Materials & Methods used to construct Concrete Fortifications at Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France

Since September 2003, the Historic Resources Imaging Laboratory at Texas A&M University has been investigating the reinforced concrete structures at Pointe du Hoc Historic Site in Normandy, France.  Pointe du Hoc is a medium coastal battery consisting of a variety of structures such as gun emplacements, casemates, and personnel and ammunition bunkers.  Constructed as part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall it was strategically placed between the Utah and Omaha invasion beaches.  The main focus of the project is to fully survey and record the site for posterity.  However, part of the investigations involves understanding how the reinforced concrete structures were constructed by the Nazis contractors; Organization Todt.  During June 2004 surveys were conducted of several completed buildings and two partially completed buildings destroyed on D-day.  The results of the surveys were compared with the historical records held at the Public Record Office in London.  The Anti-Concrete Committee was formed by the British government in the summer of 1943 in order to review and co-ordinate work aimed at destroying concrete structures.  The various reports compiled by this committee both before and after the Normandy invasion provide valuable information on the materials and methods used by Organization Todt to construct the Atlantic Wall.

An Information-Constrained 3D Graphical Virtual Construction Learning Environment

A 3D graphical virtual construction technology provides users with an ultimate capability of building graphically any constructed facilities so that they can try as many different construction process options as possible. However, this capability, at the same time, critically hampers the “realism” of a simulated construction project in an education setting because students tend to perform the work that is not possible in reality by interacting with overly unconstrained visual representations. For example, precast concrete construction is done graphically in a 3D virtual construction site even without the essential consideration of acquiring and using a feasible set of resources such as cranes, and/ or without generating and reviewing suitable set of information such as permits, purchase orders, submittals, etc. This is because in a 3D graphical virtual world, users have no restrictions and regulations on what and how they can do to perform their works. As a way of addressing this “information-unconstrained” problem, this paper presents an idea of injecting a project collaboration component into a 3D graphical virtual environment using the web-based collaboration technology. In this new learning environment, students assume roles of various project participants, and interact with each other using an online project collaboration website to simulate real construction management processes and business operation situations. The students generate key essential construction documents and information, by which construction activities in a 3D graphical virtual construction site are accordingly constrained. Therefore, in this information-constrained 3D graphical virtual learning environment, each student gets an opportunity to visually see how different project participants impact on their performances and how information and resource-constraints play a critical role in the success of typical construction projects. As a result, the information-constrained 3D graphical virtual learning environment becomes a true tool for learning and understanding of real construction management processes.

 

Key Words: 3D Virtual Construction, Computer Graphics in Construction, and Innovative Construction Education

Safety, Security and Sustainability (S3): A Study of How Perceived Building Image, Value and Vulnerability Relates to Terrorism

As natural resources become more distant and dilute, increasing efforts will be made to defend or gain access to remaining resource stocks.  For example, most of the population in the Islamic belt extending from North Africa across the Middle East to Indonesia live in unimaginable poverty.  Their claims on global resources are but a fraction of those in industrialized countries.  It is within these poverty stricken regions that a significant terrorist threat has emerged, and it is those buildings that symbolize global economic dominance and unbridled resource consumption that are most at risk. The following research explores sustainable design methods aimed at changing the fundamental nature of the building so as to remove its real and symbolic value to terrorists while simultaneously reducing physical vulnerability to terrorist threats.  A layered approach is introduced that uses principles of sustainability to effectively devalue, deter and deny terrorist activity while enhancing the ability of the built environment to respond and recover from such activity.  Sustainable design elements can improve building image, remove factors that invite hostility, and create a built environment that is difficult to attack or exploit.  Unlike many of today’s “fortress” measures, sustainable principles can create a built environment that is resilient to the consequences of such incidents and protective of its occupants and assets without heightening public fear and anxiety. In addition to preventing attacks and minimizing the generation of waste debris and consumption of reconstructive resources from terrorist events, sustainable design elements can also provide protection and survivability from natural hazards such as storm and seismic events and more traditional human-caused hazards, such as crime and accidents.  Further benefits may be derived from improved energy, operations and maintenance (O&M) efficiency as well as improved employee productivity, health, and wellbeing.  These and other “dual use” benefits will likely be needed to justify capital investment into sustainable alternatives that are intended to psychologically and physically devalue terrorism as a viable tactic to intimidate or coerce populations, and to reduce unsustainable trends within the built environment that may be in part responsible for the existence of terrorism.

