Uma Maheswari J - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Uma Maheswari J

Research paper thumbnail of Improvised Scheduling Framework Integrating WS, MS, & DS for Repetitive Construction Projects

Proceedings of the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (IAARC)

There is acute shortage of skilled worker globally against increasing demand of infrastructure, c... more There is acute shortage of skilled worker globally against increasing demand of infrastructure, changing work cycle; absenteeism, etc. Mechanisation, automation, and several approaches have been attempted to overcome this shortage that resulted in marginal improvements. The primary reason for this can be attributed to insufficient coordination among key stakeholders. To improve the project performance, a frame work for improvised schedule is proposed combining Work Study (WS), Multi Skilling (MS) and Dynamic scheduling (DS). This approach is expected to show improvement at three stages: 1) At activity level by simplification of basic execution processes through work study, 2) At crew level by optimally utilising multi skilled workers with varying degree of proficiency, and 3) At project level through smooth execution of activities by dynamic workers allocation. This approach was experimented on mass housing project and the initial results were reviewed with experts. Repetitive construction project was primarily chosen for this study owing to simplicity and fast learning due to crew continuity. Expert's feedback along with the applicability of this framework is also discussed in this paper.

Research paper thumbnail of Design for X: An Iterative Approach for Design Optimization in Pre-engineered and Pre-cast Construction

Design for Tomorrow—Volume 3, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Affordance-based Design Method: A Case Study of University Campus

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

Development of a built environment encompasses urban design, land use, transportation system, and... more Development of a built environment encompasses urban design, land use, transportation system, and accommodates patterns of human activity within the physical environment. Holistic development of built environment requires a multidisciplinary design team of urban planners, architects and sustainability advisors from an early design stage. Literature and industry-practices show growth of designer’s techniques and competencies, sustainable development capabilities, and user-centric prospective in the early design. However, there is a lack of systematic method and all-inclusive approach to design a built environment. Thus, proposed research aims to develop a design method which is user-inspired, stakeholder conducive and environmentally conscious from an early design stage. To achieve this aim, an affordance-based design method is proposed and demonstrated through a case study of university campus. Affordance-based design method has been used for design of complex systems by capturing u...

Research paper thumbnail of Application of Desktop VR Concepts for Construction Projects

Owing to the recent challenges in construction sector, many new techniques have been emerged. Vir... more Owing to the recent challenges in construction sector, many new techniques have been emerged. Virtual Reality (VR) is one among them which is advancement in visualising construction operations with man-machine interface. Apart from visualisation, this concept also helps in identifying problems at their sources and hence is of recent research investigation by construction professionals. The focus of the present study is to bring out a brief review of various applications of desktop VR technology in construction industry. A framework has also been proposed to showcase the various research findings.

Research paper thumbnail of Constructability: The Prime Target in Value Engineering for Design Optimization

An ideal Design-Construction Interface is assumed in the decision making process of initiation an... more An ideal Design-Construction Interface is assumed in the decision making process of initiation and planning. The uniqueness, site conditions and contingencies cannot be envisaged and incorporated in its entirety in all projects. Constructability in resonance to the appropriate technology becomes paramount in deciding the material, structural forms and construction methodology. The construction industry is gradually evolving to a manufacturing and product delivery process where design for Manufacturability and Assembly takes precedence. Optimization of targeted values viz logistics, manufacturability, assembly, maintenance, lifecycle cost and ergonomics becomes critical to ensure smooth execution of the Project. The data collected from a pre cast construction project is analysed to map the degree of ease in Design-Construction interface and compared with a framed structure to draw parallels with respect to constructability as a target in value engineering. The objective of the study ...

