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Adjei, E A (2015) Multi-objective optimisation of building design variables and its impact on office building performance: a case for Ghana, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Al-Jibouri, S H (1985) Cost models for construction, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Alzahrani, A (2017) The social value of urban design in mixed use developments in London, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Awad, A M (2005) The interaction between project finance of a large-scale construction project and macroeconomic indicators and policies, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Bailey, D (2016) A performance evaluation of mainstream timber framed and traditional masonry housing in the UK, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham.

Bordalo Faustino, P (2017) Public procurement award criteria in the EU member states: a comparative study of the discretionary powers of contracting authorities, Unpublished PhD Thesis, School of Law, University of Nottingham.

Bresnen, M J (1986) A study of forms of project organisation and matrix management: case studies from the construction industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Business School, University of Nottingham.

Brown, J D (2012) Corporate responsibility in the UK construction industry: a study of activities and reporting, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.

Calvert, G S (2021) A multiple defect approach to bridge life cycle modelling, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Capra, M (2010) Collaborative mixed reality environments: an application for civil engineering, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.

Chen, C (2019) Heterogeneous integration of BIM with low-cost indoor mobile laser scanning method for building fabric maintenance in China, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham.

Colley, J G (2011) An exploration of competitive advantage in the plasterboard industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Business School, University of Nottingham.

Dawson, P J (1997) A hierarchical approach to the management of construction project risk, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.

Dickens, G (2002) Teamworking, perceptions and communication within construction projects, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Fadoul, A (2020) A BIM-based model for constructability assessment of buildings design, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.

  • Type: Thesis
  • Keywords: constructability; construction method; design process; focus group; interview; programming; reasoning; reuse; stakeholders
  • ISBN/ISSN:
  • URL: http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/61257/
  • Abstract:
    Implementation of constructability principles in the construction industry has a potential return on investment concerning time and money. Existing empirical studies demonstrate that incorporating these principles into the initial stages of design maximises outcomes for all stakeholders, including designers, contractors, and clients. However, constructability encounters many challenges in practical implementation. One of the main obstacles is knowledge acquisition and representation, leading to the lack of a knowledge-based tool to model design constructability. Current methods demand laborious efforts and resources to execute assessment calculations and interpret their outcomes. The dynamic design process and the need for ongoing modifications in designed products necessitate revision of the constructability assessment routine, whenever design changes are introduced, and it is highly desirable that these revisions should be automated. This research, therefore, investigates design-stage assessment of design constructability by examining contemporary process and object-oriented models. The study reviews currently employed approaches for assessing design constructability and highlights their shortcomings. Based on this, it presents an original assessment framework to measure constructability of BIM-based design solutions. The proposed mechanism separates the formulation of construction knowledge from carrying out the assessment processes. The modelling framework is composed of three key parts: the Constructability Model (CM), which formulates user-based knowledge; the BIM Design Model, which provides required data for the assessment; and the Assessment Model (AM), which reasons the formulated knowledge into design features. The model was implemented in a prototype, using object-oriented programming in a C# application. The prototype was developed using .NET Framework as a plug-in to BIM software, Revit, to operate on the design models created. The prototype was tested using typical design case studies, which have proved its usefulness in informing constructability decision-making. The process also enabled the exploration and evaluation of what-if scenarios in design iterations, and construction methods. A developed BIM-based constructability assessment model was validated through different approaches, including interviews with experienced practitioners and a focus group comprising experts from industry and academia. As a result, the model has been found to provide the capability to represent constructability assessment knowledge within its Constructability Model. In addition, it demonstrated the ability to employ the knowledge-bases produced to reason about the constructability of alternative designs. Furthermore, practitioners have confirmed that the model is highly applicable in the industry and greatly needed to improve the practice of designing for constructability. The research concludes that the introduced assessment framework effectively enables modelling of buildings’ design constructability. The implemented prototype is found to provide qualities lacking in current constructability tools. These include the qualities of being generic, scalable, flexible, comprehensive (both quantitatively and qualitatively), simple to use, accurate, and effective in delivering meaningful results that enable constructability improvement. In addition, the separation between knowledge acquisition and knowledge reasoning processes simplifies the assessment procedure and saves the user time and effort. It allows for the reuse of formulated knowledge (i.e., CM) to model the constructability of multiple designs and at different stages. It also eliminates any potential bias that could arise during constructability assessment, given the subjectivity of the problem. Furthermore, the use of the BIM-based assessment tool automates the process and delivers an instant feedback on constructability performance.

Fahdah, I (2008) Distributed IT for integration and communication of engineering information for collaborative building design, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Hassan, H (2020) Psychosocial risks among migrant workers in the Middle East construction sector, Unpublished PhD Thesis, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham.

Hernandez Delgado, O A (1998) Decision-making for the selection of investment projects, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , The University of Nottingham.

Jaly Zada, A J (2016) Versioning of IFC-based information models for collaborative design, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.

Jones, C (2014) Assessing safety culture and safety performance in a high hazard industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham.

Langdon, M (2021) Towards a shift of values in rail infrastructure project evaluation, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Long, G (2010) A detailed investigation of the applicability and utility of simulation and gaming in the teaching of civil engineering students, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Mohammad Shamsudin, N A (2021) Perceptions of critical success factors in the management of dilapidated schools' reconstruction projects using Industrialised Building System method in rural areas in Sarawak, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Morgan, D C (1986) Site layout and construction planning, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.

Nicholson, M P (1995) Architectural management: From Higgin to Latham, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Nunes, M C M (1997) Enabling the use of alternative materials in road construction, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Osorio-Sandoval, C A (2021) BIM-based construction simulation modelling, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Oti, A H (2014) Building information modelling for sustainability appraisal of conceptual design of steel-framed buildings, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.

Oussadou, A (1988) Residential satisfaction in the new urban housing projects in Algeria: a case study of Ain-Allah, Algiers, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Architecture and Planning, University of Nottingham.

Pachnou, D (2003) The effectiveness of bidder remedies for enforcing the EC public procurement rules: a case study of the public works sector in the United Kingdom and Greece, Unpublished PhD Thesis, School of Law, University of Nottingham.

Pantouvakis, J-P (1990) Declarative - configurable estimating systems for the construction industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Patterson, D E (1997) Earthworks planning for linear construction projects, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Roshani, D (2005) Integrated collaborative building design using internet technology, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.

Siebert, M (2019) Concrete and the barriers to innovation in UK housebuilding, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Stiles, S (2019) Investigation of safety leadership within infrastructure engineering construction projects, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Telles, P (2011) Competitive dialogue in Portugal and Spain, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Tene Nengou, C B (2019) Framework for the effective implementation of building regulations and policies: The case of Sub-Sahara African countries, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Wang, D (2013) Exploring factors associated with workers' safety rule violations in the Chinese construction industry: a multimethod investigation, Unpublished PhD Thesis, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham.

Wantanakorn, D (2000) Effects of management errors on construction projects, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Wei, Y (2019) Data-driven approaches for analysis of building energy consumption and indoor occupancy behavior, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham.

Zhang, L (2021) Artificial neural network intelligent technique and multiple nonlinear regression for prediction and optimization of the transmittance of lightpipes and implementation in BIM, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Zhang, P (2018) Mapping buried utilities in difficult environments, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.

Zhang, S (2022) The development of a low carbon prefabricated house, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Nottingham.

Zhou, S (2017) Project learning, knowledge transfer and the adoption of innovation in project-based organizations, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Business School China, University of Nottingham.