 

Key Words: Antiterrorism, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), fundamentalism, poverty, social equity, sustainable construction, sustainable development, symbolism

Moisture Control Construction Checklist (MC3): Simplified Software to Mitigate Mold and other Indoor Environmental Hazards

Mold has become a major issue for the building industry due to potential health hazards, increasing large-sum and highly publicized litigation, negative public relations, and a tightening insurance market.  Of the four necessary components for mold growth – water, temperature, oxygen and a food source – water is the only controllable component during construction.  In Florida and the neighboring southeast, a region that is consistently among the nation’s leading in year-round rainfall, high humidity and heat as well as population growth and new construction, mold is fast becoming the successor to asbestos in health related construction claims.  In response, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and the M.E. Rinker Sr. School of Building Construction have jointly developed a simplified PC-based moisture control construction checklist (MC3) that will assist building professionals in minimizing the liabilities associated with mold-related IEQ/IAQ hazards by providing best management practices to identify, prevent, and mitigate mold forming conditions. The HTML-based MC3 software allows the user to identify and assess mold risks specific to project location, building type, material composition, and climatology and identify likely sources of moisture and mold formation during the construction process.  MC3 then assembles a “checklist” of the most cost effective measures to first prevent the introduction of moisture into the building and then mitigate observed mold forming conditions, if any, before infestation occurs.  MC3 also enables the contractor to document reimbursable costs and schedule delays and may improve the contractor’s mold-related “EMR” and insurability.  After project close-out, MC3 continues to protect the contractor from extenuating mold liabilities through pre-bid assignment of risk to subcontractors and material suppliers, continuing education and training, QA/QC planning, and a documented journal of sound material delivery, storage, installation practices. MC3 also provides a “vendor mall” of moisture and mold related equipment suppliers, remediation contractors, and consultants by U.S. region.  Proceeds from MC3 product and service listing, continuing education credit workshops and other support services provide software hosting and maintenance costs.

 

Key Words: Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), mold, moisture, public health, litigation

Use of Project Specific Web Sites and Other Information Technologies by Mason Contractors in Colorado and Michigan

The advances in communication technologies witnessed in the last decade, especially with the ubiquitous presence of the Internet, have brought new and exciting possibilities to the management of businesses and projects. Some of the most important industries, such as manufacturing and retailing, have adopted Web-based management technologies with great success. However, the construction industry has been slow in taking advantage of the Web, in spite of the fact that 95.3% of U.S. construction contractors have access to the Internet. This proposed poster exhibit will show the results of a study which addressed three important questions related to the use and perceptions of Web-based management technologies by large mason contractors in Colorado and Michigan, especially for Project Specific Web Site (PSWS) technologies, as further discussed below. Specifically, this study had the following objectives: 1.) Assessing the level of use by mason contractors of newer information technologies, such as email and text messaging, but also including relatively established means such as fax and cell phones. 2.) Assessing the current knowledge, use and perceived potential by mason contractors for the use of PSWS software. 3.) Assessing mason contractor perceptions about trends, advantages and hindrances to the adoption of newer information technologies, especially PSWS technologies. These perceptions are further explored by looking into differences by state, education, age and other factors. The mason industry is especially appropriate for this study, since it faces important challenges from competition by foreign firms and from other domestic construction industries such as exterior building materials.  The dire situation of this industry sectors can be appreciated by the fact that between 1997 and 2002 the masonry construction market grew by 7% while cladding (a competing technology) grew by 16%. PSWS is a specific form of web based project management, often integrating as a smaller unit to a larger Web based management system. This technology is considered one of the most promising for specialty contractors, and could result in cost savings urgently needed by the mason industry. This study was part of the Master’s degree requirements for the first author. Its methodology centered on structured interviews to managers of large mason contractors, which allowed a better exploration of the interviewees’ personal perceptions. A total of twenty interviews were conducted by the first author. This relatively small sample makes this study qualitative in nature, and therefore its frequency tables, histograms, and other statistics must be read as indicative only of overall perceptions and trends

