Luis Alarcon | Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile (original) (raw)

Papers by Luis Alarcon

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling the Impact of Multiskilling and Concrete Batch Size in Multi-Story Buildings

This paper illustrates the use of a simulation model to explore ways to decrease idle time due to... more This paper illustrates the use of a simulation model to explore ways to decrease idle time due to the lack of available working inventory during the primary phase in the construction of a multi-story building. Two strategies are analyzed: increased frequency of concreting operations and the use of multi-skilled workers who use their additional trade when there is a lack of work in their area, or when there is a shortage of employees in another area in which they are proficient. The work involved field observations in a multistory building to obtain data to build and calibrate a simulation model. In the first strategy, the results show that it would be possible to complete the primary phase using 16% less workers or in 10% less time, if concrete is poured daily instead of every other day. In the second strategy, the results show that, in average, it would be possible to complete the primary phase using 14% less workers or in 6% less time, when 30% of the workers are assumed to be multi-skilled. Upon implementing both strategies simultaneously, the results show it would be possible to complete the primary phase using 22% less workers, or in 16% less time.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing a benchmarking system for architecture design firms

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 2019

Purpose The construction industry’s business model is mainly based on the interaction among the a... more Purpose The construction industry’s business model is mainly based on the interaction among the architecture office, the engineering office and the construction company. The performance and practices of architects’ offices, unlike those of the other actors, are difficult to characterize and there have been few studies on these issues. To better understand architects’ performance, the purpose of this paper is to develop a benchmarking tool based on real practices identified by managers of Chilean architecture offices. Design/methodology/approach The research method includes a complete literature review, followed by a study of a sample of nine Chilean architecture offices, with whom a series of four workshops was developed, to establish both performance indicators and relevant management practices. Finally, these metrics were applied in an architectural office as a pilot case. Findings Four management dimensions were defined: client management, external coordination, internal organiza...

Research paper thumbnail of Ideation Framework in Industrialized Construction

Proc. 30th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC)

Currently, industrialized construction (IC) is no longer an option, as it has become a necessity ... more Currently, industrialized construction (IC) is no longer an option, as it has become a necessity for companies that wish to maintain competitiveness and mitigate the pressures in terms of quality, cost, time, and sustainable performance in the construction sector. However, the way to industrialize effectively is still full of uncertainty; companies do not conceive of the incorporation of IC from the early stages, but they start late in the advanced design or even close to the execution phase, which results in the failure of the adoption of these industrialized systems, because such systems require, as a basic condition, thinking early about its incorporation and developing new design integrated and collaborative practices/knowledge. This paper proposes an Ideation Framework in Industrialized Construction (IFIC) that mainly improves the ideation process of ideas/actions within the IC design phase. The IFIC was developed under the design science research methodology. For the evaluation of this framework, the research was based on four case studies. The main contribution is the creation of two fundamental axes for ideation processes: (i) Ideation by self-assessment and (ii) Referral Ideation, which allows devising and incorporating industrialized solutions in a reliable way in IC projects.

Research paper thumbnail of Influence of the experience of the project manager and the foreman on project management’s success in the context of LPS implementation

Ain Shams Engineering Journal, Jun 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Methodology to Quantitatively Assess Collaboration in the Make-Ready Process

Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jun 26, 2023

The Last Planner System (LPS) promotes collaboration to plan, prepare and execute work systematic... more The Last Planner System (LPS) promotes collaboration to plan, prepare and execute work systematically. Make-Ready Planning (MRP) is a key LPS component, connecting mid-and short-term planning by proactively identifying and removing constraints. However, systematic deficiencies in MRP implementation have been observed, and MRP assessment mechanisms are limited to constraint management indexes and qualitative assessment of practices. Hence, finding easy to apply ways to quantitatively assess MRP collaboration and its impacts on LPS performance is identified as research opportunity. To address this, a Design Science Research approach was used to propose a methodology for evaluating MRP collaboration using Social Network Analysis (SNA) of objective LPS information captured by existing Information Technology (IT) support systems. This approach allows for the creation of a directional social network of interactions between constraint removal (source) and task execution (target) last planners. Assessing the average degree, centrality, heterogeneity, number of connected components and density allows to identify collaboration improvement opportunities as well as understanding the impact of collaboration on LPS performance, as the project progresses.

