Construction process

Chapter 5: Construction Process

by Syed Burhanuddin Hilmi Syed Mohamad

Project Format

• The construction industry is generally focused on the production of a single and unique end product.

• The product of construction industry is a facility that is usually unique in design and method of fabrication.

• It is a single ‘one-off’ item that is stylized in terms of its function, appearance and location.

Project Development

• Construction projects develop in a clearly sequential or linear fashion.

• The general steps involved are as follows:– A need for a facility is identified by the owner.– Initial feasibility and cost projections are

developed.– The decision to proceed with conceptual

design is made, and a design professional is retained.

Project Development

– The conceptual design and scope of work are developed to include an approximate estimate of cost.

– The decision is made to proceed with the development of final design documents, which fully define the project for purposes of construction.

– Based on the final design documents, the project is advertised and proposals to include quotations for construction of the work are solicited.

Project Development

– Based on proposals received, a constructor is selected and a notice to the constructor to proceed with the work is given. The proposal and the acceptance of the proposal on the part of the owner constitute the formation of a contract for the work.

– The process of constructing the facility is initiated. Work is complete and the facility is available for acceptance and occupancy.

Project Development

– In complex projects, a period of testing decides if the facility operates as designed and planned. This period is typical of industrial projects and is referred to as project start-up.

– The facility operates and is maintained during a specified service life.

– The facility is disposed of if appropriate or maintained in perpetuity.

Process

• A process is defined as a system of operations in the design, development, and production of something, such as a project.

• A process is a series of actions, changes, or operations that bring about an end result – cost, schedule, technical performance objectives.

• A process is that it is a course or passage of time in which something is created – an ongoing movement or progression.

(Ireland & Iceland, 2002)

Construction Processes

• The process of purchase begins with a client who has need for a facility.

• The nature of risk is influenced by this process of purchasing construction.

• In construction, since the item purchased is to be produced, there are many complex issues which can lead to failure to complete the project in a functional and/or timely manner.

Managing the Project Life Cycle

Phase 1

Conceptual Phase

Phase 2

Planning phase

Phase 3

Execution phase

Phase 4

Termination

• Determine that a project is needed.

• Establish goal.• Estimate the

resources that the organization is willing to commit.

• “Sell” the organization on the need for a project approach.

• Make key personnel appointment.

• Define the project organization approach.• Define projects target.• Prepare the schedule for execution phase.• Define and allocate tasks and resources.• Build the project team.

• Perform the work of the project (i.e. design, construction, production, site activation, testing, delivery, etc.).

• Assist in transfer of project product.• Transfer human and nonhuman resources to other organizations.• Transfer or complete commitments.• Terminate project.• Reward personnel.

Cleland & King, 1983

Construction Process

• The construction process may be subdivided into the stages considered below:

1. Conceptual stage: the client identifies the need for the item of construction and appoints and briefs consultants who study the client’s requirement, propose an outline of the design and assess the feasibility of the project.

2. Design stage: the concept of the project is further developed and production information and contract documentation prepared. Tenders are called.

Construction Process

3. Construction stage: production programmes are prepared and construction carried out on site.

4. Operation and maintenance stage: the completed building or works is maintained, repaired or altered as required over the course of its life.

Activities at Various Stages of a construction project

Substage Activities

Inception Client considers project requirements, acquires land, sets up project team, appoints and briefs architect/engineer.

Outline proposals

Members of the design team develop brief, consider the technical and functional feasibility of the client’s intentions, make general proposals for the project including form, layout, height and floor area, Architect applies for outline planning approval.

Activities at Various Stages of a construction project

Substage Activities

Scheme Design

Architect/Engineer finalises brief, and with other consultants, prepares sketch designs which are submitted to the client for approval.

Detailed design

Design team prepares the full design of the project and all relevant production information and contract documentation. Architect applies for building plan approval.