Research paper thumbnail of BDM–MDM integrated solution concept for scheduling information-driven projects

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 2021

PurposeScheduling in information-driven design phase of construction projects is challenging due ... more PurposeScheduling in information-driven design phase of construction projects is challenging due to multiple entity types (teams, components, deliverables, activities or parameters) and their dependencies/linkages. Established techniques such as dependency structure matrix (DSM), beeline diagramming method (BDM), multiple domain matrix (MDM), etc. have been independently utilized in past to model information dependencies/linkages and associated iteration. However, there has not been a holistic solution yet for scheduling multiple entity types and their relationships. Hence, an integrated solution needs to be developed that schedules information-driven projects accurately.Design/methodology/approachA case study data collection approach is utilized. With data from two projects, i.e. hostel design and highway design, a BDM–MDM integrated solution was developed and applied to the same. Feedback from experts was obtained for refinements.FindingsThe proposed solution is efficient for sche...

Research paper thumbnail of Factors Influencing Design Iteration with a Focus on Project Duration

Journal of Management in Engineering, 2014

Researchers have identified the dependency structure matrix (DSM) as a potential tool to explicit... more Researchers have identified the dependency structure matrix (DSM) as a potential tool to explicitly identify iteration blocks and to evaluate the resulting sequence. Factors such as duration of activity, duration of rework, location of feedback variables, size of block, and number of loops within a block influence the overall duration of a project. The present study traces a pattern underlying the behavior of the block in evaluating the execution sequence. To achieve this objective, a database is generated for two-activity and three-activity DSMs by using a Monte-Carlo simulation based approach. The results of the model are analyzed to determine the placement of activity and rework probabilities that can achieve minimal duration of a project.

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling design iteration using DSM and simulation

… Symposium on Automation & Robotics in …, 2007

DSM (Design/Dependency Structure Matrix) is a potential tool for planning iterations and also for... more DSM (Design/Dependency Structure Matrix) is a potential tool for planning iterations and also for evaluating alternate sequences. The standard DSM operations can determine the basic sequence and can identify the existence of cycles/loops. These cycles ...

Research paper thumbnail of Utilising BIM in Construction Safety Planning: A Systematic Review

Recent Advancements in Civil Engineering

The construction industry is always associated with hazards. According to the Health and Safety E... more The construction industry is always associated with hazards. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the construction sector accounts for the most considerable amount of fatal injuries. Technology can overcome such issues by enhancing safety at construction sites. Building information modelling (BIM) is an upcoming concept and is gaining popularity in the construction industry. Attempts have been made to summarise the application of BIM in safety, but studies have not summarised it systematically. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review the existing knowledge of BIM in construction safety and identify the gaps in existing studies. A systematic review was conducted on the articles published from 2009 to 2020. For the study, three topics were selected, including BIM for construction safety, prevention through design (PtD), and automated rule-based checking. The findings observe that BIM allows to identify the hazards and mitigate them before the construction commences. Additionally, a significant number of accidents are linked with the design and safety issues can be assessed automatically using BIM in the design phase. Therefore, the use of BIM can improve the safety performance of the construction industry.

Research paper thumbnail of Constructability: The Prime Target in Value Engineering for Design Optimization

Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC)

An ideal Design-Construction Interface is assumed in the decision making process of initiation an... more An ideal Design-Construction Interface is assumed in the decision making process of initiation and planning. The uniqueness, site conditions and contingencies cannot be envisaged and incorporated in its entirety in all projects. Constructability in resonance to the appropriate technology becomes paramount in deciding the material, structural forms and construction methodology. The construction industry is gradually evolving to a manufacturing and product delivery process where design for Manufacturability and Assembly takes precedence. Optimization of targeted values viz logistics, manufacturability, assembly, maintenance, lifecycle cost and ergonomics becomes critical to ensure smooth execution of the Project. The data collected from a pre cast construction project is analysed to map the degree of ease in Design-Construction interface and compared with a framed structure to draw parallels with respect to constructability as a target in value engineering. The objective of the study is to examine the components of constructability in Design Process to optimize effort and resources. Target Value Design gives the stakeholders more rationale inputs for monitoring and decision making. The study attempts to predict the future of manufacturability and constructability in construction where smooth assembly with minimum labour is essential for value addition. The bottom up approach of new policy initiatives and better communication between stakeholders promise more refined designs in future where technology will be pushed to achieve design optimization.

