Architecture, Building and Planning - Research Publications
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ItemDigitization of Construction Claim Management: The Case of Additional Cost Claims(Deakin University, 2021)Claims management is recognized as a complex phenomenon that often leads to disputes between contracting parties. A contractor can claim for many reasons including additional cost. Additional cost claims allow the contractor to recover cost occurred due to several reasons such as delays and/or disruptions, variations and escalations, which evidently result from events beyond the conditions of contract and control of contractors. However, the submission and evaluation of such claims is a challenging task for construction stakeholders because of the existing issues in the management of these claims using traditional approaches. Hence, there is a need realized by industry practitioners for shifting the traditional claim management process of these claims to a digital environment. This need can be fulfilled by a forthcoming Information and Communications Technology (ICT) platform such as Building Information Modeling (BIM). Therefore, in this research effort has been made to utilize BIM for effective management of claims for an additional cost that frequently occur in construction projects. To start with, issues in traditional claims management process of construction cost claims are identified, which is followed by development of a framework for a new system named as BIM - Based Cost Claims Management System (B-CCMS). Grounded on the Application Programming Interface (API) provided by one of the BIM software (Autodesk Revit), a plugin named B-CCMS is proposed for working of the developed system. The proposed system is expected to solve the identified issues in the management of additional cost claims, especially those related to documentation, time, resources, cost, presentation and impact. This will result in quick and transparent settlement of additional cost claims making it less prone to disputes between contracting parties.
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ItemBIM AIDED INFORMATION AND VISUALIZATION REPOSITORY FOR MANAGING CONSTRUCTION DELAY CLAIMS(INT COUNCIL RESEARCH & INNOVATION BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION, 2021)Delays in construction result in a multitude of negative effects on project performance, and severe dismays among participating parties. This study aims to digitize the traditional process of recording and managing the construction delays using Building Information Modeling (BIM). Extensive literature review followed by semi-structure interviews of 21 industry experts were carried out to identify the issues faced by construction stakeholders in managing construction delays. To resolve these issues, a plugin named BIM-based Construction Delays Recorder (BIM-CDR) is developed using Application Programming Interface (API) of the most commonly used BIM software i.e. Autodesk Revit. BIM-CDR provides a centralized repository, encompassing detailed information related to delays, which can be retrieved and visualized to analyze their impact on delay claims. To assess the effectiveness of BIM-CDR, a feasibility study is conducted with the experts’ review panel. The results revealed that BIM-CDR can record wide-ranging information related to all the significant issues causing delays on construction sites, and can help in effectively managing their corresponding claims. The advantages of the developed prototype include visualization of delays’ location, facilitation of delay analysis and effective delays management. Moreover, it also promotes transparency and speedy settlement of delay related claims without any unwanted disputes.
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ItemAgile housing for an ageing Australia(The Architectural Science Association and The University of Adelaide, 2016)By 2055, Australia’s 65+ population will have doubled and, if current strategies are followed, it is likely that the housing available will be inappropriate. Today’s housing stock will still be in use yet few developers and designers are capitalising on the potential of agile housing and, more broadly, the creation of age-friendly neighbourhoods. Current changes in design and prefabrication technology, along with government initiatives for ageing at home in preference to institutional care, have the potential to transform the way we consider housing design to support changing demographics. This research considers agile housing for an ageing population from the perspectives of urban planning, design, prefabrication, sustainability, life-cycle costing and social gerontology. We highlight the need for interdisciplinary perspectives in order to consider how entrenched policy, planning, design and construction practices can be encouraged to change through advocacy, design speculation and scenario testing to deliver right-sized housing. A cradle-to-grave perspective requires the exploration of the social and practical benefits of housing in multigenerational communities. This research links to concurrent work on affordable housing solutions and the potential of an industry, government and academic partnership to present an Australian Housing Exposition, that will highlight the possibilities of a more agile housing approach.
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ItemCritical Appraisal of Building Information Modelling Research in Australia: A Bibliometric Analysis(Deakin University, 2021)Interest in advanced digital technology such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) has grown remarkably in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) industry over the past decade, and BIM research has proliferated globally. In Australia, alongside the increasing rate of implementing BIM within the AECO industry, academic research has also risen on the topic; however, to the best of authors’ knowledge, a systematic review of the extant literature on BIM in Australia is missing. This study addresses this lack by offering a Scientometric analysis to explore the state of BIM literature in Australia. To this end, a quantitative approach using the ‘science mapping’ technique is employed to examine 473 articles in the field and to highlight their academic discourses that have occurred and emerged over time. Findings revealed primary topic areas in BIM research and their connections as well as research institutions active in BIM research, key authors and their collaboration networks, influential countries, and research outlets. The findings are instructive in identifying the gaps in current research. Research in the area of 3D modelling, visualisation, and technical aspects of BIM has dominated BIM research in Australia. There has been less emphasis on the managerial aspect of BIM, education and training, as well as the emerging and interrelated areas such as the Internet of Things, Blockchain, and Digital Twin. Analysis of the collaboration network of the Australian institutions active in BIM research shows that institutions mainly work in isolation with little or no in-country collaboration. From an international perspective, findings demonstrate an increased collaboration with China rather than those identified as leading countries in BIM research such as the U.K. and the U.S. By providing a view from a meta-perspective, the present study contributes to the body of knowledge of BIM in Australia by informing the researchers, the institutions, and the industry of the need for the future research direction and deeper exchange of knowledge.