Research paper thumbnail of Contribution of Lean Techniques to Industrialized Construction Adoption: A Barriers Mitigation Approach

Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jun 26, 2023

Despite the benefits associated with industrialized construction (IC), it has low overall levels ... more Despite the benefits associated with industrialized construction (IC), it has low overall levels of adoption. IC is an innovation that is not aligned with institutionalized project supply chains; it has implications in process integration that intensify adoption barriers. Several studies have shown the effectiveness of implementing Lean techniques in different stages of the IC process. This paper exposes the analysis of the contribution of implementing Lean techniques to performance, process flow, knowledge management, and value addition. The implementation results are analyzed in terms of their contribution to mitigating the IC adoption barriers identified in the Chilean context. A systematic literature review is carried out to identify the Lean techniques implemented in some of the phases of the IC process. The analysis of the results reported and the contribution of the implementation of Lean techniques to the mitigation of the impacts of some of the existing barriers to the adoption of IC is conducted using thematic content analysis. Thirty Lean techniques are identified whose implementation results are related to the mitigation of conditions associated with 76.5% of the IC adoption barriers considered to be of high and very high impact for the Chilean context.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing the impacts of implementing lean construction Evaluando los impactos de la implementación de lean construction

Revista de ingeniería de construcción, Apr 1, 2008

Assessing the impacts of implementing lean construction Evaluando los impactos de la implementaci... more Assessing the impacts of implementing lean construction Evaluando los impactos de la implementación de lean construction

Research paper thumbnail of Influence of Organizational Characteristics on Construction Project Performance Using Corporate Social Networks

Journal of Management in Engineering, Jul 1, 2018

This exploratory research examines the relationship between project performance and organizationa... more This exploratory research examines the relationship between project performance and organizational characteristics in construction companies. Nine Chilean construction firms were involved in this study. Key performance indicators (KPIs) were introduced to periodically capture the project performance of 41 projects in these companies. Furthermore, their organizational characteristics were evaluated using social network analysis metrics. A correlation analysis revealed the relationships among four metrics from six social networks and nine KPIs. Significant correlations were found between the density, average degree, diameter and average path length of social networks and the medians and standard deviations of KPIs. The results confirm that a relation exists between high connectivity and short communication paths within the social networks of a construction company and high KPIs of construction project performance. Additionally, high inverse correlations were observed, suggesting that connectivity may be a consequence of poor project results, such as for the accident KPI. The results indicate that high connectivity and closeness inside corporate social networks are not necessarily related to good performance in construction projects. Thus, corporate social networks do not possess an ideal condition that enables optimal company performance in all areas.

Research paper thumbnail of Influence of Last Planner® System Adoption Level on Project Management and Communication

Proc. 30th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC)

Construction projects require complex management of people, resources and goals. The Last Planner... more Construction projects require complex management of people, resources and goals. The Last Planner® System (LPS) provides a systematic framework based on short cycles of work preparation, commitment, and control to allow implementing corrective actions. Successful LPS implementations require the combination of homogeneous mature practices and efficient horizontal collaboration. Nevertheless, partial implementations prevent liking collaboration through mid-term planning, the make-ready process and short-term work-flow stabilization. Therefore, this study aims to assess the relationship and cross-impacts of LPS adoption levels, team collaboration and project performance through an in-depth comparison of two Chilean case-study projects. LPS adoption was measured through a 50 items survey applied to 10 key actors in each project and collaboration was captured through Social Network Analysis (SNA) applied to general interaction, planning, problem-solving, feedback, learning, and leadership surveys answered by all last planners in each project. Also, each project was monitored for at least 18 weeks to capture their Percent Plan Complete (PPC), Reasons for Noncompliance (RNCs) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI). The results, consistent with previous literature, showed that mature LPS adoption significantly aids collaboration and performance.

