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Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari
Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK

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Journal article
Published: 11 August 2021 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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The construction sector is recognized as one of the most dangerous industries in the world. The situation is worsening in Iraq, as a result of a lack of attention to safety in the building industry and the poor implementation of safety programs. This research aims to identify the critical safety factors (CSFs) of safety program implementation in the Iraqi construction industry. The CSFs were first identified from a review of literature before being verified by construction practitioners, using semi-structured interviews. A questionnaire, based on the verified CSFs, was distributed to construction practitioners in Iraq. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to analyze the quantitative data, and the results show that the CSFs can be categorized into four constructs: worker involvement, safety prevention and control system, safety arrangement, and management commitment. Following that, partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was executed to establish the connection between safety program implementation and overall project success. The result confirms that safety program implementation has a significant, positive impact on project success. This article contributes to knowledge and practice by identifying the CSFs for implementing safety programs in the Iraqi construction industry. The successful implementation of a safety program not only improves safety performance, but also helps to meet other project goals.

ACS Style

Mohanad Kamil Buniya; Idris Othman; Riza Yosia Sunindijo; Ghanim Kashwani; Serdar Durdyev; Syuhaida Ismail; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li. Critical Success Factors of Safety Program Implementation in Construction Projects in Iraq. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 8469 .

AMA Style

Mohanad Kamil Buniya, Idris Othman, Riza Yosia Sunindijo, Ghanim Kashwani, Serdar Durdyev, Syuhaida Ismail, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Heng Li. Critical Success Factors of Safety Program Implementation in Construction Projects in Iraq. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (16):8469.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mohanad Kamil Buniya; Idris Othman; Riza Yosia Sunindijo; Ghanim Kashwani; Serdar Durdyev; Syuhaida Ismail; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li. 2021. "Critical Success Factors of Safety Program Implementation in Construction Projects in Iraq." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 16: 8469.

Earlycite article
Published: 27 July 2021 in Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
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Purpose Since construction workers often need to carry various types of loads in their daily routine, they are at risk of sustaining musculoskeletal injuries. Additionally, carrying a load during walking may disturb their walking balance and lead to fall injuries among construction workers. Different load carrying techniques may also cause different extents of physical exertion. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of different load-carrying techniques on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological parameters in asymptomatic individuals on both stable and unstable surfaces. Design/methodology/approach Fifteen asymptomatic male participants (mean age: 31.5 ± 2.6 years) walked along an 8-m walkway on flat and foam surfaces with and without a load thrice using three different techniques (e.g. load carriage on the head, on the dominant shoulder, and in both hands). Temporal gait parameters (e.g. gait speed, cadence, and double support time), gait symmetry (e.g. step time, stance time, and swing time symmetry), and dynamic balance parameters [e.g. anteroposterior and mediolateral center of pressure (CoP) displacement, and CoP velocity] were evaluated. Additionally, the heart rate (HR) and electrodermal activity (EDA) was assessed to estimate physiological parameters. Findings The gait speed was significantly higher when the load was carried in both hands compared to other techniques (Hand load, 1.02 ms vs Head load, 0.82 ms vs Shoulder load, 0.78 ms). Stride frequency was significantly decreased during load carrying on the head than the load in both hands (46.5 vs 51.7 strides/m). Step, stance, and swing time symmetry were significantly poorer during load carrying on the shoulder than the load in both hands (Step time symmetry ration, 1.10 vs 1.04; Stance time symmetry ratio, 1.11 vs 1.05; Swing time symmetry ratio, 1.11 vs 1.04). The anteroposterior (Shoulder load, 17.47 mm vs Head load, 21.10 mm vs Hand load, −5.10 mm) and mediolateral CoP displacements (Shoulder load, −0.57 mm vs Head load, −1.53 mm vs Hand load, −3.37 ms) significantly increased during load carrying on the shoulder or head compared to a load in both hands. The HR (Head load, 85.2 beats/m vs Shoulder load, 77.5 beats/m vs No load, 69.5 beats/m) and EDA (Hand load, 14.0 µS vs Head load, 14.3 µS vs Shoulder load, 14.1 µS vs No load, 9.0 µS) were significantly larger during load carrying than no load. Research limitations/implications The findings suggest that carrying loads in both hands yields better gait symmetry and dynamic balance than carrying loads on the dominant shoulder or head. Construction managers/instructors should recommend construction workers to carry loads in both hands to improve their gait symmetry and dynamic balance and to lower their risk of falls. Practical implications The potential changes in gait and balance parameters during various load carrying methods will aid the assessment of fall risk in construction workers during loaded walking. Wearable insole sensors that monitor gait and balance in real-time would enable safety managers to identify workers who are at risk of falling during load carriage due to various reasons (e.g. physical exertion, improper carrying techniques, fatigue). Such technology can also empower them to take the necessary steps to prevent falls. Originality/value This is the first study to use wearable insole sensors and a photoplethysmography device to assess the impacts of various load carrying approaches on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological measures (i.e. HR and EDA) while walking on stable and unstable terrains.

ACS Style

Shahnawaz Anwer; Heng Li; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Waleed Umer; Imran Mehmood; Arnold Yu Lok Wong. Effects of load carrying techniques on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological parameters during a manual material handling task. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 2021, ahead-of-p, 1 .

