Sandeep Shrivastava, M.Tech, LEED AP and Abdol R. Chini, Ph.D, P.E.
M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Building Construction-University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Yueren Wang and Yimin Zhu
Florida International University,
Miami, FL

Due to unstructured text in construction dispute issue, it is difficult for computers to to automatically extract information and knowledge embedded. For example the issue of a dispute may have various ways to express and understand, this problem may potentially prevent computer technology from effectively helping construction professionals to process, manage, and analyze various disputes. Based on reviewing 350 highway DRB (Dispute Review Board) report issues from FDOT, this research intends to develops a generic meta-data model which can represents most claim issues into major aspects, i.e., initiators, severity, sources (causes), and claim types. In addition, associated terminology is developed in order to provide a logic basis for classification, categorization and analysis of disputes. The meta-data model may help industry practitioners describe and analysis the issue of dispute cases automatically. Such as identifying similar disputes by comparing meta-data, and discover most common sources of claims by using computer statistical analysis. Furthermore, the meta-data model can be used to facilitate the application of text mining techniques which will use to discover information and knowledge related to entire DRB claims report in the future.

Keywords: Unstructured Text, Metadata, Highway Claim Issue, Generic Mode

Adam A. Martinez, Giovanni C. Migliaccio, Paul Zandbergen, and Su Zhang
The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM

Conceptual cost estimates, fundamental to successful construction projects, are based on historical data, and thus it is necessary to adjust for different project specific characteristics such as location, time, and scope.  The primary research conducted involves location adjustment methodology.  The common practice for location adjustment includes a location cost index.  If a needed location is not offered in this index, the nearest available index value is used to represent it. However, the validity of this interpolation method has not been substantiated. With the aid of Geographical Information System (GIS) tools and data from RSMeans’ City Cost Index (CCI), we tested the spatial auto-correlation of proximity and the CCI values of the nearest available interpolation method at both national and state levels.  A comparison between state boundaries of the nearest available CCI value was conducted resulting in conditional and unconditional nearest neighbor methods. We compared the conditional nearest neighbor, unconditional nearest neighbor, and state average methods with actual data from commercial construction projects nationwide. The results demonstrate that the correlation between proximity and CCI value is significantly positive, meaning that proximity and CCI are directly correlated. In addition, the conditional nearest neighbor method produces the lowest mean, median, and standard deviation of error and provides for the best methodology.

Keywords: Construction Cost Estimation, Location Adjustments, City Cost Index, Geographic Information Systems.

Yueren Wang and Yimin Zhu
Florida International University, Miami, FL

DRB (Dispute Review Board) reports are typically prepared in text format, which makes it difficult for computers to automatically extract embedded information and knowledge. This problem may potentially prevent construction professionals from effectively processing, managing, and analyzing various disputes. The authors question whether a generic metadata model can enable computers to better manage claim issues. Base on the analysis of 350 highway DRB reports, the author argues that a dispute issue which usually represents a critical collection of information is always restricted in terms of its content. Consequently, some unstructured text such as the issues can be described by certain types of well-structured metadata. i.e., initiators, severity, causes, and claim types. In addition, a model-based classification is applied by this study to manage a large set of dispute reports and support lessons-learnt. With this meta-data model, industry practitioners can extract useful information such as similar disputes and most common claim causes. In the future, the model can be used to facilitate the application of text mining technique which may be used to discover information and knowledge in claim processing.

Keywords: Unstructured Text, Metadata, Highway Claim Issue, Generic Model

The purpose of this case study is to examine the use of BIM in the facility maintenance and operations phase of a building’s life-cycle at a large US university. Upon completion of a building, the builder hands off an enormous amount of project information to the owner/operator, including as-built plans, equipment information and warranties. The owner/operator then spends an immense amount of time and money sorting and organizing these numerous documents in order to implement the information into an operations and maintenance system. Due to the flaws in this process, the information being handed off by the builder is often incomplete, and the means by which the owner/operator organizes the information is often inefficient. Our research will attempt to determine if the use of a BIM based facilities management process can make the facilities management system of this large university more efficient. Our research team intends to accomplish this by working with the University’s Facility’s Division and studying the Divisions current methods of facilities management. Our team will then use building information modeling to supplement the current methods of facilities management.

