Pub Date : 2020-08-25DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2020.1810675
D. Blockley
All professions are facing some formidable challenges including the ‘big three’ – climate change, pandemics and increasing computerisation. The potential threats include new uncertainties about une...
{"title":"Practical wisdom in an age of computerisation","authors":"D. Blockley","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2020.1810675","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2020.1810675","url":null,"abstract":"All professions are facing some formidable challenges including the ‘big three’ – climate change, pandemics and increasing computerisation. The potential threats include new uncertainties about une...","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"39 1","pages":"197-213"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85402255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2020.1810674
S. Keivanpour, A. Ramudhin, Daoud Ait Kadi
ABSTRACT The supply chain plays an essential role in the cost reduction of offshore wind energy. Supply chain complexity is a major driver of end-to-end supply chain costs and at the same time a source of competitive advantage. In this study, a strategic complexity management approach is suggested for analysing and controlling the complexity of the supply chain in offshore wind energy. The adoption of blockchain via the development of software architecture and a discussion of its impact on complexity are provided. A comparative study focused on two UK offshore wind farms based on real industrial data illustrates the complexity analysis and the contribution of blockchain technology to the strategic management of this complexity.
{"title":"An empirical analysis of complexity management for offshore wind energy supply chains and the benefits of blockchain adoption","authors":"S. Keivanpour, A. Ramudhin, Daoud Ait Kadi","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2020.1810674","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2020.1810674","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The supply chain plays an essential role in the cost reduction of offshore wind energy. Supply chain complexity is a major driver of end-to-end supply chain costs and at the same time a source of competitive advantage. In this study, a strategic complexity management approach is suggested for analysing and controlling the complexity of the supply chain in offshore wind energy. The adoption of blockchain via the development of software architecture and a discussion of its impact on complexity are provided. A comparative study focused on two UK offshore wind farms based on real industrial data illustrates the complexity analysis and the contribution of blockchain technology to the strategic management of this complexity.","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"25 1","pages":"117 - 142"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75255718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2020.1828374
D. Elms
I was delighted to see that David Carmichael has once again written on a topic that is both important and sadly neglected. Though I do not always agree what he said, I am glad he said it, and I hop...
{"title":"Discussion of ‘Bias and decision making – an overview systems explanation’ by David G. Carmichael, Civil engineering and environmental systems 2020, v. 37, nos. 1-2, 48–61","authors":"D. Elms","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2020.1828374","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2020.1828374","url":null,"abstract":"I was delighted to see that David Carmichael has once again written on a topic that is both important and sadly neglected. Though I do not always agree what he said, I am glad he said it, and I hop...","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"80 1","pages":"143 - 145"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83951994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2020.1821670
S. Asgari
ABSTRACT Competitive bidding is the main mechanism for the allocation and price determination of construction services in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry. Quantitative bidding methods have received considerable attention in the literature. The validity and reliability of these methods (particularly Freidman and Gates) have been explored using mathematical and statistical analysis. This study aims to compare and examine the characteristics of major quantitative bidding methods under different market scenarios using an agent-based approach as a computational laboratory. The results indicate that using the Friedman model can result in obtaining higher market share and working capital whereas using the Gates model can result in gaining higher profitability in the long run. Finally, the simulation model is verified by breaking down the model into several computation steps and validated using sensitivity analysis, robustness analysis, and structural validation.