AMA Style

Shahnawaz Anwer, Heng Li, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Waleed Umer, Imran Mehmood, Arnold Yu Lok Wong. Effects of load carrying techniques on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological parameters during a manual material handling task. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 2021; ahead-of-p (ahead-of-p):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shahnawaz Anwer; Heng Li; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Waleed Umer; Imran Mehmood; Arnold Yu Lok Wong. 2021. "Effects of load carrying techniques on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological parameters during a manual material handling task." Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management ahead-of-p, no. ahead-of-p: 1.

Research article
Published: 08 July 2021 in Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research
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High-performance strain sensors featuring self-healing ability and high stretchability are desired for human motion detection, soft robotics, and diver intelligent applications. Herein, a novel self-healing elastomer was synthesized via a facile one-pot polycondensation reaction between bis(3-aminopropyl) terminated polydimethylsiloxane and 2,4’-tolylene diisocyanate, followed by introducing carboxyl-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The physically entangled linear molecular chains and multiple hydrogen bonds endowed elastomer with a remarkable healing efficiency of 98.1% and outstanding stretchability of over 1000%. Owing to the conductive network constructed by the uniformly dispersed CNT, the nanocomposite elastomer-based strain sensor achieved a high gauge factor of 2.43 and its sensing performance could be well regained after self-healing. The strain sensor was successfully used for detecting various human motions and distinguishing facial microexpressions. Moreover, the nanocomposite elastomer applied on a grip ball and woolen glove as sensing units rendered them with the ability of grip force detection and sign language recognition. This work offers a new route and a promising self-healing nanocomposite elastomer for the development of recyclable and sustainable high-performance strain sensors and prospects its advanced intelligent applications.

ACS Style

Xin Jing; Zhenping Ma; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Lin Wang; Heng Li; Hao-Yang Mi; Pei-Yong Feng; Yuejun Liu. Synthesis and Fabrication of Supramolecular Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Nanocomposite Elastomer for Versatile and Intelligent Sensing. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 2021, 60, 10419 -10430.

AMA Style

Xin Jing, Zhenping Ma, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Lin Wang, Heng Li, Hao-Yang Mi, Pei-Yong Feng, Yuejun Liu. Synthesis and Fabrication of Supramolecular Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Nanocomposite Elastomer for Versatile and Intelligent Sensing. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 2021; 60 (28):10419-10430.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xin Jing; Zhenping Ma; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Lin Wang; Heng Li; Hao-Yang Mi; Pei-Yong Feng; Yuejun Liu. 2021. "Synthesis and Fabrication of Supramolecular Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Nanocomposite Elastomer for Versatile and Intelligent Sensing." Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 60, no. 28: 10419-10430.

Journal article
Published: 18 June 2021 in Safety Science
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An exoskeleton system can be an effective ergonomic intervention for mitigating the risks of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders, yet little attention is given to the effects of its application on physical risk factors and subjective responses. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effects of a passive exoskeleton system on spinal biomechanics and subjective responses during manual repetitive handling tasks among construction workers. Muscle activity of the Thoracic Erector Spinae (TES), Lumbar Erector Spinae (LES) at L3 vertebrae level, Rectus Abdominis (RA), and External Oblique (EO) during the repetitive handling tasks were measured by surface electromyography (sEMG). Additionally, the Borg categorical rating scale (Borg CR 10), local perceived pressure (LPP), and system usability scale (SUS) were used to measure the ratings of perceived discomfort, perceived musculoskeletal pressure, and system usability, respectively. Our results found that: (1) the use of the passive exoskeleton system significantly reduced LES muscle activity (11–33% MVC), with a greater reduction in LES muscle activity (32.71% MVC) for the heaviest lifting load; (2) the use of the passive exoskeleton system significantly reduced perceived discomfort scores (42.40%) of the lower back for the heaviest lifting load; (3) increased lifting load significantly increased LPP scores of the shoulder, lower back, and leg body parts; and (4) majority of the participants rated the passive exoskeleton system as having acceptable usability. The findings of these results indicate that the developed passive exoskeleton system could reduce the internal muscle force, extensor moments, and spinal forces in the lumbar region.

ACS Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Shahnawaz Anwer; Dawei Li; Yi Yu; Hao-Yang Mi; Ibrahim Yahaya Wuni. Assessment of a passive exoskeleton system on spinal biomechanics and subjective responses during manual repetitive handling tasks among construction workers. Safety Science 2021, 142, 105382 .

AMA Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Heng Li, Shahnawaz Anwer, Dawei Li, Yi Yu, Hao-Yang Mi, Ibrahim Yahaya Wuni. Assessment of a passive exoskeleton system on spinal biomechanics and subjective responses during manual repetitive handling tasks among construction workers. Safety Science. 2021; 142 ():105382.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Shahnawaz Anwer; Dawei Li; Yi Yu; Hao-Yang Mi; Ibrahim Yahaya Wuni. 2021. "Assessment of a passive exoskeleton system on spinal biomechanics and subjective responses during manual repetitive handling tasks among construction workers." Safety Science 142, no. : 105382.