Activities at Various Stages of a construction project

Substage Activities

Tender Invites tenders. Quantity Surveyor evaluates the tenders and report to client. Recommends to Client. Client signs a contract with the successful bidder.

Project planning

Prepares a programme for the project and mobilises resources for construction on sie.

Activities at Various Stages of a construction project

Substage Activities

Site Operation

Main Contractor and subcontractors transform the production information into a physical facility. Members of the design team supervise construction. Architect/engineer issues payment certificates periodically on the recommendation of the Quantity Surveyor. Site Meeting. On completion, Architect, applies for a temporary occupation license. Application for a final certificate.

Activities at Various Stages of a construction project

Substage Activities

Operation All faults becoming evident during the defects liability period are made good by the contractor. Quantity surveyor prepares the final account for the project. Clients arranges for the management and maintenance of the facility.

George Ofori, 1990

On time and within budget

A quality facility on time and within budget

Construction Process

• The construction process involves the translation of a client’s needs and intentions.

• Then prepare documentations; cost plan, BQ, Specifications, Drawings.

• Finally, the construction phase.

Construction Process

• Pre-Construction Activities– Feasibility study– Outline Conceptual Design Stage– Preliminary Design Stage– Design Development Stage (Working

Drawing)– Completion of Working Drawings

Activities During Construction

• Construction Supervision– Preliminaries– Demolition– Excavation and foundation– Concrete and brickwork– Finishes– M&E works– External works

Activities During Construction

• Construction Activities

• Variation Order

• Progress Payment

• Certificate of Practical Completion (CPC)

• Certificate of Fitness (CF)

Site Preparation

Site clearing Earthwork Setting Out & Levelling Hoarding Dewatering systems Temporary buildings Access

Detail Process

1. Decision of a client in order to invest or not.

2. The client acquires a piece of land for project development.

3. The client will engage professionals to prepare documentation including drawings, specifications, a form of contract, BQ. All about consultancy works.

Key Players

• The owner/Employer• The designer/Estimator

– Architect/Planner– C&S Engineers– M&E Engineers– QS

• The constructor– Main– Subcont.

Clients

• Initiator of the construction process.

• Will be financing the project.

• An employer

• May be the public and private sectors.

SUPPLIER CONTRACTOR

MANPOWER

AUTHORITIES

FINANCIER

CONSULTANTS

CLIENT

Project Management ConsultantPlanner

ArchitectEngineers; C&S, M, E

Quantity SurveyorLand Surveyor

Interior DesignerLandscape Architect

AdministrationSite Management

Site Worker

Domestic Sub ContractorNominated Sub Contractor

Main Contractor

Nominated SupplierManufacturer

VendorDistributor

BankFinance CompanyCredit CorporationLeasing Company

FederalStateLocal

Private SectorPublic Sector

Parties Involved in the Construction Industry

• The process will be organised into the sequence of activities/works differ from one project to another.

Construction Site Management

• Work Programme– The first stage, which is best commenced by

referring to the initial draft programme submitted at tender stage.

• Includes time schedule for all major activities in the contract.

• Critical activities, early start time, early completion time, milestones.

• Sequence of works.

Project Planning and Control

Objectives

- To arrange the activities appropriately- To make a realistic time scheduling- To make a resources estimation and

planning- To implement time and cost controlling- To ease the contract administration

Planning

• What are we aiming for and why?

• In the execution of this function, the organization’s mission, objectives, goals, and strategies are determined.

Control

• Construction – monitored by Project Manager.

• Based on work programme – as planned vs. actual progress.

• IT - Microsoft project & Primavera (sometime Excel).

• Cash Flow (Financial Progress)• Inspection & Observation (Physical

Progress).

WHY THERE HAS TO BE A PLAN?

INTERNAL (STRATEGIC) OR EXTERNAL (CLIENT’S REQUEST)

TO AVOID RISK

TO TRACK PROGRESS

TO MAKE CORRECTION

WHY SCHEDULE?

