MONTE CARLO ANALYSIS FOR PREDICTION OF NOISE FROM A CONSTRUCTION SITE 

*Zaiton Haron and Khairulzan Yahya
Faculty of Civil Engineering,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,
81300 UTM, Skudai, Johor, MALAYSIA
*Corresponding author: zaitonharon@utm.my
 

Abstract: The large number of operations involving noisy machinery associated with construction site activities result in considerable variation in the noise levels experienced at receiver locations. This paper suggests an approach to predict noise levels generated from a site by using a Monte Carlo approach. This approach enables the determination of details regarding the statistical uncertainties associated with noise level predictions or temporal distributions. This technique could provide the basis for a generalised prediction technique and a simple noise management tool.

Keywords: Noise, Prediction, Construction, Stochastic

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PRIORITISING LEAN CONSTRUCTION BARRIERS IN
UGANDA'S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

*Henry Mwanaki Alinaitwe
Division of Construction Management,
Lund University,
P. O. Box 118m   22100 Lund, SWEDEN
*Corresponding author: henry.mwanaki_alinaitwe@bekon.lth.se
 

Abstract: Engaging in lean construction efforts could prove to be highly rewarding for building firms in Uganda. However, lean construction is risky and can be disastrous if not properly managed. Lean production efforts in some other countries have not been successful due to the many barriers to its successful implementation. To enable sound lean construction efforts and to increase the chances of success in eliminating waste, a thorough investigation of the barriers is essential. This study presents 31 barriers and investigates their influence (strength) on the success of lean construction initiatives. Structured interviews were carried out with technical managers of building firms to assess their perception of the barriers to lean production based on their experience at their firms. The strongest barrier is the provision of inputs exactly when required. Additionally, the barriers were ranked according to the ease of overcoming each. The easiest barrier to overcome is keeping the required items in the right place. Finally, a graphical aid is provided to enable decision makers to concentrate their efforts on the influential (strong), yet easy to overcome barriers. A lack of buildable designs and a participative management style for the workforce are the most important barriers to successful waste reduction in terms of strength and ease of overcoming. On the other hand, a lack of an organisational culture that supports teamwork, a lack of prefabrication and a lack of knowledgeable and skilled workers are regarded as low in strength, and at the same time difficult to overcome.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND TRAINING PROVISIONS FOR BUILDING PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS IN PALESTINE

*Adnan Enshassi¹, Sherif Mohamed² and Alaá Ekarriri³
Civil Engineering Dept, IUG, PALESTINE.
²Griffith Univ, Gold Coast Campus, AUSTRALIA,
³Engineering and Construction Services Department,
UNRWA, Gaza, PALESTINE
*Corresponding author: enshassi@iugaza.edu.ps
 

Abstract: The primary aim of this paper is to identify the skills that both construction clients and contractors identify as critical to improving the building sector’s overall productivity in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Through a comprehensive questionnaire targeting key project stakeholders (namely, clients and contractors), this paper also evaluates the factors affecting skills upgrade and the continuity of training approaches currently used in this sector. Mentoring appears to be the preferred training approach for clients and contractors alike. According to respondents, decision-making, problem solving and goal setting skills are highly critical. Furthermore, conventional face-to-face meetings were identified as the most suitable communication channel to obtain and exchange project information. Staff self-interest and willingness to upgrade their skills were ranked as the most important factors influencing the effectiveness of the professional training process. Based on the study findings, the paper concludes with a set of practical recommendations.

Keywords: Contractors, Clients, Skills, Training, Gaza strip

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COMPETITIVENESS OF THE INDONESIAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

 Agung Budiwibowo¹, *Bambang Trigunarsyah², Ismeth S Abidin¹, Hari G Soeparto¹
Civil Engineering Department, University of Indonesia, INDONESIA
²School of Urban Development, Faculty of Built Environment & Engineering,
Queensland University of Technology, AUSTRALIA
*Corresponding author: bambang.trigunarsyah@qut.edu.au
 

Abstract: Indonesia’s construction industry is important to the national economy. However, its competitiveness is considered low due to the lack of success of its development strategy and policy. A new approach known as the cluster approach is being used to make strategy and policy in order to develop a stronger more competitive industry . This paper discusses the layout of the Indonesian construction cluster and its competitiveness. The archival analysis research approach was used to identify the construction cluster. The analysis was based on the I/O tables of the years 1995 and 2000, which were published by the Indonesian Central Bureau of Statistics. The results suggest that the Indonesian construction cluster consists of the industries directly involved in construction as the core, with the other related and supporting industries as the balance. The anatomy of the Indonesian construction cluster permits structural changes to happen within it. These changes depend on policies that regulate the cluster’s constituents.
 

Keywords: Construction industry, Cluster, Economic development, Competitiveness

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PROCESS OF HOUSING TRANSFORMATION IN IRAN

*Mahta Mirmoghtadaee
Building and Housing Research Centre, Tehran, Iran
*Corresponding author: mmoghtada@yahoo.com
 

Abstract: Iranian houses have changed dramatically in recent decades. The changes took place in three different periods in which social, economic, and technological transformations caused physical and morphological changes. This paper discusses the process of change analytically, emphasizing the importance of compatibility between the house form and lifestyle. The spatial characteristics of traditional Iranian houses reflect natural, geographical, and cultural needs. There was a harmony between people’s needs and the physical characteristics of the house. In the transition period, however, a new residential type appeared, in which living spaces were categorized according to their general functions. Spatial arrangement, together with plan layout and proportions, facilitated the limited potential for varied lifestyles. In the contemporary period, apartment buildings became prevalent. In this new type of residence, the physical characteristics of the house have changed considerably, while living habits and lifestyles have not changed at the same pace. This paper concludes that habitats should be physically harmonious with traditions and lifestyles; otherwise, residents would react and try to change the environment according to their wishes. When the environment itself is not changeable, residents have to adapt themselves to their new conditions; consequently, some valuable traditions would be lost forever.

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Last update June 18, 2009