Journal article
Published: 01 May 2021 in Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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Physical fatigue is a major health and safety–related problem among construction workers. Many previous studies relied on interviews and/or questionnaire to assess physical fatigue in construction workers. However, these traditional methods are not only time-consuming but also limited by recall bias. To overcome these limitations, many researchers have used physiological metrics (e.g., heart rate, heart-rate variability, skin temperature, electromyographic activity, and jerk metrics) to measure real-time physical fatigue. Although physiological metrics have shown promising results for real-time assessments of physical fatigue, no state-of-the-art review has been conducted to summarize various physiological metrics in measuring physical fatigue among construction workers. Therefore, the current state-of-the art review aims to summarize existing evidence regarding the use of physiological metrics to measure physical fatigue of construction workers in real-time. This review used systematic searches to identify relevant studies and critically appraised the application of physiological metrics in measuring physical fatigue of construction workers. First, it summarizes the application of various physiological metrics for real-time measurement of physical fatigue in construction workers. Second, various wearable sensing technologies for measuring physiological metrics are identified. Third, this review discusses the potential challenges for applying physiological metrics to measure physical fatigue. Finally, future research directions to advance the development and adoption of various physiological metrics to monitor and mitigate physical fatigue in construction workers are discussed.

ACS Style

Shahnawaz Anwer; Heng Li; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Waleed Umer; Arnold Yu Lok Wong. Evaluation of Physiological Metrics as Real-Time Measurement of Physical Fatigue in Construction Workers: State-of-the-Art Review. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management 2021, 147, 03121001 .

AMA Style

Shahnawaz Anwer, Heng Li, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Waleed Umer, Arnold Yu Lok Wong. Evaluation of Physiological Metrics as Real-Time Measurement of Physical Fatigue in Construction Workers: State-of-the-Art Review. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. 2021; 147 (5):03121001.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shahnawaz Anwer; Heng Li; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Waleed Umer; Arnold Yu Lok Wong. 2021. "Evaluation of Physiological Metrics as Real-Time Measurement of Physical Fatigue in Construction Workers: State-of-the-Art Review." Journal of Construction Engineering and Management 147, no. 5: 03121001.

Journal article
Published: 25 March 2021 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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Gated communities are the most popular residential pattern in the urban areas of China. However, along with the increasing population density in urban areas, this pattern may have negative influences on people’s daily lives, such as traffic jams. To avoid the negative influences, the government has encouraged residents to open their gated communities; however, few positive actions have been taken. With this background, this study aims to explore the key factors in residents’ willingness to open their gated communities. To start with, a total of 26 potential factors were identified based on a comprehensive literature review. Then, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to collect empirical data. Furthermore, logistic regression was employed to analyze the collected data. Based on the derived results, it was revealed that concerns are different between male and female residents. Male residents regarded “community safety” and “property management” as having a significant impact on their decision to open a gated community, while female residents paid more attention to the factor of “proprietary equity”. The results of this study could provide valuable references that enable the government to better understand residents’ underlying concerns and to make relevant policy decisions.

ACS Style

Zezhou Wu; Lu Yang; Kexi Xu; Jinming Zhang; Maxwell Antwi-Afari. Key Factors of Opening Gated Community in Urban Area: A Case Study of China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 3401 .

AMA Style

Zezhou Wu, Lu Yang, Kexi Xu, Jinming Zhang, Maxwell Antwi-Afari. Key Factors of Opening Gated Community in Urban Area: A Case Study of China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (7):3401.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zezhou Wu; Lu Yang; Kexi Xu; Jinming Zhang; Maxwell Antwi-Afari. 2021. "Key Factors of Opening Gated Community in Urban Area: A Case Study of China." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 7: 3401.

Review
Published: 06 March 2021 in International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics
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The current systematic review aimed to summarize prevalence rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) and quantify the associations between physical or psychosocial risk factors and WRMSDs in construction workers. Literature searches were conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, and EMBASE from January 1, 2000 to September 30, 2020. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed by a validated risk of bias assessment tool used in population-based prevalence studies. Nineteen cross-sectional studies and one cohort study involving 194,863 participants were included. Eleven, five, and four included studies were classified as having high, moderate, and low quality, respectively. The 12-month prevalence rates of WRMSDs in construction workers were high (ranging from 25% to 96%). There was strong evidence to support the relationships between awkward postures (e.g., twisting, bending, or cramping positions) [odd ratio (OR) = 2.4], manual material handling (MMH) (OR = 2.2), prolonged works (OR = 4.0), high job demands (OR =1.6) or mental stress (OR =1.8) and WRMSDs in construction workers. Additionally, there was moderate evidence for the associations between overhead works (OR = 3.1), use of vibration (OR = 3.2), or low job satisfaction (OR = 1.5) and WRMSDs in construction workers. Furthermore, there was very limited evidence for the associations between repetitive works, low job control, or high job insecurity and WRMSDs in construction workers. Although many physical and psychosocial risk factors were associated with WRMSDs in construction workers, the causal relationships between these factors and the prevalence of WRMSDs remain unclear. Future prospective studies should determine whether these factors can predict future WRMSDs and whether the modification of these factors can reduce the incidence and/or prevalence of WRMSDs in construction workers. CRD42019135027.

ACS Style

Shahnawaz Anwer; Heng Li; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Arnold Yu Lok Wong. Associations between physical or psychosocial risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders in construction workers based on literature in the last 20 years: A systematic review. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 2021, 83, 103113 .

