase agricultural production. Four methods such: i) Net Present Value (NPV); ii) Benefit/Cost ratio (BCR); iii) Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and iv) Pay Back Period (PBP) are used to compare between three IFIC design alternatives. These alternatives are i) pipeline with one pump at canal head, ii) pipeline with one pump at the head and one pump at the middle,
and iii) lined open canal and compared to the reference case; i.e. open canal. Results show that the best economic alternative for IFIC is pipeline with one pump at the intake of the canal.
IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 2014
Best-Value contracting is a mechanism that many agencies used to effectively implement projects w... more Best-Value contracting is a mechanism that many agencies used to effectively implement projects with multiple objectives. It allows the government to acquire goods and services from the businesses that offer the Best-Value to the government, not simply the low-bid. The Low-bid contracting is false economy as the initial savings from price-based competition are erased by additional long-term costs. This paper discusses the implementation of the Best-Value concept in the procurement of construction projects. The main goal of the model implementation is studyingthe effect of changingBV model variables on the selection decision. Sensitivity analysis isconduct using scenarios of selection decisions. These scenarios are extremely important to the decision makers as it provide them with the reliability level and limitations of the model utilization. The paper provides both the decision makers and researchers with Sensitivity Charts that offer the guidelines for model implementation in real-world projects. Sensitivity Charts shows the effect of past performance data on the resulted Best-Value and the selected contractor as well.
IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 2013
Most highway agencies are using subjective measures to rate the quality of construction projects.... more Most highway agencies are using subjective measures to rate the quality of construction projects. The main purposes of rating the contractor performance are for qualification, bidding, or payment schedules. The pay factor (PF) can be defined as a multiplication factor that is often used to determine the contractor pay for the unit of work. The objective of this paper is to propose a rational methodology for defining PF based on basic understanding of the effect of different hot mix asphalt parameters on pavement life. Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) software is used to find the effect of different variables on pavement life. Three main factors considered in pay factor equation for their effect on pavement life:air voids, asphalt content, and percent passing sieve # 200 (P200). The pavement lifebased on the fatigue and rutting failure criteriaare used in the PF model to reflect actual contractor performance.The developed PF model was implemented on a case study.
International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology, 2013
Both PWL and PF data are analyzed against three performance indicators’ data to study whether PWL... more Both PWL and PF data are analyzed against three performance indicators’ data to study whether PWL and PF are good indicators of the contractor performance. The ANCOVA test is used to examine the relation between either PWL or PF and the performance indicators such as IRI, PCI, and Rutting. This test is used since the effect of the change of performance indicators over time is not important. What is important is the significance of using PWL and PF as representative of the performance of the contractor quality. Road performance data, such as Pavement Condition Index (PCI), International roughness Index (IRI), and Rutting, are collected for different road classifications from the Iowa Department of Transportation. The records include the performance data for pavement sections over a period of 5 years. Data are classified according to functional class and pavement type in order to avoid the variability of performance indicators for different pavement types. Data used in the analysis belong to contractors different from the five contractors considered in the development of the quality score model.
Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 2012
Most construction agencies have a quality management system in order to control and manage the qu... more Most construction agencies have a quality management system in order to control and manage the quality of their final product. Once the project is over, the testing results are kept in archives in which they are rarely re-visited or utilized. Quality testing results carry much information about the contractor performance that could be useful during the contractor evaluation/selection process. Previous attempts to implement the Best Value (BV) used the average performance records as the expected performance, which was utilized to evaluate contractors. The objective of this research is to develop, based on random data obtained from the contractor's performance records, a methodology that provides decision makers with the level of confidence or risk associated with the contractor selection using the BV model. Simulation technique is used to develop the BV model and analysis. Field performance data have been used to obtain the Percentage Defective, which indicates the contractor's performance in the BV model. The analysis of data indicates that performance follows a normal distribution. Sensitivity analysis of the BV model illustrates the significance of the weights in the BV model, which demands special attention when selecting the parameters’ weights. The developed methodology provides the decision makers with the confidence and risk associated with their selection decision.
Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2008
The best-value procurement strategy is gaining the interest of federal and state agencies. The st... more The best-value procurement strategy is gaining the interest of federal
and state agencies. The strategy increases the value added to a project
for each dollar added. A new concept of best value, that is, a rational and
flexible model based on expected performance, is presented. The model’s flexibility is obvious in the selection of parameters to be included in the contractor selection process and in the determination of their weights.