Research paper thumbnail of Definición De Una Herramienta Multidimensional Para Planificación De Proyectos De Construcción

Research paper thumbnail of Definición De Una Metodología Que Integra Los Procesos De Costes, Contratación y Planificación Para El Incremento De Productividad en Construcción

Research paper thumbnail of Composition and Impact of Reasons for Noncompletion in Construction Projects

Proc. 29th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2021

The Last Planner® System (LPS) uses short systematic cycles of work preparation, shortterm execut... more The Last Planner® System (LPS) uses short systematic cycles of work preparation, shortterm execution commitments and identification of Reasons for Noncompletion (RNCs). LPS based software capture quantifiable information that allows to assess RNC impact on execution. RNCs can be categorized using detailed information and their impact can be obtained assessing task progress and compliance. This research aims to determine the main categories, sources and responsible parties affecting compliance, based on empirical data from 25 High-rise Building (HR) and 25 Industrial Construction (IC) projects. Weekly project information representing 22.636 RNCs was assessed to categorize each RNC by type, source and party. The task, commitment and progress information were used to determine their frequency and impact, based on the duration of the affected task and differences between committed and actual progress. The RNC categories were compared across the sample and between HR and IC projects using statistical analyses. Results showed that approximately two in every three RNCs correspond to factors controllable by the main contractor, while collaboration with the client and subcontractors could allow preventing up to 90% of noncompliance issues.

Research paper thumbnail of Development of a Commitment Management System for Construction Projects

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management

Research paper thumbnail of The Future of Lean Construction 4.0

Routledge eBooks, Nov 25, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Simulation and Modeling Facets in Lean Construction

Routledge eBooks, Nov 25, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the links between simulation modelling and construction production planning and control: a case study on the last planner system

Production Planning & Control

Research paper thumbnail of LEBSCO: Lean-Based Simulation Game for Construction Management Classrooms

Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, 2015

AbstractSimulations and classroom games are effective hands-on learning tools for construction ma... more AbstractSimulations and classroom games are effective hands-on learning tools for construction management students and practitioners. This paper presents the background, methods and results of a new simulation management game called LEBSCO, which simulates aspects of the Last Planner System (LPS) and Lean Production principles. LPS is central to the implementation of Lean Construction, an increasingly popular management approach based on the Toyota Production System and Lean Production. LPS requires continuous and collaborative effort from all stakeholders for the planning and control of a construction project, making it especially appropriate for the experiential learning allowed by simulation. LEBSCO consists of the assembly of Lego™ pieces to form a schematic house, and it is played by teams meeting in rounds simulating weeks of work. Each team is composed of stakeholders, such as a planner, resource suppliers and trade foremen, mirroring the planning and control process of a typical construction proje...

Research paper thumbnail of Value assessment in the traditional housing design: Case studies applying a value analysis model

Ain Shams Engineering Journal, Sep 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Lean Construction

Research paper thumbnail of Propagation and distrotions of variability into the production control system: Bullwhip of conversations of the last planner

During a construction project, the production control system allows the creation of conditions to... more During a construction project, the production control system allows the creation of conditions to manage operations. The Last Planner System is a production control system whose use has been related to superior project performance. We suggest that there is an opportunity to improve the Last Planner System application in the patterns of conversation variability along its subprocesses from a Language Action Perspective. These patterns are called Bullwhip Effect of Conversations, because they resemble the concept of propagation of variability in the supply chain. We update previous research about Instability of Conversations, adding new data, evaluations and interpretations. This paper is based on five mining and road construction projects. Our research analyses variability propagation and distortion of conversations along the Last Planner System subprocesses, and their relationship with the Percentage Plan Complete Index. The findings suggest that the Bullwhip Effect of Conversations ...

