Ibrahim Yitmen | Jönköping University (original) (raw)

Papers by Ibrahim Yitmen

Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems, Jan 26, 2020

ABSTRACT Large-scale bridge projects (LSBPs) have emerged due to the gradually increasing transpo... more ABSTRACT Large-scale bridge projects (LSBPs) have emerged due to the gradually increasing transportation needs of the connections between isolated regions. In planning, construction or completion of today’s LSBPs, responses are applied to risks arising in areas such as financial, design, environmental and managerial. The main objective of this study is to prioritise the risk responses from the contractors’ point of view used in LSBPs in Europe and the Middle East by using the analytical network process (ANP). The priorities obtained separately for Europe and the Middle East were compared between each other. The results display that Europe and the Middle East include both common and different risk responses. Two case studies, one in each region, have been conducted to further support the priority values acquired in this study. The priorities and responses obtained in this study can be used as standard risk response list for the prevention or elimination of risks during the planning, construction or completion phases of projects to be implemented in the field of LSBPs in various countries. Lastly, the priorities obtained in this study could be a mirror to detect or juxtapose changes in future studies in the same field.

Frontiers of Engineering Management, May 13, 2020

Blockchain, a peer-to-peer, controlled, distributed database structure, has the potential to prof... more Blockchain, a peer-to-peer, controlled, distributed database structure, has the potential to profoundly affect current business transactions in the construction industry through smart contracts, cryptocurrencies, and reliable asset tracking. The construction industry is often criticized for being slow in embracing emerging technologies and not effectively diffusing them through its supply chains. Often, the extensive fragmentation, traditional procurement structures, destructive competition, lack of collaboration and transparency, low-profit margins, and human resources are shown as the main culprits for this. As blockchain technology makes its presence felt strongly in many other industries like finance and banking, this study investigates the preparation of construction supply chains for blockchain technology through an explorative analysis. Empirical data for the study were collected through semistructured interviews with 17 subject experts. Alongside presenting a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis (SWOT), the study exhibits the requirements for and steps toward a construction supply structure facilitated by blockchain technology.

CRC Press eBooks, May 26, 2023

DergiPark (Istanbul University), Apr 1, 2010

Learning rapidly and competently has become a preeminent strategy for improving organizational pe... more Learning rapidly and competently has become a preeminent strategy for improving organizational performance in the new knowledge era. Improving dynamic learning capability is an exclusive strategy for corporate success in construction industry. Thus, building contractors should implement organizational learning to accomplish a state of readiness for change and develop a competence to respond and identify future business potentials. The purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between organization al learning constructs and the learning outcome, performance improvement, and assess the existing practices of organization al learning in order to reach alearning organization status in building contractors of the Turkish Construction Industry. The research involves a questionnaire survey conducted to the building contractors on organizational learning constructs and performance improvement. The researclı findings support the contribution of organizational learning and its positive influence on performance improvement in construction. The study commences on how all the constructs can be implemented and continuously improved by building contractors white transforming into learning organizations.

Computing in construction, Jul 10, 2023

There is a lack of a cohesive, integrated approach to design and production planning and control,... more There is a lack of a cohesive, integrated approach to design and production planning and control, where realtime data can be captured to support various management functions in an interconnected autonomous platform for collaboration. This paper presents a systematic literature review on collaborative digital platforms for BIM-based projects to facilitate synchronous updates of workflows based on real-time project data. The results show that a combined model, including Knowledge Graphs, Common Data Environments, and Digital Twins have potential to support a fully integrated, automated system. Future studies should therefore investigate how to connect these technologies together in an integrated project platform.

Computing in construction, Jul 10, 2023

Digital Twins (DTs), enriched with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain technology, promis... more Digital Twins (DTs), enriched with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain technology, promise a revolutionary breakthrough in smart asset management and predictive maintenance in the built environment. This study aims to portray a conceptual framework of Blockchain and AIbased DTs and outline its key characteristics, requirements, and system architecture by composing a functional model using IDEF0. Such an approach is expected to enhance predictive maintenance in building facilities, simplify the management and operation of smart built environments, and ultimately deliver valuable outcomes for facility operators, real estate practitioners, and end-users.

Energies

The normal development of “smart buildings,” which calls for integrating sensors, rich data, and ... more The normal development of “smart buildings,” which calls for integrating sensors, rich data, and artificial intelligence (AI) simulation models, promises to usher in a new era of architectural concepts. AI simulation models can improve home functions and users’ comfort and significantly cut energy consumption through better control, increased reliability, and automation. This article highlights the potential of using artificial intelligence (AI) models to improve the design and functionality of smart houses, especially in implementing living spaces. This case study provides examples of how artificial intelligence can be embedded in smart homes to improve user experience and optimize energy efficiency. Next, the article will explore and thoroughly analyze the thorough analysis of current research on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in smart homes using a variety of innovative ideas, including smart interior design and a Smart Building System Framework based on digit...