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic Scheduling Framework to Overcome Deficiency of Skilled Workers

Proceedings of the 34th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC), Jul 1, 2017

Substanti al investments in infrastructure worl d over and rapi d advancement in construction tec... more Substanti al investments in infrastructure worl d over and rapi d advancement in construction technolog y has created acute shortage of skilled workers. The skill deficiency gets aggravated further due to absenteeism, migration, etc. In practice, i t was observed that there exist several parti ally trained semiskilled workers having expertise in one or more trade. Using these semiskilled workers as substitute can address the shortage of skilled workers to some extent. On the contrary, skilled workers alone are considered while pl anning and scheduling in most of the construction projects. Here, the potenti al capability of these parti ally trained workers remains unexploited because of their default groupi ng with unskilled workers. The root cause of this skill treatment can be the absence of standardised system of screening and classification of workers into di fferent skill category as highly skilled, skilled, semiskilled , or unskilled and the ambiguity in updating or maintaining the worker's database. Hence, the objecti ve of the present study is to review the "skill" levels and the worker's skill utilization to the maxi mum extent possible. To achieve this, a framework has been proposed to generate worker's multi skill database (WMSD) and dynamic scheduling to address the uncertainty caused by deficit of skilled workers.

Research paper thumbnail of A Structured Approach to Form Dependency Structure Matrix for Construction Projects

Proceedings of the 22nd International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction

The sequence of design activities is vital, particularly in interdisciplinary projects. Sequencin... more The sequence of design activities is vital, particularly in interdisciplinary projects. Sequencing of activities is influenced by the information dependency among the activities. The dependency relationships among the design activities in a project are of three types-independent, dependent and interdependent or loops. Interdependent activities (or loops) require assumed information to start and progress. If these assumptions are erroneous, it can lead to rework of a single or a group of dependent activities. One of the challenges in planning the sequencing of design activities is to decide on appropriate information or assumptions which can be made to break the interdependent activities (or loops). Conventional tools such as Critical Path Method (CPM) and Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) are not suitable for representing information flow because interdependent activities or loops cannot be modeled. Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a potential tool to model feedback loops/ cycles. One of the main difficulties in implementing DSM is in comprehensively identifying the activities and information dependencies which are required to formulate the DSM. Based on the experience in attempting to develop a DSM for an interdisciplinary project, the authors have proposed a new approach in identifying all the possible activities and their information dependencies. A prototype software also had been developed in Excel VBA for implementing the methodology. The proposed concepts are illustrated through application to Induced Draft Cooling Tower (IDCT) projects. This illustration is multidisciplinary in nature consisting of mechanical, civil, electrical and instrumentation. The proposed concept has proven fruitful and hence this approach is anticipated beneficial for construction applications.

Research paper thumbnail of Factors Influencing Design Iteration with a Focus on Project Duration

Journal of Management in Engineering, 2014

ABSTRACT Researchers have identified the dependency structure matrix (DSM) as a potential tool to... more ABSTRACT Researchers have identified the dependency structure matrix (DSM) as a potential tool to explicitly identify iteration blocks and to evaluate the resulting sequence. Factors such as duration of activity, duration of rework, location of feedback variables, size of block, and number of loops within a block influence the overall duration of a project. The present study traces a pattern underlying the behavior of the block in evaluating the execution sequence. To achieve this objective, a database is generated for two-activity and three-activity DSMs by using a Monte-Carlo simulation based approach. The results of the model are analyzed to determine the placement of activity and rework probabilities that can achieve minimal duration of a project.

Research paper thumbnail of Project Scheduling using Dependency Structure Matrix

International Journal of Project Management, 2005

Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a powerful tool to plan the activity seq... more Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a powerful tool to plan the activity sequences, identify and manage information exchanges. However, its application in scheduling is very limited. So far, DSM has been used to enable critical path calculations by assigning the Ôamount of effort/work doneÕ as duration to the activities. This paper addresses Ôcommunication timeÕ, a new concept while estimating the normal project duration. The other issue arises, while planning and scheduling compressed projects with DSM. When the activities are overlapped to achieve the compressed duration, there arise two cases-the natural overlap (involving minimum risk) and the forced overlap (involves more risk). This paper focuses on the estimation of natural overlap project duration using DSM. Further, the author also proposes a detailed implementation procedure focusing on the above ideas and is illustrated through an example.

