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- All Subjects: Construction Management
- Genre: Doctoral Dissertation
- Creators: El Asmar, Mounir
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
- Resource Type: Text
- Status: Published
Description
Project teams expend substantial effort to develop scope definition during the front end planning phase of large, complex projects, but oftentimes neglect to sufficiently plan for small projects. An industry survey administered by the author showed that small projects make up approximately half of all projects in the infrastructure construction sector (by count), the planning of these projects varies greatly, and that a consistent definition of “small infrastructure project” did not exist. This dissertation summarizes the motivations and efforts of Construction Industry Institute (CII) Research Team 314a to develop a non-proprietary front end planning tool specifically for small infrastructure projects, namely the Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI) for Small Infrastructure Projects. The author was a member of CII Research Team 314a, who was tasked with developing the tool in September 2015. The author, together with the research team, scrutinized and adapted an existing infrastructure-focused FEP tool, the PDRI for Infrastructure Projects, and other resources to develop a set of 40 specific elements relevant to the planning of small infrastructure projects. The author along with the research team supported the facilitation of seven separate industry workshops where 71 industry professionals evaluated the element descriptions and provided element prioritization data that was statistically analyzed and used to develop a corresponding weighted score sheet. The tool was tested on 76 completed and in-progress projects, the analysis of which showed that small infrastructure projects with greater scope definition (based on the tool’s scoring scheme) outperformed projects with lesser scope definition regarding cost performance, schedule performance, change performance, financial performance, and customer satisfaction. Moreover, the author found that users of the tool on in-progress projects agreed that the tool added value to their projects in a timeframe and manner consistent with their needs, and that they would continue using the tool in the future. The author also conducted qualitative and quantitative similarities and differences between PDRI – Infrastructure and PDRI – Small Infrastructure Projects in support of improved planning efforts for both types of projects. Finally, the author piloted a case study that introduced the PDRI into an introductory construction management course to enhance students’ learning experience.
ContributorsElZomor, Mohamed A (Author) / Parrish, Kristen (Thesis advisor) / Gibson, Jr., G. Edward (Committee member) / El Asmar, Mounir (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
The construction industry has struggled with a disappointing safety record, with workers often failing to identify hazards on construction sites. While virtual reality (VR) training has shown promise in improving hazard recognition skills, it is essential to address not only the ability to identify hazards but also the factors influencing workers' decision to report them. Research has revealed that workers often fail to recognize hazards when they perceive them as low-risk, leading to unreported hazards and persistent safety risks. Anticipatory emotions play a crucial role in driving risk aversion, but construction novices lack the emotional experiences necessary for developing such anticipatory emotions. Consequently, they may engage in careless and risk-friendly behavior. To address this issue, hazard recognition training should incorporate immersive and emotionally arousing VR experiences. This dissertation focuses on the development of emotionally arousing and realistic construction-specific simulations to assess their impact on construction novices. The research explores the aspects of a simulation that facilitate emotional arousal and identifies features that enhance the sense of presence for construction practitioners within a virtual construction environment. Subsequently, the developed VR experience is tested on construction novices. The results indicate that the VR experience, based on the findings of this research, effectively elicits significant arousal in participants, as evidenced by galvanic skin response (GSR) data. Thematic analysis of participant feedback further supports the physiological data, with participants reporting a realistic and emotional experience that immersed them in hazardous conditions on a construction site. Ultimately, this research contributes by identifying the crucial aspects necessary for developing construction-specific VR experiences that elicit arousal from participants, ensuring an immersive and emotionally engaging hazard recognition training. By incorporating such training methods, the construction industry can improve workers' hazard identification and reporting behaviors, thereby enhancing overall safety in construction sites.
ContributorsPatil, Karan Ravindra (Author) / Ayer, Steven K. (Thesis advisor) / Hallowell, Matthew R. (Committee member) / El Asmar, Mounir (Committee member) / Bhandari, Siddharth (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023