A Bar Code Based Quality Inspection Procedure for Residential Construction

Advances in technology that can be used to improve commercial and residential construction processes and procedures, including quality, are not always readily adopted by the two industries.  The purpose of this study was to develop a bar code based quality inspection process that would demonstrate the speed and accuracy with which data can be collected and used by residential construction contractors for analysis of quality improvement trends in homes. The three phase study had a checklist form developed for use during post-construction framing inspections of homes in phase one, then Code 39 bar codes were added to the checklist and a proprietary scanner program was developed to gather inspection data in phase two. Phase three was the field study designed to compare two data collection methods.  The first method used the PSC PT40 scanner and the bar coded checklist.  The second more traditional method used hand completed forms and keyboard data entry.  It was concluded that for this study the scanner method was more accurate and faster than the manual method in providing the data necessary to produce reports and evaluate possible trends in quality.

 

Key Words: Quality; Inspection Processes; Bar Coding; Residential Construction

The Incorporation of Sustainable Building Pedagogy into a Construction Management Program

Building on the research and instructional success of the Institute for the Built Environment, the Construction Management (CM) program at Colorado State University has established sustainable building as a main emphasis area. Students from multiple majors enroll in a series of courses devoted to sustainability and the built environment, CM students acquire knowledge about sustainable building technologies that have been integrated into required courses, and graduate students come from across the country to study in the recently established Sustainable Building graduate program. This study illustrates the development and content of a sequential sustainable educational program. The program, Sustainable Building, has evolved to include courses introducing sustainable design and construction, a travel course on sustainable building held at an eco-resort on St. John, US Virgin Islands, two advanced graduate courses and, more recently, an integration of sustainability concepts into existing courses. The objective for this paper is to present a case study showing how a university program has successfully incorporated sustainable pedagogy into its graduate and undergraduate curricula. This case study also demonstrates how a university research program and center can inform and update curriculum allowing an educational program to become a recognized leader while responding to both environmental concerns and emerging industry innovation.

 

Key Words: sustainable building pedagogy, green building, undergraduate curriculum

Financial Development Strategies for Construction Management Programs in the New Era

This paper examines the area of financial development for construction management programs.  Recent economic and legislative changes have hit higher education hard and threaten the financial viability of many institutions across the nation.  At the university level many strategies are being explored and implemented ranging from full scale donor campaigns to securing enterprise status.   While in the past, the solvency of the institution has been dealt with at the highest levels of administration and the legislature, the current climate calls for more to be done at the department level.  This session investigates the strategies successfully employed by Colorado State University.  This case study will highlight the most effective strategies and briefly describe the tactics and resources employed to successfully complete each.   Highlighted strategies include the Ram Built Gala, the James Parnell Memorial Student Development Fund, The Hensel Phelps Endowed Chair, the Heavy Construction Endowed Chair, and the Annual Student Development Fundraising to name a few.

 