Research paper thumbnail of A structured approach to form dependency structure matrix for construction projects

… Symposium on Automation and Robotics in …, 2005

Abstract— The sequence of design activities is vital, particularly in interdisciplinary projects.... more Abstract— The sequence of design activities is vital, particularly in interdisciplinary projects. Sequencing of activities is influenced by the information dependency among the activities. The dependency relationships among the design activities in a project are of three types – independent, ...

Research paper thumbnail of Project scheduling using dependency structure matrix

International Journal of Project Management, 2005

Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a powerful tool to plan the activity seq... more Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a powerful tool to plan the activity sequences, identify and manage information exchanges. However, its application in scheduling is very limited. So far, DSM has been used to enable critical path calculations by ...

Research paper thumbnail of Design iteration in construction projects – Review and directions

Alexandria Engineering Journal

Abstract Design phase of any construction project involves several designers who exchange informa... more Abstract Design phase of any construction project involves several designers who exchange information with each other most often in an unstructured manner throughout the design phase. When these information exchanges happen to occur in cycles/loops, it is termed as design iteration. Iteration is an inherent and unavoidable aspect of any design phase which requires proper planning. Till date, very few researchers have explored the design iteration (“complexity”) in construction sector. Hence, the objective of this paper was to document and review the complexities of iteration during design phase of construction projects for efficient design planning. To achieve this objective, exhaustive literature review on design iteration was done for four sectors – construction, manufacturing, aerospace, and software development. In addition, semi-structured interviews and discussions were done with a few design experts to verify the different dimensions of iteration. Finally, a design iteration framework was presented in this study that facilitates successful planning.

Research paper thumbnail of Improvised Scheduling Framework Integrating WS, MS, & DS for Repetitive Construction Projects

Proceedings of the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (IAARC)

There is acute shortage of skilled worker globally against increasing demand of infrastructure, c... more There is acute shortage of skilled worker globally against increasing demand of infrastructure, changing work cycle; absenteeism, etc. Mechanisation, automation, and several approaches have been attempted to overcome this shortage that resulted in marginal improvements. The primary reason for this can be attributed to insufficient coordination among key stakeholders. To improve the project performance, a frame work for improvised schedule is proposed combining Work Study (WS), Multi Skilling (MS) and Dynamic scheduling (DS). This approach is expected to show improvement at three stages: 1) At activity level by simplification of basic execution processes through work study, 2) At crew level by optimally utilising multi skilled workers with varying degree of proficiency, and 3) At project level through smooth execution of activities by dynamic workers allocation. This approach was experimented on mass housing project and the initial results were reviewed with experts. Repetitive construction project was primarily chosen for this study owing to simplicity and fast learning due to crew continuity. Expert's feedback along with the applicability of this framework is also discussed in this paper.

Research paper thumbnail of Design for X: An Iterative Approach for Design Optimization in Pre-engineered and Pre-cast Construction

Design for Tomorrow—Volume 3, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Affordance-based Design Method: A Case Study of University Campus

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

Development of a built environment encompasses urban design, land use, transportation system, and... more Development of a built environment encompasses urban design, land use, transportation system, and accommodates patterns of human activity within the physical environment. Holistic development of built environment requires a multidisciplinary design team of urban planners, architects and sustainability advisors from an early design stage. Literature and industry-practices show growth of designer’s techniques and competencies, sustainable development capabilities, and user-centric prospective in the early design. However, there is a lack of systematic method and all-inclusive approach to design a built environment. Thus, proposed research aims to develop a design method which is user-inspired, stakeholder conducive and environmentally conscious from an early design stage. To achieve this aim, an affordance-based design method is proposed and demonstrated through a case study of university campus. Affordance-based design method has been used for design of complex systems by capturing u...