{"title":"Comparative analysis of quantitative bidding methods using agent-based modelling","authors":"S. Asgari","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2020.1821670","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2020.1821670","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Competitive bidding is the main mechanism for the allocation and price determination of construction services in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry. Quantitative bidding methods have received considerable attention in the literature. The validity and reliability of these methods (particularly Freidman and Gates) have been explored using mathematical and statistical analysis. This study aims to compare and examine the characteristics of major quantitative bidding methods under different market scenarios using an agent-based approach as a computational laboratory. The results indicate that using the Friedman model can result in obtaining higher market share and working capital whereas using the Gates model can result in gaining higher profitability in the long run. Finally, the simulation model is verified by breaking down the model into several computation steps and validated using sensitivity analysis, robustness analysis, and structural validation.","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"108 1","pages":"81 - 99"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74648787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2020.1808888
Hamid Movaffaghi, J. Pyykkö, I. Yitmen
ABSTRACT Long-span timber-concrete composite (TCC) floor systems have the potential to address the design challenges for conventional wooden floors in residential multi-storey timber frame buildings. The aim of this paper is to develop a design approach for long-span timber-concrete composite floor system of 6–9 m. A framework based on value-driven design approach has been developed for integration of results from graphical multi-objective optimisation, spreadsheet-based analysis, structural static and dynamic finite element analysis, and multi-criteria decision making. To verify the developed framework, a residential five-storey timber frame building as a case study has been studied. Optimal design includes optimised thickness of the concrete and optimised smeared stiffness of connectors for three different comfort classes A to C in descending order. TCC floor with span length 7.3 [m] belonging to comfort class A and TCC floor with span length 9.0 [m] belonging to comfort class C has been chosen as optimal solutions. The results indicate that proposed and innovative design approach is a promising tool for developers, architects and structural engineers when designing optimal long-span timber-concrete composite floor system.
{"title":"Value-driven design approach for optimal long-span timber-concrete composite floor in multi-storey wooden residential buildings","authors":"Hamid Movaffaghi, J. Pyykkö, I. Yitmen","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2020.1808888","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2020.1808888","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Long-span timber-concrete composite (TCC) floor systems have the potential to address the design challenges for conventional wooden floors in residential multi-storey timber frame buildings. The aim of this paper is to develop a design approach for long-span timber-concrete composite floor system of 6–9 m. A framework based on value-driven design approach has been developed for integration of results from graphical multi-objective optimisation, spreadsheet-based analysis, structural static and dynamic finite element analysis, and multi-criteria decision making. To verify the developed framework, a residential five-storey timber frame building as a case study has been studied. Optimal design includes optimised thickness of the concrete and optimised smeared stiffness of connectors for three different comfort classes A to C in descending order. TCC floor with span length 7.3 [m] belonging to comfort class A and TCC floor with span length 9.0 [m] belonging to comfort class C has been chosen as optimal solutions. The results indicate that proposed and innovative design approach is a promising tool for developers, architects and structural engineers when designing optimal long-span timber-concrete composite floor system.","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"354 1","pages":"100 - 116"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74129625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2020.1821671
D. Carmichael
Professor Elms is thanked for his comments. I address here some of Professor Elms’ comments. The components of decision making are given in the paper (Carmichael 2020) as {model; constraints; objec...
{"title":"Author's reply to: David Elms’ discussion of ‘Bias and decision making – an overview systems explanation’","authors":"D. Carmichael","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2020.1821671","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2020.1821671","url":null,"abstract":"Professor Elms is thanked for his comments. I address here some of Professor Elms’ comments. The components of decision making are given in the paper (Carmichael 2020) as {model; constraints; objec...","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"28 1","pages":"146 - 148"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73989626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-04-02DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2020.1771701
E. Bonamente, L. Termite, A. Garinei, L. Menculini, M. Marconi, E. Piccioni, L. Biondi, Gianluca Rossi
ABSTRACT A new approach for sewer regulation with remote-control systems in case of intense meteorological events is presented. A run-time multi-objective decision method was developed and applied to a case study with the aim of minimising water overflow and electric energy consumption of the upstream water collection system of a wastewater treatment plant. Strategy optimisation makes use of genetic algorithms and short-time predictions of water flows into the sewer system. The ability to efficiently optimise the system controllable parameters even for lags as short as 30 guarantees flexibility, prompt adaptation to changing conditions and reliability. With respect to a conventional approach, energy savings up to 32% can be reached using the proposed run-time optimisation at the price of increasing the total combined sewer overflow of approx. 10%. With respect to the basic system layout, installing an additional buffer tank for most intense rain events can guarantee a 7% reduction of the water outflow and a 36% reduction of the energy consumption. The sensitivity analysis, performed on different layouts, shows no evidence for preferring time horizons for water discharge predictions longer than 90 min.