Key Words:  Development, Strategic Planning, Campaign, Fundraising

Rapid Measurement of Segregation in Asphalt Pavements

Segregation of aggregates in asphalt concrete pavements is a common phenomenon during paving operations.  Segregation exists because of many potential deficiencies which may occur during production, transport and laydown operations of the asphalt mixture. The result of segregation is often raveling/weathering of the surface.  Raveling and weathering are defined as the wearing away of the pavement surface caused by the dislodging of aggregate particles (raveling) and loss of asphalt binder (weathering).  This form of distress is one of the most significant modes facing highway agencies.  However, evaluating the level of severity of segregation during construction is often very difficult and leads to subjective decisions on behalf of owner agencies.  Methods such as the sand patch test and destructive methods such as coring, then conducting extraction and gradation tests of the mixture provide quantitative evidence, but are hazardous and slow.  Also, these methods depend on an inspector identifying a potential location of the segregation.  This identification works well when segregation is severe and can be visually located.  However, when segregation is less severe, or worse, is beneath the surface of the pavement, location can be elusive.  Therefore, an improved method for locating segregation has been needed for many years. This study evaluated the ability of the nuclear density meter and an electrical resistance gauge for measuring the difference in density for areas of asphalt pavements containing segregation.  Eight projects were evaluated during the construction season of 2004 in Colorado.  Five different configurations where segregation is known to occur or potentially occurs and a control section were evaluated for each project.  A minimum of five and up to eleven locations within each configuration were measured. The results of this work indicate that two non-destructive, rapid methods for measuring density in asphalt pavements may be helpful for identifying segregation in asphalt pavements when properly calibrated and correctly operated in the field.

 

Keywords:  Aggregate segregation, mixture segregation, asphalt pavement construction, segregation testing

The Role of Innovation in the U.S. Construction Industry

The goal of this paper is to understand the role innovative products play in residential construction.  Innovation has not been widely accepted within the residential construction industry for various reasons.  These reasons are highlighted in various studies published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).   The residential construction industry relies on a composite of professionals, within and outside the construction industry, who participate at different intervals to construct a home and deliver it to a customer.  The steps to bring a home to the market and sell it are interdependent and therefore any evaluation of innovation must view each of the members within the homebuilding cycle as a stakeholder. The purpose of this study is to determine the current attitude of each stakeholder toward innovation and identify critical next steps that must be taken to promote greater awareness of this subject. .  The results of this research suggest that neither the consumer nor the builder relate to innovation as a vehicle to reach their goals of a higher quality, more affordable, and durable home.  It appears a steady stream of influence, outside the builder-buyer relationship is required to bring about change.

 

Key Words:  Innovation, Stakeholders

Employer Perceptions and Expectations: Implications for Construction Management Internships

Internships are a three-way partnership among University personnel, student interns, and industry sponsors.  Studies have been performed related to Construction Management internships in the areas of University responsibilities and student perceptions, but few have focused on what employers of these interns want and expect for their participation in an internship program. This article addresses the lack of information available to those creating and maintaining Construction Management internship programs regarding the perceptions of industry employers.  Specifically, this information is collected related to 1) employers’ perceptions regarding the benefits to both sponsoring organization and student intern of participation in an internship program and 2) establishment of a benchmark of employer expectations for both interns and internship programs.  These two measurements together provide an understanding of why industry members hire interns (i.e., what benefits they perceive to come of their participation) and what characteristics of an internship program they deem important.  The findings of this research are significant in guiding how University internship coordinators or program directors organize and market their internship programs to industry employers, precariously balancing the needs of academia with those of industry to build lasting partnerships and provide data for on-going internship placements.

 

Key Words:  Internships, Internship Programs, Employer, Perceptions, Expectations

The Use of 3D and 4D Models in Construction Management Curriculum

A major portion of construction management (CM) curriculum requires an understanding of complex construction systems that are used on a variety of project types.  Students choosing to pursue construction management education in a post secondary setting bring varying levels of construction knowledge and experience to the classroom.  This diversity has an impact on the effectiveness of the pedagogical practices employed by CM instructors.  Instructors traditionally use two dimensional drawings to communicate the materials and methods of construction to students, a practice similar to that in industry.  The practice of taking students on field trips provides students with first hand knowledge of construction systems thus supporting their ability to visualize what is being depicted in the two dimensional drawings.  However, this teaching method is limited by safety concerns, cost, and availability of accessible and pertinent projects that highlight classroom topics.  Three and four dimensional models have been used successfully by construction professionals to help owners, subcontractors and tradesmen understand exceptionally complex construction systems and projects.  This research will compare these same three and four dimensional modeling techniques with traditional methods of instruction on their effectiveness in increasing student comprehension of complex construction systems.

