Soubhagya Purnima Nelabhotla and Pavan Meadati, Ph.D
Southern Polytechnic State University
Marietta, Georgia

Building Information Modeling is the process of generating and managing building data during its life cycle. This process produces a building information model (BIM), which encompasses building geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building components. BIM is beneficial for all the stakeholders involved in the life cycle. Implementation of existing exclusive BIM solutions can partially generate an automatic quantity estimates for the schedule of activities of the entire project. These generated estimates need to be tailored by General Contractor to execute the daily construction activities. This process is tedious and not user friendly. The purpose of this study was to generate an automatic quantity estimate by means of BIM considering the general contractor as the end user. The objective of this research was to study the feasibility of information extraction from BIM to develop a quantity estimate on day to day basis during the construction process. The process adopted for this study included four steps. The first step was the development of three dimensional (3D) model using Autodesk Revit software. The second step was creation of a project schedule using Suretrak to identify the line of items required on a regular basis at the job site. The third step included assigning a unique identification code for each component of BIM using the predefined parameters such as zoning, structural identification and orientation. Extraction of required data for the preparation of quantity estimate as per the job site requirements was the final step. This study facilitated a user friendly tool, where the quantity estimates were tractable on a day to day activity during the construction process.

Key Words: Building Information Model (BIM), Quantity Estimate, General Contractor, BIM Solutions and Schedule

Ausbra E. McFarland, Ph. D.
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Ky. 41099

A primer for AIA 201, the American Institute of Architect’s General Conditions of the Contract form, has been created. The primer’s intent is to help students and other end-users understand the tenants contained in the document, and their potential impacts on both project costs and company operating expenses. A “legal” document, the tenants in AIA 201 are expressly written to establish the contractual terms of the agreement the parties are entering into. However, their implementation can result in actions that necessitate use of resources, and incursion of other expenses, for the company executing the work. The cost of these expenditures must be accounted for within the project’s direct and/or indirect budget allocation(s), and/or be borne by the company’s general operating expense budget. Failure to do so can cause a negative impact on project profitability and/or a negative impact on the company’s financial health and equity.

The primer helps assess the impact of AIA 201 through the use of two category systems. The first system categorizes each tenant by its functional and/or project related task(s). This system helps students and other end-users understand each tenant’s meaning in terms of the function(s), tasks, activities, and/or other requirements elicited by and/or needed for its implementation. The second category system assesses the potential cost and schedule impacts of a tenant’s implementation. Categories used within this system help students and other end-users understand the potential cost and schedule implications of the tenant on the project’s budget, and/or on the company’s general operating expense budget. End-users will also find this system helpful when making qualitative assessments of the tasks, actions, resources, and other requirements necessitated by the tenant’s implementation. Only tenants with potential cost and schedule impacts are categorized using this system. Commentary, useful when making the tenant impact assessments mentioned previously, is also provided.

The intent of the primer, and the categorizations it utilizes, is not to provide quantitative assessments of the expenses derived from implementation of the tenants in AIA 201 (i.e., dollar costs of personnel, schedule, and other resource requirements required for tenant implementation). Its intent, foremost, is to increase student understanding of the tenants in this “non-technical” specification, and their awareness of the potential ramifications (project, cost, and otherwise) resulting from their implementation. Additionally, since lack of scope identification and lack of proper project planning have been cited as primary reasons why construction projects overrun, the primer can also be a useful resource when making qualitative assessments of the scope and support requirements necessitated by implementation of AIA 201 tenants. Quantitative assessments (i.e., personnel, support, etc. required to perform tasks, etc.), based on the company’s way of doing business, can then be performed. The cost(s) of the required items can then be ascertained and allocated to the appropriate project cost category and/or the proper company operating expense budget category.

Key Words: AIA 201, General Conditions, Cost(s), Operating Expenses

Don Slater
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia, USA

Ludwika Goodson
Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA

This research summarizes data collected from the Site Construction course, Spring 2007 through Fall 2009, and, utilizing the Likert Rating Scale (LRS), illustrates the value of using student confidence surveys before and after instruction on individual tasks. Research findings indicate that instruction increased both student confidence and performance and end-of-data-collection-period summarized confidence survey ratings correlated with end-of-data-collection-period summarized grades. Study objectives were: recognize and determine the contribution of using confidence surveys in learning and teaching; identify the emerging relationship of end-of-data-collection-period summarized confidence survey ratings to end-of-data-collection-period summarized grades; and, identify strengths, improvements, and insights obtained from analysis of data about student performance in the course. The hypotheses examined were: instruction will increase both student confidence and performance; and, end-of-data-collection-period summarized confidence survey ratings will correlate with end-of-data-collection-period summarized grades.