Keywords: building information modeling, facilities management, building life-cycle

Gregory P. Wilson, Ph.D., P.E.
Texas A & M University-Commerce
Commerce, TX

Braced cuts and deep retained excavations in varying soil conditions to permit the construction of subsurface structures have long been a major concern of geotechnical engineers.  Site congestion, access and protection of public utilities present design and construction problems unique to this type of structure.  This five-part study was done to further investigate the behavior of such an excavation and improve upon existing techniques for estimating the magnitude of the transitory forces in these structures.  This fully instrumented project was located in San Francisco Bay mud, measured 150’ by 200’ by 60’ and provides the measured data with which to compare the load predictions made during the research.  A finite element model was developed to replicate the bracing system for use in predicting strut loads by applying earth pressure models proposed in the literature in addition to a new model developed and presented for this study.  Bending stressed were measured in addition to axial loading and presented with respect to various earth pressure coefficients, pore pressures, and reshaped earth pressure diagrams. Numerous comparisons were presented evaluating the performance of five earth pressure models and recommendations with future studies identified.

Keywords:  Braced Excavation, Soft Clays, Field Measurements, Lateral Earth Pressures

Suchayita Bhattacharjee, MSCM,
and Sarel Lavy, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas

Charles W. Graham, Ph.D
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma

The research addresses the challenges faced by commercial contractors during the recovery and rebuilding process after hurricanes that struck the southeast region of the U.S. in 2004-2005 hurricane seasons, as well as the practices used to deal with these challenges. Based on a comprehensive literature review, site logistics, material transportation, labor, political influences, building permits, and site location were identified as the six major challenges for post-hurricane reconstruction. Surveys were sent out to 450 contractors involved in post-hurricane reconstruction in the southeast states of the U.S., out of which 51 responses were collected. The data collected was analyzed using a Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistical test. The analysis showed three of those challenges - site logistics, labor, and material transportation as being major challenges among the respondents. Based on the responses and results of the survey, recommendations such as implementing basic practices like planning, scheduling, coordination, supply chain management, and use of experienced site personnel for dealing with these challenges was proposed. The study plan is to conduct personal interviews focusing on a few of the projects currently ongoing in the southeast region of U.S.A. to gain more insight into the three major challenges that surfaced in the study. These interviews will investigate contractors’ perceptions of time, cost, and quality of the work performed in these regions in relation to the three major challenges, as identified above. Findings will be analyzed so that contractors can get a better idea about the possible improvements that can be made, if they are better prepared for post-hurricane reconstruction projects.

Keywords: Contractors, Hurricanes, Challenges, Practices, Recovery

Daphene C Koch, PhD and Gregory C Lasker
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN

One construction management department has been utilizing the Certified Professional Construction (CPC) Level I Exam as a tool to asses the overall knowledge of a senior student in the program. The exam has been considered like the final for a course and was worth 25% of the grade. At this time, the students are not required to have any minimal score, but very few students have failed during the years that the test has been given. Data has been collected since the fall of 2004 to record the student scores. This data will be compared to student GPA, department curriculum changes, and department administrative changes to determine if there are trends. Comparisons for specific exam areas will be examined to compare any curriculum changes that might have increased or decreased student scores. General questions for the research include, Are there any trends? Are there any major strengths / weaknesses common in the students? Are there any effects from major changes in the curriculum? Are there any effects from major changes in the department?

Keywords: Student assessment,  Construction management Curriculum

Jeong-Han Woo, Ph.D.
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Milwaukee, WI

Lauren M. Wybenga and Richard Burt, PhD, MRICS, LEED AP
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama

From June 1944 to March 1945, London experienced the vengeance weapon attacks from Nazi Germany. The damage caused by the flying bombs and rockets to buildings in London was one of the many effects of the air raid attacks.  The construction industry was charged with mitigating the effects of the bombings as rapidly as possible. Lord Woolton, the Minister of Reconstruction, made the following statement: “The major job [repairing the war damaged houses] lies with the contractors and the workmen who are engaged on the task of repairs” (National Archives IR 124/471, 1944).  This project investigates how and why the construction industry accomplished the necessary repairs from Hitler’s vengeance weapons in London during the latter part of the Second World War.  By analyzing post war government reports, case studies of individual bomb sites and primary source material held in various archives in the United Kingdom, the story of an historic disaster response undertaking can be told. Specific issues addressed in the research include damage inflicted by the bombings, assessment of the damages, repair of the damages, and factors affecting the repair of the dwellings such as labor, materials, welfare, and regulatory framework under which the work was carried out.