AMA Style

Shahnawaz Anwer, Heng Li, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Arnold Yu Lok Wong. Associations between physical or psychosocial risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders in construction workers based on literature in the last 20 years: A systematic review. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 2021; 83 ():103113.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shahnawaz Anwer; Heng Li; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Arnold Yu Lok Wong. 2021. "Associations between physical or psychosocial risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders in construction workers based on literature in the last 20 years: A systematic review." International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 83, no. : 103113.

Review
Published: 22 January 2021 in Automation in Construction
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Construction workers' posture-related data is closely connected with their safety, health, and productivity performance. The importance of posture-related data has drawn the attention of researchers in construction management and other fields. Accordingly, many data collection methods have been developed and applied to collect posture-related data. Despite the importance of workers' posture-related data, there lacks a review of previous data collection methods in the construction industry. This paper fills the research gap by reviewing previous methods to collect posture-related data for construction workers via 1) summarizing working principles and applications of posture-related data collection in construction management, which demonstrates the extensive use of motion sensors and Red-Green-Blue (RGB) cameras in posture-related data collection, 2) comparing the above methods based on data quality and feasibility on construction sites, which reveals the reason why motion sensors and RGB cameras have been prevalent in previous studies, 3) revealing research gaps of posture-related data collection tools and applications, and providing possible future research directions.

ACS Style

Yantao Yu; Waleed Umer; Xincong Yang; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari. Posture-related data collection methods for construction workers: A review. Automation in Construction 2021, 124, 103538 .

AMA Style

Yantao Yu, Waleed Umer, Xincong Yang, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari. Posture-related data collection methods for construction workers: A review. Automation in Construction. 2021; 124 ():103538.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yantao Yu; Waleed Umer; Xincong Yang; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari. 2021. "Posture-related data collection methods for construction workers: A review." Automation in Construction 124, no. : 103538.

Research article
Published: 17 December 2020 in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
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High-performance low-cost superhydrophobic sponges are desired for selective recycling of leaking oils from open water. Herein, an ingenious method is proposed to fabricate an ultrathin superhydrophobic coating layer on a commercial sponge. The coating layer is composed of a shish–kebab-structured porous ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) film that is fabricated from a UHMWPE/xylene solution by shear flow-induced crystallization. A strong relationship between the shish–kebab crystallite morphology and the superwetting performance is confirmed. The UHMWPE coating layer fabricated at a 900 rpm rotation rate possesses a lamellae size of 95.1 nm and a lamellae distance of 27.4 nm, which lead to a high water contact angle of 157° and a low contact angle hysteresis of 4.5°. The UHMWPE layer prepared in 4 min of treatment is thick enough to prevent the intrusion of water even under vacuum and remain superoleophilic. The developed UHMWPE-coated sponge (UCS) exhibited a high absorption capability of 70–191 g/g toward various oils and solvents, which is comparable with the neat melamine sponge. Its excellent compressibility and durability enabled fast recovery of absorbed oil with a high recovery rate (over 85%) by mechanical squeezing. The UCS could be assembled into small devices to selectively collect oil from open water and a water/oil mixture using a pump, which manifests its promising practical applicability. Apart from these extraordinary properties, the approach developed has the lowest material cost and the shortest processing time hitherto.

ACS Style

Binbin Dong; Yahao Guo; Shuangjie Sun; Hao-Yang Mi; Ping He; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Chuntai Liu; Changyu Shen. Shish–Kebab-Structured UHMWPE Coating for Efficient and Cost-Effective Oil–Water Separation. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2020, 12, 58252 -58262.

AMA Style

Binbin Dong, Yahao Guo, Shuangjie Sun, Hao-Yang Mi, Ping He, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Chuntai Liu, Changyu Shen. Shish–Kebab-Structured UHMWPE Coating for Efficient and Cost-Effective Oil–Water Separation. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 2020; 12 (52):58252-58262.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Binbin Dong; Yahao Guo; Shuangjie Sun; Hao-Yang Mi; Ping He; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Chuntai Liu; Changyu Shen. 2020. "Shish–Kebab-Structured UHMWPE Coating for Efficient and Cost-Effective Oil–Water Separation." ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 12, no. 52: 58252-58262.

Earlycite article
Published: 15 September 2020 in Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
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Purpose Construction workers are frequently exposed to safety hazards on sites. Wearable sensing systems (e.g. wearable inertial measurement units (WIMUs), wearable insole pressure system (WIPS)) have been used to collect workers' gait patterns for distinguishing safety hazards. However, the performance of measuring WIPS-based gait parameters for identifying safety hazards as compared to a reference system (i.e. WIMUs) has not been studied. Therefore, this study examined the validity and reliability of measuring WIPS-based gait parameters as compared to WIMU-based gait parameters for distinguishing safety hazards in construction. Design/methodology/approach Five fall-risk events were conducted in a laboratory setting, and the performance of the proposed approach was assessed by calculating the mean difference (MD), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of five gait parameters. Findings Comparable results of MD, MAE, MAPE and RMSE were found between WIPS-based gait parameters and the reference system. Furthermore, all measured gait parameters had validity (ICC = 0.751) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.910) closer to 1, indicating a good performance of measuring WIPS-based gait parameters for distinguishing safety hazards. Research limitations/implications Overall, this study supports the relevance of developing a WIPS as a noninvasive wearable sensing system for identifying safety hazards on construction sites, thus highlighting the usefulness of its applications for construction safety research. Originality/value This is the first study to examine the performance of a wearable insole pressure system for identifying safety hazards in construction.

