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The quality of prefabricated building construction is facing problems that are affected by various factors, compared with traditional cast-in-place buildings. To systematically identify these factors, this study attempts to develop an evaluation method using structural equation modeling to measure their impacts on prefabricated buildings. Forty factors are identified based on previous studies and then revised and supplemented via expert interviews. Among them, 25 factors are finalized from three stages, including production, transportation and storage, and lifting. Subsequently, a single-factor measurement model (SFMM) of each stage is established and modified. The improved SFMM is integrated into a first-order confirmatory factor analysis model to reveal the relevance of these stages. The fitting result of this model indicates that some higher-order common factor may exist. Hence, a second-order confirmatory factor analysis model (SOCFAM) is made and further analyzed. With the results of the SOCFAM, the weights of each stage and each factor can be calculated. The weight of the transportation and storage stage is 0.3358, ranking the first. The respective weight of the production stage and lifting stage is 0.3321. They indicate that the transportation and storage stage has the greatest impact on the quality of precast components, followed by the production and lifting stages. Additionally, it can also be found that R14, R4, and R21 are the dominant factors in these three stages to affect quality. Through evaluating the impact, critical factors can be identified, which can provide a reference for practitioners to carry out quality management in assembly construction.
Manman Xia; Li Zhao; Yaning Qiao; Zhenmin Yuan; Yuanlong Cui; Lemeng Zhao; Julei Li. Analysis of Factors Affecting the Quality of Precast Components Based on Structural Equation Modeling. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering 2021, 1 -15.
AMA StyleManman Xia, Li Zhao, Yaning Qiao, Zhenmin Yuan, Yuanlong Cui, Lemeng Zhao, Julei Li. Analysis of Factors Affecting the Quality of Precast Components Based on Structural Equation Modeling. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering. 2021; ():1-15.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManman Xia; Li Zhao; Yaning Qiao; Zhenmin Yuan; Yuanlong Cui; Lemeng Zhao; Julei Li. 2021. "Analysis of Factors Affecting the Quality of Precast Components Based on Structural Equation Modeling." Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering , no. : 1-15.
China’s construction industry developed rapidly and safety production has become a vital issue. Improving the safety behavior of construction workers is an important measure to effectively decrease construction safety accidents. At present, a New Generation of Construction Workers (NGCWs) born after 1980 has gradually become the main force of construction companies in China and the special group characteristics coming from the intergenerational difference may make them behave differently in safety-related activities, therefore, it is very important to study how to promote their safety behavior. This paper aimed to explore the influencing mechanism of job satisfaction on the safety behavior of NGCWs and examine the mediating role of safety knowledge sharing and work engagement. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling analysis were applied to test the theoretical model. Empirical research results indicated that job satisfaction can effectively promote safety behavior through safety knowledge sharing and work engagement. Safety knowledge sharing plays a complete mediating role between job satisfaction and safety compliance behavior, as well as between job satisfaction and safety participation behavior. Moreover, work engagement plays a complete mediating role between job satisfaction and safety participation behavior, which can provide valuable management references for China’s construction companies to strengthen their safety behavior.
Guodong Ni; Yuanyuan Zhu; Ziyao Zhang; Yaning Qiao; Huaikun Li; Na Xu; Yongliang Deng; Zhenmin Yuan; Wenshun Wang. Influencing Mechanism of Job Satisfaction on Safety Behavior of New Generation of Construction Workers Based on Chinese Context: The Mediating Roles of Work Engagement and Safety Knowledge Sharing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 17, 8361 .
AMA StyleGuodong Ni, Yuanyuan Zhu, Ziyao Zhang, Yaning Qiao, Huaikun Li, Na Xu, Yongliang Deng, Zhenmin Yuan, Wenshun Wang. Influencing Mechanism of Job Satisfaction on Safety Behavior of New Generation of Construction Workers Based on Chinese Context: The Mediating Roles of Work Engagement and Safety Knowledge Sharing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17 (22):8361.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGuodong Ni; Yuanyuan Zhu; Ziyao Zhang; Yaning Qiao; Huaikun Li; Na Xu; Yongliang Deng; Zhenmin Yuan; Wenshun Wang. 2020. "Influencing Mechanism of Job Satisfaction on Safety Behavior of New Generation of Construction Workers Based on Chinese Context: The Mediating Roles of Work Engagement and Safety Knowledge Sharing." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 22: 8361.
In the context of the increasingly severe energy crisis and global warming, green buildings and their energy-saving issues are being paid more attention in the world. Since envelope optimization can significantly reduce the energy consumption of green buildings, value engineering (VE) technology and building information modeling (BIM) technology are used to optimize the envelope of green buildings, which takes into account both energy saving and life cycle cost. The theoretical framework of optimization for green building envelope based on BIM-VE is proposed, including a BIM model for architecture, a life cycle cost analysis model, energy-saving analysis model, and a value analysis model. In the life-cycle cost model, a mathematical formula for the life-cycle cost is established, and BIM technology is used to generate a bill of quantity. In the energy-saving analysis model, a mathematical formula for energy saving is established, and BIM technology is used for the building energy simulation. In the scheme decision-making sub-model, VE technology integrating life cycle cost with energy saving is used to assess the envelope schemes and select the optimal one. A prefabricated project case is used to simulate and test the established methodology. The important results show that the 16 envelope schemes make the 16 corresponding designed buildings meet the green building evaluation standards, and the optimal envelope scheme is the “energy-saving and anti-theft door + exterior window 2+ floor 1+ exterior wall 1 + inner shear wall + inner partition wall 2 + planted roof” with the value 10.80 × 10−2 MW·h/ten thousand yuan. A significant finding is that the value generally rises with the increase of energy-saving rate while the life cycle cost is irregular with the increase of energy-saving rate. Compared with previous efforts in the literature, this study introduces VE technology into architectural design to further expand the current boundary of building energy-saving theory. The findings and suggestions will provide a valuable reference and guidance for the architectural design industry to optimize the envelope of green buildings from the perspective of both energy saving and life cycle cost.