Compwood 2019 International Conference on Computational Methods in Wood Mechanics – from Material Properties to Timber Structures.ECCOMAS Thematic Conference, June 17-19, 2019, Växjö, Sweden., Apr 29, 2019

Serviceability in terms of springiness, vibration and deflection [1], as well as sustainability i... more Serviceability in terms of springiness, vibration and deflection [1], as well as sustainability in terms of climate impact and costs [2] have been identified as the most important aspects for appropriate functioning in residential multi-storey timber-buildings. Thus, the aim of this study is focused on product development of a timber-concrete composite (TCC) floor system by 1) enhancing serviceability performances of the floor for larger spans (above 6 m) in terms of stiffness and dynamic response, and 2) reducing both climate impact (CO2-emissions) and costs, by optimizing material usage. As the case study a timber structure of a residential multi-storey building, including concrete ground floor and shaft, with the overall dimensions ܮൈܹൈܪൌ30ൈ11ൈ14 ሾ݉ଷሿ has been studied. The geometry of the load bearing structural elements has been modelled using finite element programs. As serviceability criteria for the floors, the deflection due to a point load was chosen. The deflections were related to comfort classes given in [3] and transverse load distribution was taken into account according to [4]. The deflection and effective bending stiffness (EIef in EC5 Annex B) were chosen as objective functions, while thickness of concrete slab and shear stiffness of the connection between glulam beam and concrete slab were chosen as design variables in a multi-objective optimization. The relationship between connection stiffness and height of the concrete slab for comfort class B can be seen in Figure 1. In the figure the cross-section of the TCC floor structure, with a span of 7.5 m, is also depicted. Figure 1: Connection stiffness-concrete thickness relationship and cross-section for the TCC floor. After optimization, a multi-criteria analysis was applied to select a design solution from the Pareto optimal front, satisfying some subjective preferences of the stakeholders for value-driven design. The results in this study integrates serviceability, environmental and economic performances for value-driven design and supports decision making in the early phases of a project, where various alternatives can be analyzed and evaluated

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of virtual collaboration on project pro... more The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of virtual collaboration on project progress monitoring in international construction projects. The research is based on a survey of contracting and engineering consulting firms in the Middle East, Mid-Asia, Europe, North America, and Far East. The useable survey comprised 326 individual responses from 500 distributed, giving a response rate of 65.2 percent. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was proposed as an effective tool to identify the relations between various factors of project progress monitoring, virtual collaboration, and project performance control. The results revealed that there was a strongly significant relationship between virtual collaboration and project performance (time, cost and quality) control. The research findings support the virtual collaborative working environments, as the output of an automated monitoring system is real-time, accurate, and cost effective.

CRC Press eBooks, May 26, 2023

Management and Innovation for a Sustainable Built Environment MISBE 2011, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 20-23, 2011, Jun 21, 2011

These resources and capabilities can be acquired, developed internally, or obtained via an ongoin... more These resources and capabilities can be acquired, developed internally, or obtained via an ongoing cooperative relationship with another firm through the use of a strategic alliance. The use of strategic alliances in construction industry has increased sharply over the last decade and they are particularly effective in helping a firm maintain a superior competitive position in dynamic environments. Alliances reportedly improve the competitiveness of the construction firms by providing access to external resources, by providing synergies and by fostering rapid learning and change. The purpose of this research is to identify the success factors and key components of the development process of strategic alliances, and propose a process model of strategic alliances performances based on alliance conditions in international construction industry. The research involves a questionnaire survey conducted to the Turkish contracting firms operating internationally. Different types of projects constructed by Turkish contractors in Commonwealth of Independent States, Middle East Countries, African Countries, and other regions of the world between 2002 and 2009, were analyzed and used in the developments made in this study. The results indicate that shared risk, trust between parties, and equity are found to be the most important determinants of strategic alliance success. The research findings support the contracting firms enhancing their productive capacities and acquiring competitive advantages that enable them to increase alliance performances. The study also commences on how the identified factors enhance the effectiveness of the participating firms' competitive strategies by providing for mutual resource exchanges (technologies, skills, or products).