ACS Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Joonoh Seo; Shahnawaz Anwer; Sitsofe Kwame Yevu; Zezhou Wu. Validity and reliability of a wearable insole pressure system for measuring gait parameters to identify safety hazards in construction. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 2020, 28, 1761 -1779.

AMA Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Heng Li, Joonoh Seo, Shahnawaz Anwer, Sitsofe Kwame Yevu, Zezhou Wu. Validity and reliability of a wearable insole pressure system for measuring gait parameters to identify safety hazards in construction. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 2020; 28 (6):1761-1779.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Joonoh Seo; Shahnawaz Anwer; Sitsofe Kwame Yevu; Zezhou Wu. 2020. "Validity and reliability of a wearable insole pressure system for measuring gait parameters to identify safety hazards in construction." Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 28, no. 6: 1761-1779.

Review
Published: 11 September 2020 in Sustainability
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Construction management can be regarded as a complex and dynamic system. In recent years, system dynamics (SD) has been widely applied to solve the complex and dynamic problems in the construction management. However, there is a lack of a scientometric analysis to investigate SD applications in construction management from an objective perspective. To fill out this research gap, this study retrieved a total of 222 relevant articles from the Scopus database. Then, VOSviewer was employed to analyze the collected literature from five aspects (i.e., co-authorship, published journals, co-occurring keywords, article citations, and regions). Based on the analysis results, four mainstream research themes were identified and discussed, including “risk management”, “waste management”, “energy management”, and “construction productivity”. In addition, future research directions, such as “construction risk allocation in PPP projects”, “evaluating the economic feasibility of construction waste landfilling centers”, “identifying the variables affecting lighting infrastructure energy consumption”, and “assessing construction productivity for technology-intensive activities”, were proposed. The contribution of this study lies in that it helps both scholars and practitioners to solve the complex and dynamic problems in construction management.

ACS Style

Zezhou Wu; Kaijie Yang; Xiaofan Lai; Maxwell Antwi-Afari. A Scientometric Review of System Dynamics Applications in Construction Management Research. Sustainability 2020, 12, 7474 .

AMA Style

Zezhou Wu, Kaijie Yang, Xiaofan Lai, Maxwell Antwi-Afari. A Scientometric Review of System Dynamics Applications in Construction Management Research. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (18):7474.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zezhou Wu; Kaijie Yang; Xiaofan Lai; Maxwell Antwi-Afari. 2020. "A Scientometric Review of System Dynamics Applications in Construction Management Research." Sustainability 12, no. 18: 7474.

Journal article
Published: 26 August 2020 in Automation in Construction
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Within a dynamic and complex working environment, fatigue statuses (involving physical and mental fatigue) of workers on construction sites tend to have a more serious impact on work performance than general workplaces. To improve safety management on sites, valid fatigue management measures for workers are urgently required. Specifically, there are construction activities requiring both physical and cognitive effort. As a critical premise for putting forward feasible fatigue management measures, correlations between physical and mental fatigue on work performance should be identified. This research explored the effects of physical fatigue on the induction of mental fatigue of construction workers, by adopting a pilot experimental method. Manual handling tasks of different intensities were firstly designed for stimulating certain expected physical fatigue statuses. A cognition-required risk identification task was then arranged for inducing mental fatigue, during which a wearable electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor was utilized for fatigue detection and measurement. Through a comprehensive data analysis method based on EEG rhythms, it was found that the high physical fatigue can significantly accelerate the induction of mental fatigue. Considering the resource allotment, more vigilant and attentional resources were required during the intensive manual handling tasks for the highly controlled limbs and the mind to steps. Thus, additional resources were invested to maintain the same level of cognitive performance in the risk identification tasks, which led to the increased mental fatigue. In practice, the heavy physical task can be regarded as one of the factors affecting the development of mental fatigue status, and therefore impairing cognitive functioning and other mental performances of the brain. The pilot study results provided a reference for fatigue management of construction workers to promote comprehensive safety management on construction sites.

ACS Style

Xuejiao Xing; Botao Zhong; Hanbin Luo; Timothy Rose; Jue Li; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari. Effects of physical fatigue on the induction of mental fatigue of construction workers: A pilot study based on a neurophysiological approach. Automation in Construction 2020, 120, 103381 .

AMA Style

Xuejiao Xing, Botao Zhong, Hanbin Luo, Timothy Rose, Jue Li, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari. Effects of physical fatigue on the induction of mental fatigue of construction workers: A pilot study based on a neurophysiological approach. Automation in Construction. 2020; 120 ():103381.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xuejiao Xing; Botao Zhong; Hanbin Luo; Timothy Rose; Jue Li; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari. 2020. "Effects of physical fatigue on the induction of mental fatigue of construction workers: A pilot study based on a neurophysiological approach." Automation in Construction 120, no. : 103381.