To communicate the construction plan

To establish production goal

To monitor and measure progress

To manage change

INTRODUCTION

• The task of monitoring and controlling help to determine the objectives are within reach

• Monitoring and control has to start at early stage of the project development since it has more impact on cost

• Focusing on monitoring and control at the construction stage since many acknowledge of its difficulty

MONITORING and CONTROL

• Monitoring is comparing the planned against actual

• Using software can easily be updated and preparation of reports are standardised

• Several methods used to monitor the work progress these include time weightage, cost weightage, man-days and quality

• Most common is using cost weightage

Progress CurvesTable 3.4 Combination between S-Curves and Bar Charts

No. Description Month

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 Mobilization                    

2 Foundation Excavation                    

3 Diversion Stage                    

4 Foundation Grouting                    

5 Dam Concrete                    

6 Install Outlet Gates                    

7 Install Trash Racks                    

8 Prestress                    

9 Radial Gates                    

10 Spillway Bridge                    

11 Curtain Grout                    

12 Dismantle Plant, Clean Up                    

Original Schedule

Actual progress

Cum

ula

tive p

rogre

ss (

%)

100

0

Project Controlling Procedure

- What performance measures should be selected?

- What data should be used to estimate the current value of each performance measure?

- How should raw data be collected, from which sources, and in what frequency?

- How should the data be analyzed to detect current and future deviations?

- How should the results of the analysis be reported, in what format, to whom, and how often?

Projectplan

Projectimplementation

Projectcontrol

Projectupdating

MeasurementOf work performance

Figure 3.12 Project Controlling Procedure

Project Controlling

Figure 3.13 Implementation of Project Controlling in Construction Project

Implementation of Project Controlling

Project Site

Main office

Construction

Design

Subcontract

Procurement

Elements of Project Controlling

Figure 3.14 Elements of Project Controlling

Action Plan

BudgetElements of

Project ControllingTools

Milestone

Forecasting

Figure below presents a Gantt Chart generated by Microsoft Project.

Gantt Chart:

The Gantt chart (invented by Henry L. Gantt in 1900's)

is a bar chart presentation showing a horizontal bar for each task, the length of the bar representing the duration of the task.

Construct Bar Chart

• Layout?

• Time unit?

• Workdays or calendar days?

• Continuous or non-continuous…

Bar Charts Limitations

Advantages• Easy to prepare• Easy to understand• Good communication

tool

Disadvantages• Do not show inter-

relationship• Difficult to

documentation and manage project

• Factors causing delay in construction project

– Procurement of resources which is not on schedule– Inappropriate work capacity– Low productivity– Ineffective project management– There are some redesign and extra work to the project– Bad communication among parties involved in project– Inefficient decision making– Force majeur, etc.

Time Controlling

Need an effective supervision

Suggestion of Practices

• Some of the practices can be incorporated in the monitoring and control process system these include:– Daily monitoring– Morning discussion with the foreman– Afternoon discussion– Discussion the resources requirement every forth

nightly– Using bonus system to improve productivity– Using damages clause to control supplier and sub-

contractor

The Planning & Scheduling Process

IDENTIFY THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES

EXTIMATE DURATION OF ACTIVITY

DEVELOPED THE PROJECT PLAN

SCHEDULE PROJECT ACTIVITIES

REVIEW AND ANALYSE THE SCHEDULE

OK?IMPLEMENTYES NO

Historical Background

• During world war 1, Henry L.Gantt develop a graphical technique of displaying bar type line upon specific time.

• The technique was known as Bar Chart.• In 1956 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company

developed network concept known as Critical Path Method

• Booz Allen & Hamilton develop Project Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)

• Scheduling software application are Primavera, Microsoft Project, Artemis, Timeline etc

Choice of Scheduling Method

Factors that governed the choice of the

technique are:

• Familiarity on the technique to be used

• Type and size of project

• Purpose of scheduling

Familiarity on the technique to be used

• A planner should not engaged any technique which he has a limited knowledge on it’s application

• Main objective of the schedule as a communication tool

• Important to have a schedule technique which is acceptable by all parties.