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ItemPlug n play: Future prefab for smart green schools(MDPI AG, 2018)While relocatable, prefabricated learning environments have formed an important component of school infrastructure in Australia, prefabrication for permanent school buildings is a new and emerging field. This review of prefabrication for schools is timely. In 2017, Australia’s two largest state education departments committed to prefabrication programs for permanent school infrastructure. In this paper we examine the recent history of prefabrication for Australian school buildings in the context of prefabrication internationally. We explore the range of prefabrication methods used locally and internationally and introduce evaluation indicators for school infrastructure. Traditional post-occupancy evaluation (POE) tools measure indicators such as indoor environment quality (IEQ), cost benefit, life cycle performance, and speed of delivery. In response to a shift towards more student-centred learning in a digitally rich environment, recently developed POE tools now investigate the ability of new generation learning environments (NGLEs) to support optimum pedagogical encounters. We conclude with an argument for departments of education to consider how prefabrication provides opportunities for step changes in the delivery, life-cycle management and occupation of smart green schools rather than a program of simply building new schools quicker, better, and cheaper.
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ItemGreen Building Projects: Process Innovation Leading to Project Innovation(Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 2017)Green Building (GB) project delivery is complex since these projects have many different requirements compared to conventional construction. There is not yet an agreement on which delivery approach is more effective in delivering more innovative and environmentally conscious GB projects. This paper investigates the GB project delivery approaches from an innovation perspective by reviewing the various empirical findings from previous research. Using 13 relevant studies identified through a systematic search, the relationship between innovation in delivery process and project innovation is identified. Depending on the extent of innovative features incorporated, each Project Delivery Method (PDM) is found to have the capacity to produce successful results. Incremental process innovation through the use of traditional PDMs is typically associated with a low level of project innovation and environmental performance while radical process innovation using integrated delivery method is found to be associated with a high level of project innovation and environmental performance in GB projects. Delivery process that encourages team work can be valuable as this promotes team integration and collaboration thereby leading to innovative solutions.
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ItemEleven years of ARCOM: Bibliometric mapping of studies published between 2005 and 2016(ARCOM, 2017)The study aims at mapping the intellectual discourse that has emerged from Association of Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM) conference within the last 11 years. To this end, the 1505 studies indexed in Scopus were examined through scientometric analyses of citation networks. The findings show that the most prominent areas of research including “sustainable development”, “health and safety” and “architectural design” have been predominantly conducted from a project management perspective. New fields of research such as Building Information Modelling have gained momentum with several years of delay after their emergence across the construction context. Besides, published studies in ARCOM have for the most part cited studies from journals allocated to managerial areas of construction management as well as management and business journals. Technology and engineering journals nevertheless turned out to have a noticeably lower share of citation. Moreover, the network of collaborations among countries indicated the dominance of the UK and Australia and underrepresentation of North American, emerging markets and developing countries. By providing a view from a meta-perspective, the study exposes the areas in need of extra attention, provides directions for defining future research themes and suggests remedial solutions for addressing the spotted problems.
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ItemMore than a survey: An interdisciplinary post-occupancy tracking of BER schools(Taylor & Francis, 2012)In February 2009, the Australian Government announced the $16.2b Building the Education Revolution (BER) as part of an economic stimulus package. In the context of a global financial crisis, the Government called for ‘shovel ready’ projects requiring state education departments to develop template designs to speed the delivery process. Three years later, new facilities have been completed in over 1100 government schools in Victoria (DEECD, 2012). This article outlines research by an interdisciplinary team to track the early occupation of a template design used inVictoria. The design template was unusual: it enabled schools to continue using traditional classroom teaching or to slide open walls to form larger neighbourhoods suitable for team teaching. Our research linked different methodological frameworks to undertake post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of the new spaces. POE strategies are often driven by construction and project management perspectives rather than focus on organizational issues and user behaviour.
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ItemManaging Projects to Reduce Delivery Schedule Failures(University of Salford, 2008)
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ItemConstruction Project Claims and Conflict in Singapore.(IIR Ltd., 2007)