The model’s rationality will be achieved through relating all awarded
scores to the agency’s expected performance. The establishment of the
best-value model relies on the past record of the contractor’s work for the agency as an indicator of qualification trend. This research incorporates prequalification as a first-level screening technique in selecting top contractor bids in the best-value procurement and then applies a rational scoring system in the final selection. Selection of the most appropriate contractor with the best qualifications for a given project will be based on contractor best value. Data are collected from groups of experts in the Minnesota Department of Transportation and processed through the analytic hierarchy process to establish the parameter weights. Although this research assists departments of transportation in selecting the best contractor, the results are relevant to both academics and practitioners.
The paper provides practitioners with a tool for ranking contractors based on best value and provides academics with selection parameters,
a model to evaluate the best value, and a methodology for quantifying the qualitative effect of subjective factors.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2010
The best-value BV procurement process uses other key factors as well as bid price in the evalua... more The best-value BV procurement process uses other key factors as well as bid price in the evaluation and selection of the
best-performing contractor for the job. Contract time, lane rental, warranty, and quality of delivered product are examples of the key
factors that indicate the contractor-expected performance. Literature on best value shows a need for analyzing the past performance of the
contractor in similar jobs as an indicator of his/her qualification trend. This paper addresses this issue and proposes a methodology to
incorporate quality of delivered product in the BV procurement system of asphalt construction. The paper uses past quality control QC
testing results and utilizes Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the probability that the contractor gets full payment as an indication of
qualification trend. The QC data were obtained from the Nebraska Department of Roads for a number of Superpave pavement projects.
The results show the possibility of assigning a quality score for the contractor based on the past performance. This paper contributes to
the current practice of best value with a new approach of employing QC as part of the selection process.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2008
Best-value becomes a well known procurement practice in many states in the country. The objective... more Best-value becomes a well known procurement practice in many states in the country. The objective of this transformation
from the old practice of lowest bid to best-value is to increase the value added to the project for each dollar added. This paper discusses
a new concept of best-value modeling that is unique and tailored to each project. The model uses records of past projects to obtain specific
evaluation criteria, from which a best-value score is determined for each contractor. Primary parameters that impact contractor selection
are identified and analyzed based on which best-value model is designed. Data are collected from groups of experts in the Minnesota
Department of Transportation. Two application methods are used to assess the best-value: 1 the weighted average method; and 2 the
analytic hierarchy process. Although the paper is written to assist government agencies in selecting the best contractors, the research
results shared in this paper are relevant to both academics and practitioners. The paper provides practitioners with a tool for ranking
contractors based on best-value and provides academics with selection parameters, a model to evaluate this best-value, and a methodology
of quantifying the qualitative effect of subjective factors.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2007
The dynamic nature of today's construction industry compels construction partners to seek strateg... more The dynamic nature of today's construction industry compels construction partners to seek strategies in order to improve performance. Current research introduces a performance evaluation model for construction companies in order to provide a proper tool for a company's managers, owners, shareholders, and funding agencies to evaluate the performance of construction companies. The model developed helps a company's management to make the right decisions. Financial, economical, and industrial data are collected from Egyptian construction companies for nine consecutive years 1992-2000. Five indices models are developed: company performance score, economy performance score, industry performance score, performance index, and performance grade. The models developed consider companies in four construction sectors: general building, heavy, special trade, and real estate. These models accommodate the effect of macroeconomic and industry related factors and company size on the performance evaluation. The final outcome of current research is a performance grade, which provides the performance of a construction company. The developed model is validated, which shows robust results.
The dynamic nature of today’s construction industry compels construction partners to seek strateg... more The dynamic nature of today’s construction industry compels construction partners to seek strategies to improve performance. This study introduces an updating performance evaluation model for that one previously developed by Goda (1999). Updating the model has been made for; 1) increase the number of studied years to nine years (1992-2000), 2) testing the effect of macro-economic and industry related factor on the performance evaluation of Egyptian construction companies. The updating of the model takes in to account the company-size effect on the performance evaluation of construction companies. Also, the study tested the validity of the “Unsupervised Neural Network” technique to solve the problem. But this trial failed because this technique needs a large number of observations in the same year. This large number of companies was not available by any way. The model development aims to provide a proper tool for company’s manager, owners, shareholders, and funding agencies to evaluate the financial performance of construction companies. In addition, it helps company’s management to take the right financial decisions. It is developed based on Egyptian construction industry financial data for nine consecutive years (1992 – 2000). Three indices are developed: (1) company performance score (Sc) using six financial ratios; (2) economy performance score (Se) and industry performance score (Si); and (3) performance index (PI). The developed model considers companies in four construction sectors: (a) general building construction; (b) heavy construction; (c) special trade construction; and (d) real estate construction. The final outcome of this study is a performance grade (G), which provides the financial situation of a construction company. This research is relevant to both researchers and practitioners. It provides models for practitioners’ usage to assess their companies and take the right decision to reform companies’ financial situation.