Research paper thumbnail of Application of Desktop VR Concepts for Construction Projects

Owing to the recent challenges in construction sector, many new techniques have been emerged. Vir... more Owing to the recent challenges in construction sector, many new techniques have been emerged. Virtual Reality (VR) is one among them which is advancement in visualising construction operations with man-machine interface. Apart from visualisation, this concept also helps in identifying problems at their sources and hence is of recent research investigation by construction professionals. The focus of the present study is to bring out a brief review of various applications of desktop VR technology in construction industry. A framework has also been proposed to showcase the various research findings.

Research paper thumbnail of Constructability: The Prime Target in Value Engineering for Design Optimization

An ideal Design-Construction Interface is assumed in the decision making process of initiation an... more An ideal Design-Construction Interface is assumed in the decision making process of initiation and planning. The uniqueness, site conditions and contingencies cannot be envisaged and incorporated in its entirety in all projects. Constructability in resonance to the appropriate technology becomes paramount in deciding the material, structural forms and construction methodology. The construction industry is gradually evolving to a manufacturing and product delivery process where design for Manufacturability and Assembly takes precedence. Optimization of targeted values viz logistics, manufacturability, assembly, maintenance, lifecycle cost and ergonomics becomes critical to ensure smooth execution of the Project. The data collected from a pre cast construction project is analysed to map the degree of ease in Design-Construction interface and compared with a framed structure to draw parallels with respect to constructability as a target in value engineering. The objective of the study ...

Research paper thumbnail of BDM–MDM integrated solution concept for scheduling information-driven projects

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 2021

PurposeScheduling in information-driven design phase of construction projects is challenging due ... more PurposeScheduling in information-driven design phase of construction projects is challenging due to multiple entity types (teams, components, deliverables, activities or parameters) and their dependencies/linkages. Established techniques such as dependency structure matrix (DSM), beeline diagramming method (BDM), multiple domain matrix (MDM), etc. have been independently utilized in past to model information dependencies/linkages and associated iteration. However, there has not been a holistic solution yet for scheduling multiple entity types and their relationships. Hence, an integrated solution needs to be developed that schedules information-driven projects accurately.Design/methodology/approachA case study data collection approach is utilized. With data from two projects, i.e. hostel design and highway design, a BDM–MDM integrated solution was developed and applied to the same. Feedback from experts was obtained for refinements.FindingsThe proposed solution is efficient for sche...

Research paper thumbnail of Factors Influencing Design Iteration with a Focus on Project Duration

Journal of Management in Engineering, 2014

Researchers have identified the dependency structure matrix (DSM) as a potential tool to explicit... more Researchers have identified the dependency structure matrix (DSM) as a potential tool to explicitly identify iteration blocks and to evaluate the resulting sequence. Factors such as duration of activity, duration of rework, location of feedback variables, size of block, and number of loops within a block influence the overall duration of a project. The present study traces a pattern underlying the behavior of the block in evaluating the execution sequence. To achieve this objective, a database is generated for two-activity and three-activity DSMs by using a Monte-Carlo simulation based approach. The results of the model are analyzed to determine the placement of activity and rework probabilities that can achieve minimal duration of a project.

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling design iteration using DSM and simulation

… Symposium on Automation & Robotics in …, 2007

DSM (Design/Dependency Structure Matrix) is a potential tool for planning iterations and also for... more DSM (Design/Dependency Structure Matrix) is a potential tool for planning iterations and also for evaluating alternate sequences. The standard DSM operations can determine the basic sequence and can identify the existence of cycles/loops. These cycles ...