Journal article
Published: 28 July 2020 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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Cardiorespiratory (e.g., heart rate and breathing rate) and thermoregulatory (e.g., local skin temperature and electrodermal activity) responses are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. To cope with increased physical workload, the sympathetic system upregulates its activity to generate greater sympathetic responses (i.e., increased heart rate and respiratory rate). Therefore, physiological measures may have the potential to evaluate changes in physical condition (including fatigue) during functional tasks. This study aimed to quantify physical fatigue using wearable cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory sensors during a simulated construction task. Twenty-five healthy individuals (mean age, 31.8 ± 1.8 years) were recruited. Participants were instructed to perform 30 min of a simulated manual material handling task in a laboratory. The experimental setup comprised a station A, a 10-metre walking platform, and a station B. Each participant was asked to pick up a 15 kg ergonomically-designed wooden box from station A and then carried it along the platform and dropped it at station B. The task was repeated from B to A and then A to B until the participants perceived a fatigue level > 15 out of 20 on the Borg-20 scale. Heart rate, breathing rate, local skin temperature, and electrodermal activity at the wrist were measured by wearable sensors and the perceived physical fatigue was assessed using the Borg-20 scale at baseline, 15 min, and 30 min from the baseline. There were significant increases in the heart rate (mean changes: 50 ± 13.3 beats/min), breathing rate (mean changes: 9.8 ± 4.1 breaths), local skin temperature (mean changes: 3.4 ± 1.9 °C), electrodermal activity at the right wrist (mean changes: 7.1 ± 3.8 µS/cm), and subjective physical fatigue (mean changes: 8.8 ± 0.6 levels) at the end of the simulated construction task (p < 0.05). Heart rate and breathing rate at 15 and 30 min were significantly correlated with the corresponding subjective Borg scores (p < 0.01). Local skin temperature at 30 min was significantly correlated with the corresponding Borg scores (p < 0.05). However, electrodermal activity at the right wrist was not associated with Borg scores at any time points. The results implied cardiorespiratory parameters and local skin temperature were good surrogates for measuring physical fatigue. Conversely, electrodermal activity at the right wrist was unrelated to physical fatigue. Future field studies should investigate the sensitivity of various cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory parameters for real time physical fatigue monitoring in construction sites.

ACS Style

Shahnawaz Anwer; Heng Li; Maxwell Antwi-Afari; Waleed Umer; Arnold Wong. Cardiorespiratory and Thermoregulatory Parameters Are Good Surrogates for Measuring Physical Fatigue during a Simulated Construction Task. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 17, 5418 .

AMA Style

Shahnawaz Anwer, Heng Li, Maxwell Antwi-Afari, Waleed Umer, Arnold Wong. Cardiorespiratory and Thermoregulatory Parameters Are Good Surrogates for Measuring Physical Fatigue during a Simulated Construction Task. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17 (15):5418.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shahnawaz Anwer; Heng Li; Maxwell Antwi-Afari; Waleed Umer; Arnold Wong. 2020. "Cardiorespiratory and Thermoregulatory Parameters Are Good Surrogates for Measuring Physical Fatigue during a Simulated Construction Task." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 15: 5418.

Journal article
Published: 01 July 2020 in Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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Overexertion-related construction activities are identified as a leading cause of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among construction workers. However, few studies have focused on the automated recognition of overexertion-related construction workers’ activities as well as assessing ergonomic risk levels, which may help to minimize WMSDs. Therefore, this study examined the feasibility of using acceleration and foot plantar pressure distribution data captured by a wearable insole pressure system for automated recognition of overexertion-related construction workers’ activities and for assessing ergonomic risk levels. The proposed approach was tested by simulating overexertion-related construction activities in a laboratory setting. The classification accuracy of five types of supervised machine learning classifiers was evaluated with different window sizes to investigate classification performance and further estimate physical intensity, activity duration, and frequency information. Cross-validation results showed that the Random Forest classifier with a 2.56-s window size achieved the best classification accuracy of 98.3% and a sensitivity of more than 95.8% for each category of activities using the best features of combined data set. Furthermore, the estimation of corresponding ergonomic risk levels was within the same level of risk. The findings may help to develop a noninvasive wearable insole pressure system for the continuous monitoring and automated activity recognition, which could assist researchers and safety managers in identifying and assessing overexertion-related construction activities for minimizing the development of WMSDs’ risks among construction workers.

ACS Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Waleed Umer; Yantao Yu; Xuejiao Xing. Construction Activity Recognition and Ergonomic Risk Assessment Using a Wearable Insole Pressure System. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management 2020, 146, 04020077 .

AMA Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Heng Li, Waleed Umer, Yantao Yu, Xuejiao Xing. Construction Activity Recognition and Ergonomic Risk Assessment Using a Wearable Insole Pressure System. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. 2020; 146 (7):04020077.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Waleed Umer; Yantao Yu; Xuejiao Xing. 2020. "Construction Activity Recognition and Ergonomic Risk Assessment Using a Wearable Insole Pressure System." Journal of Construction Engineering and Management 146, no. 7: 04020077.