{"title":"Run-time optimisation of sewer remote control systems using genetic algorithms and multi-criteria decision analysis: CSO and energy consumption reduction","authors":"E. Bonamente, L. Termite, A. Garinei, L. Menculini, M. Marconi, E. Piccioni, L. Biondi, Gianluca Rossi","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2020.1771701","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2020.1771701","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A new approach for sewer regulation with remote-control systems in case of intense meteorological events is presented. A run-time multi-objective decision method was developed and applied to a case study with the aim of minimising water overflow and electric energy consumption of the upstream water collection system of a wastewater treatment plant. Strategy optimisation makes use of genetic algorithms and short-time predictions of water flows into the sewer system. The ability to efficiently optimise the system controllable parameters even for lags as short as 30 guarantees flexibility, prompt adaptation to changing conditions and reliability. With respect to a conventional approach, energy savings up to 32% can be reached using the proposed run-time optimisation at the price of increasing the total combined sewer overflow of approx. 10%. With respect to the basic system layout, installing an additional buffer tank for most intense rain events can guarantee a 7% reduction of the water outflow and a 36% reduction of the energy consumption. The sensitivity analysis, performed on different layouts, shows no evidence for preferring time horizons for water discharge predictions longer than 90 min.","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"1 1","pages":"62 - 79"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76184026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-03-19DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2020.1744133
D. Carmichael
ABSTRACT People are continuously making decisions, most of a minor nature, but also some of significance. Few people seem to enquire as to the basis of their decisions or as to why one decision is chosen over another, while in some cases people may not be fully cognisant of how decision making is happening. For any given situation, provided it is not over-constrained, everyone reaches a different decision. That is, any decision can be perceived to involve bias, simply because it is different to someone else's decision, with this difference being attributed to a range of bias sources. It is generally not possible to establish the actual bias sources in any given situation. Accordingly, this paper adopts an overview systems approach to explaining bias in contrast to conventional social science treatments of bias. Bias sources and decisions are linked through looking at the essential underlying components involved in decision making. Some elementary experiments demonstrate that, for a given situation, all people will arrive at different underlying components and hence different decisions, implying the presence of bias. The paper is original in offering a different perspective of bias and linking systems thinking with the literature on bias.
{"title":"Bias and decision making – an overview systems explanation","authors":"D. Carmichael","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2020.1744133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2020.1744133","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT People are continuously making decisions, most of a minor nature, but also some of significance. Few people seem to enquire as to the basis of their decisions or as to why one decision is chosen over another, while in some cases people may not be fully cognisant of how decision making is happening. For any given situation, provided it is not over-constrained, everyone reaches a different decision. That is, any decision can be perceived to involve bias, simply because it is different to someone else's decision, with this difference being attributed to a range of bias sources. It is generally not possible to establish the actual bias sources in any given situation. Accordingly, this paper adopts an overview systems approach to explaining bias in contrast to conventional social science treatments of bias. Bias sources and decisions are linked through looking at the essential underlying components involved in decision making. Some elementary experiments demonstrate that, for a given situation, all people will arrive at different underlying components and hence different decisions, implying the presence of bias. The paper is original in offering a different perspective of bias and linking systems thinking with the literature on bias.","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"11 1","pages":"48 - 61"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87956363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-02-18DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2020.1729754
T. Chinda, Pimnapa Pongsayaporn
ABSTRACT The construction industry is ranked the first in terms of accidents. Use of appropriate construction safety equipment helps reduce accidents. This study utilises the structural equation modelling to examine relationships among key factors affecting construction safety equipment selection. The approach considers measurement- and structural-models. The measurement-model confirms key factors and their relationships, while the structural-model examines relationships directions. Questionnaire survey is utilised to collect data. Respondents include managers and operators from medium- and large-sized construction companies. Six key factors are confirmed with the measurement-model results, including (1) Safety-related Policy, (2) Equipment Design, (3) Personal, (4) Supplier Agreement, (5) Supplier Support, and (6) Cost Value factors. They relate with employers, employees, and suppliers to select construction safety equipment that match with company’s policy and employees’ need to reduce chances of accidents. The structural-model results reveal directions of relationships among key factors. Safety-related Policy is the most important factor, as it influences other factors. Equipment Design and Personal factors are crucial when selecting construction safety equipment, as they influence Supplier Agreement and Supplier Support factors, which in turn, affect Cost Value factor. Construction companies can utilise the results to understand key factors affecting construction safety equipment selection, and make better decisions.