Zhenmin Yuan; Jianliang Zhou; Yaning Qiao; Yadi Zhang; Dandan Liu; Hui Zhu. BIM-VE-Based Optimization of Green Building Envelope from the Perspective of both Energy Saving and Life Cycle Cost. Sustainability 2020, 12, 7862 .
AMA StyleZhenmin Yuan, Jianliang Zhou, Yaning Qiao, Yadi Zhang, Dandan Liu, Hui Zhu. BIM-VE-Based Optimization of Green Building Envelope from the Perspective of both Energy Saving and Life Cycle Cost. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (19):7862.
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhenmin Yuan; Jianliang Zhou; Yaning Qiao; Yadi Zhang; Dandan Liu; Hui Zhu. 2020. "BIM-VE-Based Optimization of Green Building Envelope from the Perspective of both Energy Saving and Life Cycle Cost." Sustainability 12, no. 19: 7862.
As a sustainable and cleaner type of facility, prefabricated buildings face more design barriers than traditional non-prefabricated buildings. Identifying and managing these barriers is key to improving the success rate of prefabricated building design. However, direct studies on these design barriers are extremely rare. The present study solved this problem by combining multiple methods, including grounded theory (GT), structured self-intersection matrix (SSIM), analytic network process (ANP), and the linear weighted sum method (LWSM). GT was adopted to identify the barriers to prefabricated building design and then SSIM was used to analyze the interactions among them. The eight design barriers were finally identified and classified into three clusters: technical barriers, economic barriers, and management barriers. A further analysis found that there is dependence and feedback among these clusters. The technical barrier cluster and management barrier cluster experience self-feedback. A network model based on ANP was next established to calculate the weights of the barrier elements and then this model was combined with LWSM to evaluate the overall design barrier strength of a project case. The results showed that architectural individualization has the greatest impact on prefabricated building design, followed by the collaborative issues among multiple units and professional designer issues. The overall design barrier strength of the project case was larger. Therefore, the first suggestion provided to the facility management sector is to establish a library for standard house types to achieve architectural design through multihouse combinations.
Zhenmin Yuan; Guodong Ni; Linxiu Wang; Yaning Qiao; Chengshuang Sun; Na Xu; Wenshun Wang. Research on the Barrier Analysis and Strength Measurement of a Prefabricated Building Design. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2994 .
AMA StyleZhenmin Yuan, Guodong Ni, Linxiu Wang, Yaning Qiao, Chengshuang Sun, Na Xu, Wenshun Wang. Research on the Barrier Analysis and Strength Measurement of a Prefabricated Building Design. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (7):2994.
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhenmin Yuan; Guodong Ni; Linxiu Wang; Yaning Qiao; Chengshuang Sun; Na Xu; Wenshun Wang. 2020. "Research on the Barrier Analysis and Strength Measurement of a Prefabricated Building Design." Sustainability 12, no. 7: 2994.
Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has received wide application in asphalt pavement construction and maintenance and it has shown cost-effectiveness over virgin hot mix asphalt (HMA). HMA with a high content of reclaimed asphalt (RA) (e.g., 40%) is sometimes used in practice, however, it may have significant adverse effects on the life cycle performance and related costs. In particular, challenges may arise as the life cycle performance of RAP is also affected by local climatic conditions. Thus, it is important to investigate whether it is still economic to use RAP under future local climate, with consideration of life cycle performance. A case study was conducted for various road structures on Interstate 95 (I-95) in New Hampshire (NH), USA for the investigation. The case study utilized dynamic modulus testing results for local virgin HMA and HMA with 40% RA (as major material alternatives) to predict life cycle performance of the selected pavement structures, considering downscaled future climates. Then, a life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) was considered to estimate and compare the life cycle cash flow of the investigated road structures. Responsive maintenance (overlay) and effectiveness were also considered in this study. It was found that using 40% RA in HMA can reduce agency costs by up to approximately 18% under the 2020–2040 predicted climate and NH should consider this practice under predicted future climate to reduce agency costs.
Yaning Qiao; Eshan Dave; Tony Parry; Omar Valle; Lingyun Mi; Guodong Ni; Zhenmin Yuan; Yuefeng Zhu. Life Cycle Costs Analysis of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Under Future Climate. Sustainability 2019, 11, 5414 .
AMA StyleYaning Qiao, Eshan Dave, Tony Parry, Omar Valle, Lingyun Mi, Guodong Ni, Zhenmin Yuan, Yuefeng Zhu. Life Cycle Costs Analysis of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Under Future Climate. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (19):5414.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYaning Qiao; Eshan Dave; Tony Parry; Omar Valle; Lingyun Mi; Guodong Ni; Zhenmin Yuan; Yuefeng Zhu. 2019. "Life Cycle Costs Analysis of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Under Future Climate." Sustainability 11, no. 19: 5414.