Given the complex and dispersed nature of construction projects, which demand collaboration among varied experts, it is crucial to reevaluate project management and execution approaches to enhance their performance. Agile principles offer a path towards heightened responsiveness within tasks and processes, addressing the construction industry’s fast-paced nature and growing client demands for timely project completion. However, adopting new management methodologies, such as Agile, needs a significant cultural shift, enabling the cultivation of multi-skilled and self-managing teams. Projectification, a growing trend in contemporary society where more activities are managed as projects, has gained significant relevance in recent years. This study examines the application of Agile project management (specifically Agile Scrum methodology) during the pre-construction phase of a construction project through the lens of Projectification. As evidenced by the research results, applying the Agile methodology in the pre-construction phase may help enhance flexibility and collaboration, enabling teams to adapt quickly to evolving project requirements and unforeseen challenges. The findings demonstrate that Agile methodologies offer numerous benefits, including enhanced adaptability, flexibility, accountability, transparency, and teamwork. Additionally, there were significant reductions in time and costs, emphasizing the value of Agile practices in construction project management.
Nowadays, BIM (Building Information Modeling) has steadily been introduced into the construction industry as a promising methodology for managing projects. Therefore, it is necessary to study the users of its processes. Worldwide, there are already systems that classify companies according to how they use BIM, although only a few studies have been conducted on how individual users are classified. Hence, the present study sought to develop a model that characterized BIM users based on several parameters. The methodology employed defined variables based on a literature review, which experts subsequently validated. These variables made it possible to develop the measurement instrument: a structured questionnaire applied to construction professionals. The necessary parameters for the user characterization model were extracted using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method. This model met the structural evaluation and measurement criteria, which confirmed that it was valid and reliable. It was found that three main aspects mainly characterized users: (i) their use and command of the software and the methodology, (ii) the experience and degree of adoption of the technology, and (iii) the individual’s knowledge of process levels and standardization concerning BIM.
New 3D-printing technologies allows to make constructive elements, especially walls, faster and with formal diversity. The 3D-printed elements usually have self-supporting capacities, but they need to be reinforced or integrated into larger structures, to make buildings of large extension or height of several floors. This work proposes a residential construction strategy, focused on Chile, which combines a modular main reinforced concrete structure with partitions made of 3D-printed walls to obtain different housing organizations. For this, a structural grid and range of volumes are defined in BIM. In addition, a parametric programming is developed and prototypes of 3D-printed walls are made. The volumetric development provides a wide repertoire of residential surfaces, while the main structure provides a great flexibility of occupancy. The programming organizes the design and execution process, with numeric analysis and visualization capabilities. The executed prototypes demonstrate a constructive feasibility and architectural appealing. This development expresses the possibility to integrate 3D-printing in massive and varied dwelling construction, and suggests new paths for housing construction with the application of new design technologies and automated manufacturing in construction.
1 August 2024 in Frontiers of Architectural Research
As the operation of buildings becomes more efficient, the carbon emissions generated by other phases of the building’s life cycle should also be mitigated to address the climate crisis. In this sense, structural systems play an essential role in the total embedded carbon of construction. This paper presents an approach to the conceptual design development of truss structures based on material quantity and embedded carbon. For this, a multi-objective optimization process enables the integration of different criteria, such as structural performance, shape complexity, utilization ratio, and design rationalization. The procedure is implemented in Rhino/Grasshopper using a parametric model that the designer can adjust according to the project requirements. The procedure was applied to two study cases consisting of long-span roof structures. The results show that the mass and embedded carbon can be decreased by over 50% after implementing the present approach. They also indicate that material quantity and embedded emissions tend to increase when augmenting cross-section rationalization; however, displacements have the opposite response. Furthermore, it was found that some topologies perform better regarding the two first objectives (material quantity and embedded emissions). The proposed workflow allowed for the assessment of different rationalization levels of the design to maintain a reduction in these variables while enabling a more suitable truss for construction, helping improve the energy efficiency of buildings driven by a design rationalization perspective.