Research paper thumbnail of Utilising BIM in Construction Safety Planning: A Systematic Review

Recent Advancements in Civil Engineering

The construction industry is always associated with hazards. According to the Health and Safety E... more The construction industry is always associated with hazards. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the construction sector accounts for the most considerable amount of fatal injuries. Technology can overcome such issues by enhancing safety at construction sites. Building information modelling (BIM) is an upcoming concept and is gaining popularity in the construction industry. Attempts have been made to summarise the application of BIM in safety, but studies have not summarised it systematically. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review the existing knowledge of BIM in construction safety and identify the gaps in existing studies. A systematic review was conducted on the articles published from 2009 to 2020. For the study, three topics were selected, including BIM for construction safety, prevention through design (PtD), and automated rule-based checking. The findings observe that BIM allows to identify the hazards and mitigate them before the construction commences. Additionally, a significant number of accidents are linked with the design and safety issues can be assessed automatically using BIM in the design phase. Therefore, the use of BIM can improve the safety performance of the construction industry.

Research paper thumbnail of Constructability: The Prime Target in Value Engineering for Design Optimization

Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC)

An ideal Design-Construction Interface is assumed in the decision making process of initiation an... more An ideal Design-Construction Interface is assumed in the decision making process of initiation and planning. The uniqueness, site conditions and contingencies cannot be envisaged and incorporated in its entirety in all projects. Constructability in resonance to the appropriate technology becomes paramount in deciding the material, structural forms and construction methodology. The construction industry is gradually evolving to a manufacturing and product delivery process where design for Manufacturability and Assembly takes precedence. Optimization of targeted values viz logistics, manufacturability, assembly, maintenance, lifecycle cost and ergonomics becomes critical to ensure smooth execution of the Project. The data collected from a pre cast construction project is analysed to map the degree of ease in Design-Construction interface and compared with a framed structure to draw parallels with respect to constructability as a target in value engineering. The objective of the study is to examine the components of constructability in Design Process to optimize effort and resources. Target Value Design gives the stakeholders more rationale inputs for monitoring and decision making. The study attempts to predict the future of manufacturability and constructability in construction where smooth assembly with minimum labour is essential for value addition. The bottom up approach of new policy initiatives and better communication between stakeholders promise more refined designs in future where technology will be pushed to achieve design optimization.

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic Scheduling Framework to Overcome Deficiency of Skilled Workers

Proceedings of the 34th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC), Jul 1, 2017

Substanti al investments in infrastructure worl d over and rapi d advancement in construction tec... more Substanti al investments in infrastructure worl d over and rapi d advancement in construction technolog y has created acute shortage of skilled workers. The skill deficiency gets aggravated further due to absenteeism, migration, etc. In practice, i t was observed that there exist several parti ally trained semiskilled workers having expertise in one or more trade. Using these semiskilled workers as substitute can address the shortage of skilled workers to some extent. On the contrary, skilled workers alone are considered while pl anning and scheduling in most of the construction projects. Here, the potenti al capability of these parti ally trained workers remains unexploited because of their default groupi ng with unskilled workers. The root cause of this skill treatment can be the absence of standardised system of screening and classification of workers into di fferent skill category as highly skilled, skilled, semiskilled , or unskilled and the ambiguity in updating or maintaining the worker's database. Hence, the objecti ve of the present study is to review the "skill" levels and the worker's skill utilization to the maxi mum extent possible. To achieve this, a framework has been proposed to generate worker's multi skill database (WMSD) and dynamic scheduling to address the uncertainty caused by deficit of skilled workers.

Research paper thumbnail of A Structured Approach to Form Dependency Structure Matrix for Construction Projects

Proceedings of the 22nd International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction

The sequence of design activities is vital, particularly in interdisciplinary projects. Sequencin... more The sequence of design activities is vital, particularly in interdisciplinary projects. Sequencing of activities is influenced by the information dependency among the activities. The dependency relationships among the design activities in a project are of three types-independent, dependent and interdependent or loops. Interdependent activities (or loops) require assumed information to start and progress. If these assumptions are erroneous, it can lead to rework of a single or a group of dependent activities. One of the challenges in planning the sequencing of design activities is to decide on appropriate information or assumptions which can be made to break the interdependent activities (or loops). Conventional tools such as Critical Path Method (CPM) and Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) are not suitable for representing information flow because interdependent activities or loops cannot be modeled. Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a potential tool to model feedback loops/ cycles. One of the main difficulties in implementing DSM is in comprehensively identifying the activities and information dependencies which are required to formulate the DSM. Based on the experience in attempting to develop a DSM for an interdisciplinary project, the authors have proposed a new approach in identifying all the possible activities and their information dependencies. A prototype software also had been developed in Excel VBA for implementing the methodology. The proposed concepts are illustrated through application to Induced Draft Cooling Tower (IDCT) projects. This illustration is multidisciplinary in nature consisting of mechanical, civil, electrical and instrumentation. The proposed concept has proven fruitful and hence this approach is anticipated beneficial for construction applications.

Research paper thumbnail of Factors Influencing Design Iteration with a Focus on Project Duration

Journal of Management in Engineering, 2014

ABSTRACT Researchers have identified the dependency structure matrix (DSM) as a potential tool to... more ABSTRACT Researchers have identified the dependency structure matrix (DSM) as a potential tool to explicitly identify iteration blocks and to evaluate the resulting sequence. Factors such as duration of activity, duration of rework, location of feedback variables, size of block, and number of loops within a block influence the overall duration of a project. The present study traces a pattern underlying the behavior of the block in evaluating the execution sequence. To achieve this objective, a database is generated for two-activity and three-activity DSMs by using a Monte-Carlo simulation based approach. The results of the model are analyzed to determine the placement of activity and rework probabilities that can achieve minimal duration of a project.

Research paper thumbnail of Project Scheduling using Dependency Structure Matrix

International Journal of Project Management, 2005

Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a powerful tool to plan the activity seq... more Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a powerful tool to plan the activity sequences, identify and manage information exchanges. However, its application in scheduling is very limited. So far, DSM has been used to enable critical path calculations by assigning the Ôamount of effort/work doneÕ as duration to the activities. This paper addresses Ôcommunication timeÕ, a new concept while estimating the normal project duration. The other issue arises, while planning and scheduling compressed projects with DSM. When the activities are overlapped to achieve the compressed duration, there arise two cases-the natural overlap (involving minimum risk) and the forced overlap (involves more risk). This paper focuses on the estimation of natural overlap project duration using DSM. Further, the author also proposes a detailed implementation procedure focusing on the above ideas and is illustrated through an example.

Research paper thumbnail of A structured approach to form dependency structure matrix for construction projects

… Symposium on Automation and Robotics in …, 2005

Abstract— The sequence of design activities is vital, particularly in interdisciplinary projects.... more Abstract— The sequence of design activities is vital, particularly in interdisciplinary projects. Sequencing of activities is influenced by the information dependency among the activities. The dependency relationships among the design activities in a project are of three types – independent, ...

Research paper thumbnail of Project scheduling using dependency structure matrix

International Journal of Project Management, 2005

Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a powerful tool to plan the activity seq... more Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) has been identified as a powerful tool to plan the activity sequences, identify and manage information exchanges. However, its application in scheduling is very limited. So far, DSM has been used to enable critical path calculations by ...

Research paper thumbnail of Design iteration in construction projects – Review and directions

Alexandria Engineering Journal

Abstract Design phase of any construction project involves several designers who exchange informa... more Abstract Design phase of any construction project involves several designers who exchange information with each other most often in an unstructured manner throughout the design phase. When these information exchanges happen to occur in cycles/loops, it is termed as design iteration. Iteration is an inherent and unavoidable aspect of any design phase which requires proper planning. Till date, very few researchers have explored the design iteration (“complexity”) in construction sector. Hence, the objective of this paper was to document and review the complexities of iteration during design phase of construction projects for efficient design planning. To achieve this objective, exhaustive literature review on design iteration was done for four sectors – construction, manufacturing, aerospace, and software development. In addition, semi-structured interviews and discussions were done with a few design experts to verify the different dimensions of iteration. Finally, a design iteration framework was presented in this study that facilitates successful planning.