Blockchain, a peer-to-peer controlled, distributed database structure, has the potential to profo... more Blockchain, a peer-to-peer controlled, distributed database structure, has the potential to profoundly affect the current business transactions in the construction industry through smart contracts, cryptocurrencies, and reliable asset tracking. The construction industry has often been criticized for being slow in embracing emerging technologies and not effectively diffusing those technologies through its supply chains. Often, the extensive fragmentation, traditional procurement structures, destructive competition, lack of collaboration and transparency, low-profit margins and human resources are shown as the main culprits for this. As Blockchain makes its presence felt strongly in many other industries like finance and banking, this paper investigates how to prepare construction supply chains for Blockchain technology through an explorative analysis. Empirical data for the study were collected through semi-structured interviews with 17 subject experts and focus groups. Alongside presenting a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses opportunities, threats) analysis, the paper exhibits the requirements for and steps toward a construction supply structure facilitated by Blockchain.

International Journal of Civil Engineering, Dec 10, 2012

ABSTRACT Learning rapidly and competently has become a pre-eminent strategy for improving organiz... more ABSTRACT Learning rapidly and competently has become a pre-eminent strategy for improving organizational performance in the new knowledge era. Improving dynamic learning capability is an exclusive strategy for corporate success in construction industry. Thus engineering design firms should implement OL to accomplish a state of readiness for change and develop a competence to respond and identify future business potentials. This study aims to analyze the relationship between organizational learning (OL) and performance improvement (PI) in civil engineering design firms of Turkish construction industry. OL structure in engineering design firms incorporates five constructs: organizational environment, strategy development and implementation, supportive leadership, leveraging knowledge, and learning capability. The empirical data was collected through a questionnaire survey conducted to engineering design firms registered to the Turkish Chamber of Civil Engineers. The hypothesized model relationships were tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results show that each of the variables has a different role and significant positive impact on the OL process and organizational PI. The variables "Supportive leadership" and "Learning capability" proved to be strongly significant and positively related to organizational performance in engineering design firms. In engineering design firms, supportive leadership is needed in order to establish a participative cultural environment that helps design a new form of organization which emphasizes learning, flexibility, and rapid response. Learning capability is the potential to explore and exploit knowledge through learning flows that make possible the development, evolution and use of knowledge stocks enacting engineering design firms and their members to add value to the design business.

Procedia Engineering, 2016

Mega transport infrastructure projects (MTIP) which inherent uncertainty and complexity, are in p... more Mega transport infrastructure projects (MTIP) which inherent uncertainty and complexity, are in practice all overall the world. These projects concerning their nature show political sensitivity and involve diverse group of stakeholders with conflicting interests. In such situations, decision-making becomes extremely difficult, as the necessary knowledge base for making adequate decisions is lacking due to both uncertainty and conflict of interests. This study aims to identify the stakeholders and their interests, analysing stakeholders' relationships, assessing stakeholders' influences, and practicing stakeholder engagement (SE) in MTIP. In SE there are diverse approaches like operational, practical, and conceptual which will be reviewed in the literature. A model of framework will be proposed to provide new perspectives for identifying the precise interrelationships between the SEs, facilitate the complex processes and guide senior management in meeting project objectives. The proposed framework will also provide an effective SE approach to accommodate stakeholder analysis in MTIP for the planning, decision making and implementation of the project, so as to establish clear project priorities.

Building and Environment, Mar 1, 2007

A vision of change for innovation within the perspective of revaluing the construction industry i... more A vision of change for innovation within the perspective of revaluing the construction industry is essential to develop a culture of selfsustaining improvement, mutual recognition, respect and support in the long term in North Cyprus. The research attempts to put forward a case for a restructuring of the construction sector in order to deliver a step in change in quality of output and to realise maximum value to all clients, stakeholders and end users. The main objective of this study is to (1) determine current innovation practices and identify key issues that contribute to successful implementation (2) assess the existence and severity of barriers to change for innovation (3) propose solutions for overcoming barriers to change for innovation in construction industry and develop a framework to revaluate the construction industry. The research includes an extensive literature study, interviews with managers on the challenge of change for innovation in construction, analysis of this information to develop findings, and extending these to present the key strategic issues that could be targeted for revaluing the construction industry. The paper commences on understanding the firms' own processes and detecting their weaknesses and strengths, determining the strategies and actions that should be made in the short term to adopt innovation practices and helping the North Cyprus construction industry to learn as a whole. The paper concludes how the drivers of change for innovation can offer benefits to construction firms in North Cyprus if appropriate strategies are adopted.

Sustainability, Feb 17, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems, Jan 26, 2020

Frontiers of Engineering Management, May 13, 2020

CRC Press eBooks, May 26, 2023

DergiPark (Istanbul University), Apr 1, 2010

Computing in construction, Jul 10, 2023

Energies

CRC Press eBooks, May 26, 2023

Management and Innovation for a Sustainable Built Environment MISBE 2011, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 20-23, 2011, Jun 21, 2011

International Journal of Civil Engineering, Dec 10, 2012

Procedia Engineering, 2016

Building and Environment, Mar 1, 2007

Sustainability, Feb 17, 2023