{"title":"Relationships among factors affecting construction safety equipment selection: structural equation modelling approach","authors":"T. Chinda, Pimnapa Pongsayaporn","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2020.1729754","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2020.1729754","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The construction industry is ranked the first in terms of accidents. Use of appropriate construction safety equipment helps reduce accidents. This study utilises the structural equation modelling to examine relationships among key factors affecting construction safety equipment selection. The approach considers measurement- and structural-models. The measurement-model confirms key factors and their relationships, while the structural-model examines relationships directions. Questionnaire survey is utilised to collect data. Respondents include managers and operators from medium- and large-sized construction companies. Six key factors are confirmed with the measurement-model results, including (1) Safety-related Policy, (2) Equipment Design, (3) Personal, (4) Supplier Agreement, (5) Supplier Support, and (6) Cost Value factors. They relate with employers, employees, and suppliers to select construction safety equipment that match with company’s policy and employees’ need to reduce chances of accidents. The structural-model results reveal directions of relationships among key factors. Safety-related Policy is the most important factor, as it influences other factors. Equipment Design and Personal factors are crucial when selecting construction safety equipment, as they influence Supplier Agreement and Supplier Support factors, which in turn, affect Cost Value factor. Construction companies can utilise the results to understand key factors affecting construction safety equipment selection, and make better decisions.","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"46 1","pages":"28 - 47"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86363557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-01-26DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2019.1702030
Fikri Yücelgazi, I. Yitmen
ABSTRACT Large-scale bridge projects (LSBPs) have emerged due to the gradually increasing transportation needs of the connections between isolated regions. In planning, construction or completion of today’s LSBPs, responses are applied to risks arising in areas such as financial, design, environmental and managerial. The main objective of this study is to prioritise the risk responses from the contractors’ point of view used in LSBPs in Europe and the Middle East by using the analytical network process (ANP). The priorities obtained separately for Europe and the Middle East were compared between each other. The results display that Europe and the Middle East include both common and different risk responses. Two case studies, one in each region, have been conducted to further support the priority values acquired in this study. The priorities and responses obtained in this study can be used as standard risk response list for the prevention or elimination of risks during the planning, construction or completion phases of projects to be implemented in the field of LSBPs in various countries. Lastly, the priorities obtained in this study could be a mirror to detect or juxtapose changes in future studies in the same field.
{"title":"An ANP model for risk response assessment in large scale bridge projects","authors":"Fikri Yücelgazi, I. Yitmen","doi":"10.1080/10286608.2019.1702030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2019.1702030","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Large-scale bridge projects (LSBPs) have emerged due to the gradually increasing transportation needs of the connections between isolated regions. In planning, construction or completion of today’s LSBPs, responses are applied to risks arising in areas such as financial, design, environmental and managerial. The main objective of this study is to prioritise the risk responses from the contractors’ point of view used in LSBPs in Europe and the Middle East by using the analytical network process (ANP). The priorities obtained separately for Europe and the Middle East were compared between each other. The results display that Europe and the Middle East include both common and different risk responses. Two case studies, one in each region, have been conducted to further support the priority values acquired in this study. The priorities and responses obtained in this study can be used as standard risk response list for the prevention or elimination of risks during the planning, construction or completion phases of projects to be implemented in the field of LSBPs in various countries. Lastly, the priorities obtained in this study could be a mirror to detect or juxtapose changes in future studies in the same field.","PeriodicalId":50689,"journal":{"name":"Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems","volume":"22 1","pages":"1 - 27"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78375085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}