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling the Impact of Multiskilling and Concrete Batch Size in Multi-Story Buildings

This paper illustrates the use of a simulation model to explore ways to decrease idle time due to... more This paper illustrates the use of a simulation model to explore ways to decrease idle time due to the lack of available working inventory during the primary phase in the construction of a multi-story building. Two strategies are analyzed: increased frequency of concreting operations and the use of multi-skilled workers who use their additional trade when there is a lack of work in their area, or when there is a shortage of employees in another area in which they are proficient. The work involved field observations in a multistory building to obtain data to build and calibrate a simulation model. In the first strategy, the results show that it would be possible to complete the primary phase using 16% less workers or in 10% less time, if concrete is poured daily instead of every other day. In the second strategy, the results show that, in average, it would be possible to complete the primary phase using 14% less workers or in 6% less time, when 30% of the workers are assumed to be multi-skilled. Upon implementing both strategies simultaneously, the results show it would be possible to complete the primary phase using 22% less workers, or in 16% less time.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing a benchmarking system for architecture design firms

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 2019

Purpose The construction industry’s business model is mainly based on the interaction among the a... more Purpose The construction industry’s business model is mainly based on the interaction among the architecture office, the engineering office and the construction company. The performance and practices of architects’ offices, unlike those of the other actors, are difficult to characterize and there have been few studies on these issues. To better understand architects’ performance, the purpose of this paper is to develop a benchmarking tool based on real practices identified by managers of Chilean architecture offices. Design/methodology/approach The research method includes a complete literature review, followed by a study of a sample of nine Chilean architecture offices, with whom a series of four workshops was developed, to establish both performance indicators and relevant management practices. Finally, these metrics were applied in an architectural office as a pilot case. Findings Four management dimensions were defined: client management, external coordination, internal organiza...

Research paper thumbnail of Ideation Framework in Industrialized Construction

Proc. 30th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC)

Currently, industrialized construction (IC) is no longer an option, as it has become a necessity ... more Currently, industrialized construction (IC) is no longer an option, as it has become a necessity for companies that wish to maintain competitiveness and mitigate the pressures in terms of quality, cost, time, and sustainable performance in the construction sector. However, the way to industrialize effectively is still full of uncertainty; companies do not conceive of the incorporation of IC from the early stages, but they start late in the advanced design or even close to the execution phase, which results in the failure of the adoption of these industrialized systems, because such systems require, as a basic condition, thinking early about its incorporation and developing new design integrated and collaborative practices/knowledge. This paper proposes an Ideation Framework in Industrialized Construction (IFIC) that mainly improves the ideation process of ideas/actions within the IC design phase. The IFIC was developed under the design science research methodology. For the evaluation of this framework, the research was based on four case studies. The main contribution is the creation of two fundamental axes for ideation processes: (i) Ideation by self-assessment and (ii) Referral Ideation, which allows devising and incorporating industrialized solutions in a reliable way in IC projects.

Research paper thumbnail of Influence of the experience of the project manager and the foreman on project management’s success in the context of LPS implementation

Ain Shams Engineering Journal, Jun 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Methodology to Quantitatively Assess Collaboration in the Make-Ready Process

Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jun 26, 2023

The Last Planner System (LPS) promotes collaboration to plan, prepare and execute work systematic... more The Last Planner System (LPS) promotes collaboration to plan, prepare and execute work systematically. Make-Ready Planning (MRP) is a key LPS component, connecting mid-and short-term planning by proactively identifying and removing constraints. However, systematic deficiencies in MRP implementation have been observed, and MRP assessment mechanisms are limited to constraint management indexes and qualitative assessment of practices. Hence, finding easy to apply ways to quantitatively assess MRP collaboration and its impacts on LPS performance is identified as research opportunity. To address this, a Design Science Research approach was used to propose a methodology for evaluating MRP collaboration using Social Network Analysis (SNA) of objective LPS information captured by existing Information Technology (IT) support systems. This approach allows for the creation of a directional social network of interactions between constraint removal (source) and task execution (target) last planners. Assessing the average degree, centrality, heterogeneity, number of connected components and density allows to identify collaboration improvement opportunities as well as understanding the impact of collaboration on LPS performance, as the project progresses.