Evidence-Based Decision Theory in Construction Management

The medical community has used evidence-based decision theory as a means to identify uncertainty and knowledge about a problem through the use of research and practical knowledge. Doctors will use a gestalt process to synthesize all information available using weightings for individual pieces of information based on several constructs related to patient condition, resources, budget, experiential knowledge, and econometrics to minimize the potential risks to a patient. As with a patient, construction projects are all unique and take on their own characteristics through out the life of the project. This research will utilize the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) approach to analyze existing risks and forecasted risks of a construction project based on project estimates and field construction data. Data collected from this research will be used to develop an evidence-based model to explain decisions in construction related to political, environmental, econometric, project delivery, and technological risk.

 

Key Words:  Evidence-Based Decision, Risk Analysis, Decision, Construction

Regulation Relating to the Adoption of New and Innovative Construction Methods and Materials

Building codes are a major driving force in the construction industry.  There is a broad range of these codes affecting all aspects of the building, infrastructure, site, and placement within the community.  While most codes are updated on a three year cycle, the innovation process for new materials and construction methods is ongoing.  As new products are developed they can be tested and these test results can be used to build a case for inclusion into a building design.  This may not be the case with innovative construction methods that have no testing or neo-designs that have withstood the test of time but have little or no study data available.   The ambiguities in the approval and acceptance process between the code updates may stifle creativity resulting in a loss of new product and design integration into the market place.  With the increased demand for high performance buildings, in both residential and commercial settings, the role regulation plays in innovation and adoption will become increasingly important.  This research will look at the processes that various code enforcement agencies follow when dealing with new innovative building methods and products between code revision cycles.

Needs Assessment: Construction Management Doctoral Programs in the United States

There are no doctoral degree programs in the United States focusing solely on construction management.  There are at least 16 universities self-reporting to have a doctoral degree allowing for a construction related emphasis.  Many of these programs offer a doctoral degree in engineering, architecture, technology, or education.  Even though there were construction education programs established as early as 1926, the majority of the oldest undergraduate construction education programs were established between 50 and 60 years ago.  Construction education programs are maturing with the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) reporting that 31 (55.4%) out of 56 ACCE accredited programs offer a master’s degree.  Eighteen (58.1%) of these master’s degrees have the word “construction’ in the degree title.  While construction management programs are interdisciplinary in their content drawing on engineering, architecture, technology, and business, they are a unique discipline.  Even the Department of Educational Statistics classifies Construction Management as a distinctive program in their Classification of Instructional Programs under category 52 (Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services).  Between 80% and 90% of the ASC advertisements for construction education faculty require or prefer the candidate to have a doctoral degree.  Construction Management doctoral programs are needed in the United States.

 

Key Words: Construction Management, Construction Education, Doctorate, Ph.D.

A Comparison of Environmental Value Orientations between Construction Management and Pre-Architecture Undergraduate Students

The sustainable movement in the U.S. is reshaping the built environment, impacting all segments of both the public private sectors. Architects have historically taken an active role in fostering this change, while contractors have been slower to come on board. This suggests that a difference exists in how architects and contractors view the environment. According to work done by Jerry Vaske and Maureen Donnelly (1999), an individual’s attitudes toward the environment are formed by their values and these values can be used to determine the individual’s value orientation. which ranges from biocentric to anthroprocentric. Building on Vaske and Donnelly’s work, this study focuses on the environmental value orientations of students by major. Students entering an undergraduate program to prepare them to be professionals in the building industry as either a contractor or an architect will be asked to fill out a questionnaire designed to determine their environmental attitudes and values. The value orientations of students will be compared using an ANOVA to see if a difference exists between the two groups’ environmental value orientations based on major, gender, and the interaction between gender and major. Understanding the value orientations of undergraduate students in construction and pre-architecture programs is a first step in understanding why one group is more active in green building.

 

Key Words: green building, sustainable, value orientations, cognitive hierarchy, environmental attitudes.