Journal article
Published: 30 May 2020 in Safety Science
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Safety hazard identification is an essential method for mitigating non-fatal fall injuries and improving construction workers’ safety performance. Current safety hazard identification methods mostly rely on experts’ judgment to identify hazards, and thereby they are unable to continuously identify hazards in the diverse and dynamic nature of the construction environment. To identify safety hazards and improve workers’ safety performance, a better understanding of the relationship between workers’ gait disruption patterns and the presence of a safety hazard is vital. Toward achieving this goal, the objective of this study was to propose a non-invasive approach to examine the feasibility of using workers’ gait disruption patterns to identify safety hazards among construction workers. To test the hypothesis of this study, ten asymptomatic participants conducted four simulated experiments in a laboratory setting to examine the feasibility of the proposed approach. The participants’ gait disruption patterns were collected using a wearable insole pressure system to compute five gait variability parameters and a gait abnormality based on ground reaction force (GRF) deviation. The results showed that workers’ gait disruption patterns measured by the gait abnormality based on GRF deviation values are highly correlated with the location of hazards, which indicated that workers’ gait disruption patterns in hazardous areas are more distinct than non-hazardous areas. The findings of this study can serve as the basis for developing a non-intrusive and automated wearable insole pressure system that uses workers’ gait disruption patterns as a useful data source to enable safety manager to identify safety hazards in construction.

ACS Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Shahnawaz Anwer; Sitsofe Kwame Yevu; Zezhou Wu; Prince Antwi-Afari; Inhan Kim. Quantifying workers’ gait patterns to identify safety hazards in construction using a wearable insole pressure system. Safety Science 2020, 129, 104855 .

AMA Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Heng Li, Shahnawaz Anwer, Sitsofe Kwame Yevu, Zezhou Wu, Prince Antwi-Afari, Inhan Kim. Quantifying workers’ gait patterns to identify safety hazards in construction using a wearable insole pressure system. Safety Science. 2020; 129 ():104855.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Shahnawaz Anwer; Sitsofe Kwame Yevu; Zezhou Wu; Prince Antwi-Afari; Inhan Kim. 2020. "Quantifying workers’ gait patterns to identify safety hazards in construction using a wearable insole pressure system." Safety Science 129, no. : 104855.

Journal article
Published: 21 January 2020 in Automation in Construction
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Physical exertion led fatigue is a serious threat to occupational health and safety of construction workers worldwide. Its acute effects include a decrease in cognitive abilities, productivity and heightened risk of accidents whereas prolonged physical exertion led fatigue could lead to psychological issues and development of musculoskeletal disorders. To monitor physical exertion, traditionally questionnaires have been used while recent advances have focused on onsite and on-body sensors to automate the process. Considering the limitation of the recent approaches, this study explored the use of combined cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory measures to model physical exertion using machine learning algorithms. Controlled manual material handling experiments were conducted during a preliminary study to induce exertion at a steady rate involving ten participants. The results revealed that the proposed methodology could predict exertion levels with a high accuracy of 95.3% for combined data modeling of all participants. However, for some predictions, the error between predicted and actual exertion was up to five levels on the Borg-20 scale. To mitigate this issue, individualized machine learning models were used that effectively reduced the maximum error to one level with an average accuracy of 96.7% while using only one-tenth of the total data set. Overall, this study highlights the advantage of using multiple physiological measures for enhancing physical exertion modeling. Notably, the study underpins the use of individualized models for exertion monitoring and management to prevent physical fatigue development and its ill effects.

ACS Style

Waleed Umer; Heng Li; Yu Yantao; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Shahnawaz Anwer; Xiaochun Luo. Physical exertion modeling for construction tasks using combined cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory measures. Automation in Construction 2020, 112, 103079 .

AMA Style

Waleed Umer, Heng Li, Yu Yantao, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Shahnawaz Anwer, Xiaochun Luo. Physical exertion modeling for construction tasks using combined cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory measures. Automation in Construction. 2020; 112 ():103079.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Waleed Umer; Heng Li; Yu Yantao; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Shahnawaz Anwer; Xiaochun Luo. 2020. "Physical exertion modeling for construction tasks using combined cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory measures." Automation in Construction 112, no. : 103079.

Articles
Published: 20 January 2020 in International Journal of Construction Management
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The use of information technology (IT) in the built environment has numerous benefits, including improving performance, sustainable practices and efficiency on projects. Studies have investigated the measurements of various IT benefits, but a comprehensive review of the benefit analysis methods used to produce quantifiable measurements of IT benefits in the built environment to provide evidence is still lacking. The study’s aim is to systematically review the benefits analysis methods used to produce quantifiable evidence of IT benefits in the built environment. Through a three-stage review process, relevant papers were selected and examined based on the benefits analysis methods and the results produced. The findings show that nine benefit analysis methods are used to measure the benefits of IT which could be tangible benefits or intangible benefits. The results indicate that the benchmarking and weighted scoring models are the most popular analytical method used to produce quantifiable results of benefits measured. The shortfalls of the benefit analysis methods are discussed, and future research agenda is recommended to ensure comprehensive results from benefit measurements, Further, a conceptual integration model is developed to guide future research when addressing the shortfalls of the respective benefit analysis methods through the stages of implementation of IT.

ACS Style

Sitsofe Kwame Yevu; Ann T. W. Yu; Mershack Opoku Tetteh; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari. Analytical methods for information technology benefits in the built environment: towards an integration model. International Journal of Construction Management 2020, 1 -12.

AMA Style

Sitsofe Kwame Yevu, Ann T. W. Yu, Mershack Opoku Tetteh, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari. Analytical methods for information technology benefits in the built environment: towards an integration model. International Journal of Construction Management. 2020; ():1-12.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sitsofe Kwame Yevu; Ann T. W. Yu; Mershack Opoku Tetteh; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari. 2020. "Analytical methods for information technology benefits in the built environment: towards an integration model." International Journal of Construction Management , no. : 1-12.