Research paper thumbnail of Contribution of Lean Techniques to Industrialized Construction Adoption: A Barriers Mitigation Approach

Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jun 26, 2023

Despite the benefits associated with industrialized construction (IC), it has low overall levels ... more Despite the benefits associated with industrialized construction (IC), it has low overall levels of adoption. IC is an innovation that is not aligned with institutionalized project supply chains; it has implications in process integration that intensify adoption barriers. Several studies have shown the effectiveness of implementing Lean techniques in different stages of the IC process. This paper exposes the analysis of the contribution of implementing Lean techniques to performance, process flow, knowledge management, and value addition. The implementation results are analyzed in terms of their contribution to mitigating the IC adoption barriers identified in the Chilean context. A systematic literature review is carried out to identify the Lean techniques implemented in some of the phases of the IC process. The analysis of the results reported and the contribution of the implementation of Lean techniques to the mitigation of the impacts of some of the existing barriers to the adoption of IC is conducted using thematic content analysis. Thirty Lean techniques are identified whose implementation results are related to the mitigation of conditions associated with 76.5% of the IC adoption barriers considered to be of high and very high impact for the Chilean context.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing the impacts of implementing lean construction Evaluando los impactos de la implementación de lean construction

Revista de ingeniería de construcción, Apr 1, 2008

Assessing the impacts of implementing lean construction Evaluando los impactos de la implementaci... more Assessing the impacts of implementing lean construction Evaluando los impactos de la implementación de lean construction

Research paper thumbnail of Influence of Organizational Characteristics on Construction Project Performance Using Corporate Social Networks

Journal of Management in Engineering, Jul 1, 2018

This exploratory research examines the relationship between project performance and organizationa... more This exploratory research examines the relationship between project performance and organizational characteristics in construction companies. Nine Chilean construction firms were involved in this study. Key performance indicators (KPIs) were introduced to periodically capture the project performance of 41 projects in these companies. Furthermore, their organizational characteristics were evaluated using social network analysis metrics. A correlation analysis revealed the relationships among four metrics from six social networks and nine KPIs. Significant correlations were found between the density, average degree, diameter and average path length of social networks and the medians and standard deviations of KPIs. The results confirm that a relation exists between high connectivity and short communication paths within the social networks of a construction company and high KPIs of construction project performance. Additionally, high inverse correlations were observed, suggesting that connectivity may be a consequence of poor project results, such as for the accident KPI. The results indicate that high connectivity and closeness inside corporate social networks are not necessarily related to good performance in construction projects. Thus, corporate social networks do not possess an ideal condition that enables optimal company performance in all areas.

Research paper thumbnail of Influence of Last Planner® System Adoption Level on Project Management and Communication

Proc. 30th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC)

Construction projects require complex management of people, resources and goals. The Last Planner... more Construction projects require complex management of people, resources and goals. The Last Planner® System (LPS) provides a systematic framework based on short cycles of work preparation, commitment, and control to allow implementing corrective actions. Successful LPS implementations require the combination of homogeneous mature practices and efficient horizontal collaboration. Nevertheless, partial implementations prevent liking collaboration through mid-term planning, the make-ready process and short-term work-flow stabilization. Therefore, this study aims to assess the relationship and cross-impacts of LPS adoption levels, team collaboration and project performance through an in-depth comparison of two Chilean case-study projects. LPS adoption was measured through a 50 items survey applied to 10 key actors in each project and collaboration was captured through Social Network Analysis (SNA) applied to general interaction, planning, problem-solving, feedback, learning, and leadership surveys answered by all last planners in each project. Also, each project was monitored for at least 18 weeks to capture their Percent Plan Complete (PPC), Reasons for Noncompliance (RNCs) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI). The results, consistent with previous literature, showed that mature LPS adoption significantly aids collaboration and performance.