Methodology:

• During the first week of the semester: a pre-test was administered; a confidence survey, utilizing the LRS, was completed for all objectives/tasks to be learned; and scores projected, “before study”, for each objective/task of each topic.

• After instruction on all objectives/tasks within the first topic, students entered a revised score for “after study” on the confidence survey and were tested on all objectives/tasks within the first topic.
• The cycle of instruction, up-dating, and testing was repeated for each of the remaining topics.
• Pre-instruction and post-instruction confidence survey ratings were compared.
• End-of-data-collection-period summarized confidence survey ratings were compared to end-of-data-collection-period summarized grades.
• Collected data was critiqued for possible course content and instruction improvements.
• Utilizing end-of-course formative evaluations, students estimated the value of the confidence surveys for quiz examination, exam preparation, and as study guides.

Summary of Interim Research Findings/Anticipated Results:

• Initial examination of the collected data suggests that the differences between the pre-instruction confidence survey ratings and the post-instruction confidence survey ratings data, utilizing the LRS, are verifying an increase in both student confidence and performance. Data examined for the data collection period indicate that approximately eighty percent of the students valued the confidence surveys as very valuable and somewhat valuable for quiz preparation, exam preparation, and as study guides.
• Initial examination of the collected data suggests that the end-of-data-collection-period summarized confidence survey ratings will correlate with end-of-data-collection-period summarized grades. Current sampling shows that an emerging correlation exists; however, the final analysis of a comparison of end-of-data-collection-period summarized confidence survey ratings with end-of-data-collection-period summarized grades remains to be developed. 

Key Words: Confidence Surveys, Likert Rating Scale, Site Construction

The building industry globally has been undergoing a transition towards sustainable/ green built environments. As a result, green building rating systems such as LEED® guidelines, are gaining acceptance worldwide. Rapidly developing countries, such as India, represent critical need for the development and adoption of green building rating systems in all aspects of their infrastructure development. India has taken the leading role in this regard by adopting LEED-NC and LEED-CS from the United States with modifications for Indian conditions. In addition, in order to bring green building movement to its manufacturing sector that contributes to about 25% of the average annual GDP growth rate of around 8-9%, Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) has recently introduced a new rating system for green factories and industrial structures.

This research is being conducted collaboratively by the CM group at Michigan State University and the faculty and graduate students at the Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi, India. The goal of this research is to analyze the overall requirements of the green factory buildings rating system with emphasis on the “Work Environment Quality” category. In addition, the potential impact of this category on workers will be assessed with the help of survey questionnaires and interviews. The research team has already identified two factories in India that were recently completed as pilot projects under these guidelines. These factories are being studied for this project. As a result of this research, an awareness program will be developed that will be targeted towards potential improvements in the working conditions in existing non-green factory buildings.

Key Words: Sustainable / Green Buildings, LEED Guidelines, Green Factory Buildings, Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), Work Environment Quality

Seonghoon Kim
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA

Yong Bai, P.E.
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS

Productivity data from urban earthmoving operations are relatively low compared to those of rural projects. The research project analyzed to identify significant factors that impact low productivity resulting in contractor’s bidding prices ranged from 2 to 3 times higher than those of rural projects. The research project was conducted in the urban interchange reconstruction of Interstate Highway 235 (I-235) in Des Moines, Iowa. By using observational studies and multiple regression model, the factors were identified, including match factor, number of passes, and loading cycle time per bucket. Number of truck, match factor, travel time, and hauling distance were identified as the unique factors for the off-site earthmoving project, while the start time and travel time were significant factors for the on-site project. Reducing the hauling distance for urban earthmoving projects was the principal method for improving productivity. Based on the research results, a pre-planning and execution method was proposed to improve earthmoving productivity for urban interchange reconstruction.

Key Words: Earthmoving, Highway, Productivity, Iowa.

Seonghoon Kim
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA

Yong Bai, P.E.
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS

Tim McLernon PhD MA MEd BSc PGCTHE MRICS MCIOB MCIArb FHEA DTF
University of Ulster,
N. Ireland, UK