Journal article
Published: 20 September 2019 in Sustainability
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Prefabrication is a technology that can reduce the material consumption during the construction process. Thus, it is regarded as a technology that be of assistance in the pursuit of sustainable development in the construction industry. In China, a series of policies has been formulated to promote the implementation of prefabrication; however, the effectiveness of these policies has not been investigated. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of the current prefabrication incentive policies in China. To achieve this research aim, a policy framework was first developed in order to understand the existing policies. Then, four indicators—namely, the number of prefabricated component production enterprises, the prefabricated floor area, the prefabricated building market size, and the expected prefabricated building area ratio—were selected to evaluate each policy’s effectiveness. It was found that the growth rates of these four indicators had increased slowly, and had even shown declining trends before 2015; however, with the incentive policies promulgated after 2015, the growth rates have increased. This study is of value not only in helping readers to understand the existing framework of incentive policies in China, but also in revealing the effectiveness of the identified prefabrication incentive policies. These research findings can also provide insights useful for policy formulation in other jurisdictions for the promotion of prefabrication.

ACS Style

Weiping Jiang; Lirong Luo; Zezhou Wu; Jianbo Fei; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Tao Yu. An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Prefabrication Incentive Policies in China. Sustainability 2019, 11, 5149 .

AMA Style

Weiping Jiang, Lirong Luo, Zezhou Wu, Jianbo Fei, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Tao Yu. An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Prefabrication Incentive Policies in China. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (19):5149.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Weiping Jiang; Lirong Luo; Zezhou Wu; Jianbo Fei; Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Tao Yu. 2019. "An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Prefabrication Incentive Policies in China." Sustainability 11, no. 19: 5149.

E literature review
Published: 16 September 2019 in Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
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Purpose Sensing- and warning-based technologies are widely used in the construction industry for occupational health and safety (OHS) monitoring and management. A comprehensive understanding of the different types and specific research topics related to the application of sensing- and warning-based technologies is essential to improve OHS in the construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to examine the current trends, different types and research topics related to the applications of sensing- and warning-based technology for improving OHS through the analysis of articles published between 1996 and 2017 (years inclusive). Design/methodology/approach A standardized three-step screening and data extraction method was used. A total of 87 articles met the inclusion criteria. Findings The annual publication trends and relative contributions of individual journals were discussed. Additionally, this review discusses the current trends of different types of sensing- and warning-based technology applications for improving OHS in the industry, six relevant research topics, four major research gaps and future research directions. Originality/value Overall, this review may serve as a spur for researchers and practitioners to extend sensing- and warning-based technology applications to improve OHS in the construction industry.

ACS Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Johnny Kwok-Wai Wong; Olugbenga Timo Oladinrin; Janet Xin Ge; Joonoh Seo; Arnold Yu Lok Wong. Sensing and warning-based technology applications to improve occupational health and safety in the construction industry. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 2019, 26, 1534 -1552.

AMA Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Heng Li, Johnny Kwok-Wai Wong, Olugbenga Timo Oladinrin, Janet Xin Ge, Joonoh Seo, Arnold Yu Lok Wong. Sensing and warning-based technology applications to improve occupational health and safety in the construction industry. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 2019; 26 (8):1534-1552.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Johnny Kwok-Wai Wong; Olugbenga Timo Oladinrin; Janet Xin Ge; Joonoh Seo; Arnold Yu Lok Wong. 2019. "Sensing and warning-based technology applications to improve occupational health and safety in the construction industry." Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 26, no. 8: 1534-1552.

Journal article
Published: 16 October 2018 in Automation in Construction
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Awkward working postures are the main risk factor for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) causing non-fatal occupational injuries among construction workers. However, it remains a challenge to use existing risk assessment methods for detecting and classifying awkward working postures because these methods are either intrusive or rely on subjective judgment. Therefore, this study developed a novel and non-invasive method to automatically detect and classify awkward working postures based on foot plantar pressure distribution data measured by a wearable insole pressure system. Ten asymptomatic participants performed five different types of awkward working postures (i.e., overhead working, squatting, stooping, semi-squatting, and one-legged kneeling) in a laboratory setting. Four supervised machine learning classifiers (i.e., artificial neural network (ANN), decision tree (DT), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), and support vector machine (SVM)) were used for classification performance using a 0.32 s window size. Cross-validation results showed that the SVM classifier (i.e., the best classifier) obtained a classification performance with an accuracy of 99.70% and a sensitivity of each awkward working posture was above 99.00% at 0.32 s window size. The findings substantiated that it is feasible to use a wearable insole pressure system to identify risk factors for developing WMSDs, and could help safety managers to minimize workers' exposure to awkward working postures.

ACS Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Yantao Yu; Liulin Kong. Wearable insole pressure system for automated detection and classification of awkward working postures in construction workers. Automation in Construction 2018, 96, 433 -441.

AMA Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Heng Li, Yantao Yu, Liulin Kong. Wearable insole pressure system for automated detection and classification of awkward working postures in construction workers. Automation in Construction. 2018; 96 ():433-441.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari; Heng Li; Yantao Yu; Liulin Kong. 2018. "Wearable insole pressure system for automated detection and classification of awkward working postures in construction workers." Automation in Construction 96, no. : 433-441.