Research paper thumbnail of Definición De Una Herramienta Multidimensional Para Planificación De Proyectos De Construcción

Research paper thumbnail of Definición De Una Metodología Que Integra Los Procesos De Costes, Contratación y Planificación Para El Incremento De Productividad en Construcción

Research paper thumbnail of Composition and Impact of Reasons for Noncompletion in Construction Projects

Proc. 29th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2021

The Last Planner® System (LPS) uses short systematic cycles of work preparation, shortterm execut... more The Last Planner® System (LPS) uses short systematic cycles of work preparation, shortterm execution commitments and identification of Reasons for Noncompletion (RNCs). LPS based software capture quantifiable information that allows to assess RNC impact on execution. RNCs can be categorized using detailed information and their impact can be obtained assessing task progress and compliance. This research aims to determine the main categories, sources and responsible parties affecting compliance, based on empirical data from 25 High-rise Building (HR) and 25 Industrial Construction (IC) projects. Weekly project information representing 22.636 RNCs was assessed to categorize each RNC by type, source and party. The task, commitment and progress information were used to determine their frequency and impact, based on the duration of the affected task and differences between committed and actual progress. The RNC categories were compared across the sample and between HR and IC projects using statistical analyses. Results showed that approximately two in every three RNCs correspond to factors controllable by the main contractor, while collaboration with the client and subcontractors could allow preventing up to 90% of noncompliance issues.

Research paper thumbnail of Development of a Commitment Management System for Construction Projects

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management

Research paper thumbnail of The Future of Lean Construction 4.0

Routledge eBooks, Nov 25, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Simulation and Modeling Facets in Lean Construction

Routledge eBooks, Nov 25, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the links between simulation modelling and construction production planning and control: a case study on the last planner system

Production Planning & Control

Research paper thumbnail of LEBSCO: Lean-Based Simulation Game for Construction Management Classrooms

Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, 2015

AbstractSimulations and classroom games are effective hands-on learning tools for construction ma... more AbstractSimulations and classroom games are effective hands-on learning tools for construction management students and practitioners. This paper presents the background, methods and results of a new simulation management game called LEBSCO, which simulates aspects of the Last Planner System (LPS) and Lean Production principles. LPS is central to the implementation of Lean Construction, an increasingly popular management approach based on the Toyota Production System and Lean Production. LPS requires continuous and collaborative effort from all stakeholders for the planning and control of a construction project, making it especially appropriate for the experiential learning allowed by simulation. LEBSCO consists of the assembly of Lego™ pieces to form a schematic house, and it is played by teams meeting in rounds simulating weeks of work. Each team is composed of stakeholders, such as a planner, resource suppliers and trade foremen, mirroring the planning and control process of a typical construction proje...

Research paper thumbnail of Value assessment in the traditional housing design: Case studies applying a value analysis model

Ain Shams Engineering Journal, Sep 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Lean Construction

Research paper thumbnail of Propagation and distrotions of variability into the production control system: Bullwhip of conversations of the last planner

During a construction project, the production control system allows the creation of conditions to... more During a construction project, the production control system allows the creation of conditions to manage operations. The Last Planner System is a production control system whose use has been related to superior project performance. We suggest that there is an opportunity to improve the Last Planner System application in the patterns of conversation variability along its subprocesses from a Language Action Perspective. These patterns are called Bullwhip Effect of Conversations, because they resemble the concept of propagation of variability in the supply chain. We update previous research about Instability of Conversations, adding new data, evaluations and interpretations. This paper is based on five mining and road construction projects. Our research analyses variability propagation and distortion of conversations along the Last Planner System subprocesses, and their relationship with the Percentage Plan Complete Index. The findings suggest that the Bullwhip Effect of Conversations ...