Keywords: World War II, Air Raid, London, Construction, Repairs

Benedict D. Ilozor and Tarik Dallal
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI

There is currently minimal reuse of materials or use of recycled contents in new commercial buildings. Their use is limited somewhat by architects and builders not designing and building for non-destructive deconstruction.  Reusing materials or using recycled materials is often viewed as prohibitive in costs. The aim of this study is to determine the extent and limitations of material reuse and the use of recycled materials in commercial buildings, and to offer possible ways to increase adoption of this practice. The methodology adopted for this study was structured interviews and descriptive analysis of reused and recycled materials in commercial buildings as ascertained from responsible construction companies through their construction project managers. The key results suggest that, from the point of view of builders, architects/engineers have the greatest impact on material reuse and the use of recycled contents. The 32 projects examined were built between 1995 and 2008, and it was not until 2000 that reused materials and recycled contents began to feature in these constructions. However, the major problem limiting material reuse and recycling is the trend of designing and building with little consideration for deconstruction and reuse. These findings have implications for integrating deconstructive reuse in designing and building commercial and other buildings, and increasing the amount of recycled contents being used, including the consideration of reuse and recycled contents at the planning stages of projects, as well as the need for more on-site recycling.

Keywords: Building, Materials, Deconstruction, Recycle, Waste Management

Benedict D. Ilozor
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI

Waste is a great problem in the world of construction. If dealt with appropriately, there can be many benefits, including lower overall cost, faster production, a higher quality, and more sustainable buildings. It is speculated that resources for managing waste would vary among construction sectors – residential, commercial, industrial, and infra-structural. Capital base may also control waste management behavior. Hence, this study, while seeking to ascertain the key sources of waste, aims to determine whether waste generation varies with the type and size of the constructions. A sample of 30 general contractors was studied, and two null hypotheses on waste generation and minimization differences were tested using the Kruskal-Wallis H test. It was hypothesized that there will be no difference in the mean ranking of rated waste behavior among construction companies of varying capital bases, or among differing construction sectors. Although subtle shifts were observed in the aspects of waste behavior that seemed predicated on construction sectors and capital, to some extent the proposition that the construction type and size can influence waste generation and minimization was validated. Based on this study, some solutions are provided as viable avenues to managing and minimizing construction waste.

Keywords: construction sectors, waste minimization

Gulbin Ozcan, M.S and Yimin Zhu, Ph.D
Florida International University
Miami, Florida

Sustainability development brought the need for specialization in green building. Green building designs are based on increasing the efficiency of resources used in a structure while decreasing its negative impact on people and the planet. In order to achieve long term economic gains simultaneously in terms of environmental and social aspects, “green” features must be analyzed from a cost perspective, minimally the initial investment cost. Providing an accurate cost estimate is a challenging process during the early project design phase, as the determination and integration of “green” features and design requirements needs extreme attention. Assembly cost estimating is a typical method for developing accurate cost estimates in the early design phase due to its flexibility to accommodate design changes and capability to provide detailed estimates based on reasonable scope assumptions. In this study, a computer-based system will be proposed to help users in the integration of building assemblies and performance factors of “green” features and determination of the cost of various alternatives for achieving certain “green” features. Within the context of this research, the generic “green” indicators and the conceptual representation of design requirements will be analyzed with assembly cost estimates by the adoption of formal concept analysis.

Keywords: Sustainability, Green Building, Assembly Cost Estimation, Knowledge Representation, Formal Concept Analysis

Carla Lopez del Puerto
St. Louis University
St. Louis, MO

In recent years there has been an increased concern over the adequacy of educational facilities to create an environment that is conducive to learning and their impact on educational outcomes. Research has shown that student educational outcomes are heavily influenced by the perceptions created by the physical environment in which they must learn. University policy makers must decide between allocating precious funding to upgrade their current facilities or to use those funds to invest in other ways like professional development, or new technology. This research investigates how the following factors of the physical environment: lighting, acoustics, temperature and air quality, and color influence perceptions of their classrooms and thus influence student attitudes about the quality of their graduate school programs. It reports the results of technical measurements and linkages with the perceptions of ex-students who utilized them. Understanding the influence of the physical environment will furnish facility managers measurable physical metrics that can be used to identify those educational spaces that are having an adverse impact on learning and exactly what systems/areas are the greatest contributor to negative student perceptions. This allows the institution to make the best possible allocation of resources to improve a facility and enhance its sustainability.

Keywords: educational facilities, alumni’s attitudes, facility management