Type and Size of the Project

• Project with few but repetitive tasks – Line of Balance

• Medium to Large Project – (Critical Path Method) like Precedence Method or Arrow Diagram

• Small Project – Gantt Chart or Bar Chart

Purpose & Important of Schedule

• Claim• Project time and cost control• Allocate project resources more efficiently• As a monitoring tool• Material delivery at site• Storage – all material cannot put in the site (confined space)• Avoid delay of the work and activity.• Minimize the cash flow – as min as possible such as order

material stage by stage depend on the work needed.• To guide fabricate (roofing, steel etc)• Control human resources and machinery • To give confidence to the client especially when bidding process.• To improve the efficiency of the operation through the efficient

use of resources and cost control.• Basic schedule for endorsement.

ACTIVITY DEFINED

FIVE CHARACTERISTICS

Must consume time

Mostly consume resourse

Have a defineable start and finish

Measurable

ACTIVITY IDENTIFICATION

THINGS TO BE REVIEWED

Plans and specification

Agreement

Contract conditions

BQ

Other information

ACTIVITY IDENTIFICATION

CRITERIA FOR BREAKING DOWN PROJECTS:

WHAT?

WHERE?

WHO?

WHEN?

HOW?

ACTIVITY DETAIL

DEPENDS ON THE FOLLOWING:

>Purpose Complexity

>Philosophy

>Information

>Responsibility

>Effect of detail

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTIONS

CONCISE AND CLEAR

MAY USE SCOPE AND LOCATION

ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME MEANING

LEGIBLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE

CONSISTENT

USE STANDARD ABBREVIATION

WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURES (WBS)

A PLANNING TOOL AND NOT A SCHEDULING METHOD

BREAKS A PROJECT DOWN INTO GREATER DETAIL BY LEVEL

ORGANISES WITHOUT SCHEDULING

PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR ORGANISING AND ORDERING ACTIVITIES

Work Sequence

• Stages of construction activity.

• Normally from site clearing until project handover.

• Logical sequence of activities.

• Needs an experience and knowledge during planning and scheduling process.

AKTIVITIMAS

A

MINGGU

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Bersih Tapak 4                       

Korek Asas 4                       

Pasang Tetulang Asas

4                       

Tuang Konkrit Asas 4                       

Penambakan 4                       

Pasang Acuan Tiang 4                       

Pasang Tetulang Tiang

4                       

Tuang Konkrit Tiang 4                       

Kerja Bata 4                       

Jumlah 36                        

Jumlah Mingguan 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 4 3 1 1

Jumlah Terkumpul (Dirancang) 1 3 6 9 13 17 22 27 31 34 35 36

Jumlah Terkumpul (Dilaksana)                        

Act. ID Description Duration (days) Successors

1200 Rough HVAC 3 1300

1300 Rough Electrical 3 1000

1400 Shingles 3 1000, 1600, 2700

1500 Ext siding 3 20000

1600 Ext finish carpentry 2 1500

1700 Hang drywall 4 1800

1800 Finish drywall 4 1900, 2400, 2500

1900 Cabinets 2 2100, 2300

2000 Ext paint 3 2200

2100 Internal finish carpentry 4 2200

2200 Internal paint 3 2600

2300 Finish plumbing 2 2200

2400 Finish HVAC 3 2200

2500 Finish electrical 2 2200

2600 Flooring 3 2800

2700 Grading and landscaping 4 2800

2800 Punch list 2

A SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION:

WITHIN BUDGET

ON TIME

MEETS OWNWER SPECIFIED NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS

WORK WITH FLEXIBILITY

• Daniel W.Halpin (2006); Construction Management; Third Edition; John Wiley & Sons; USA.

• Andrew A. L. Tan (2004); Why Projects Fail? 1001 reasons; Venton Publishing (M) Sdn. Bhd.; Selangor, Malaysia.