Navigational Models for Computer Supported Project Management Tasks on Construction Sites

Integrated product and process models have started gaining acceptance in the construction industry and it is conceivable that in the near future project data will be contained in these models. A project model can contain large data sets making it harder for users to navigate. This challenge is even more difficult in cases where mobile computing is used on site for accessing and collecting data needed for a construction management task. Navigational models are constructs that provide construction personnel, who are using mobile computing applications on construction sites, with information and data collection support relevant to their tasks and environments. Navigational models provide a flexible and dynamic way of grouping and structuring entities of product and process models such that those entities that need to be related for one task are linked directly to minimize the navigation through a given model. Moreover, navigational models provide a way to structure the data contained in product and process models in hierarchies facilitating interaction with entities at multiple levels of detail. In this paper, we describe construction site-based project management tasks and demonstrate how navigational models can facilitate efficient data access and data collection processes by customizing the presented information for a given task and environment of a user.     

Visualization of Work Flow to Support Lean Construction

Implementation of advanced production management techniques, such as lean construction concepts like filtering of work packages to stabilize work flows, pull flow of teams and materials, and in-process quality control, demands effective and timely flows of information both to and from the workface. The key requirement—making the process state transparent to all participants—is more difficult to achieve in construction than in manufacturing, because work crews move continuously within a physical environment that is itself changing. Novel computer-aided visualization tools can fulfill the needs that simpler tools, such as Kanban cards, fulfill in manufacturing. Two prototypes with user interfaces designed to facilitate process flow have been devised and implemented within the context of building information modeling (BIM) software systems. They demonstrate aspects of the synergy between BIM and lean construction. Given the dynamic and dispersed physical environments and the fractured contracting arrangements typical of construction, BIM-based visualization interfaces are important tools for providing process transparency.     

带冷机传动链轮齿圈的剖分组装

为解决带冷机传动链轮齿圈吨位大，在大中修时施工难度较高，现场需整体拆装链轮组等困难，以及减少备件制做所占用的大量维修费用，本文介绍了采用剖分链轮齿圈组装的技术方法。该方法既可减少拆装的工程量，无需采用大型吊装机具，而且还可降低大修工程量并节约备件的制作费用，其组装质量完全能达到技术要求。     

金堆城揭顶硐室爆破群药包起爆时序的设计控制

主要论述了金堆城南露天揭顶硐室B级大爆破工程爆区微差起爆时序的设计控制,详述了装药量最大、设计施工管理难度最大的二爆区的设计思路、计算方法,复杂的爆破网络微差分布、起爆器材联接等内容,成功地爆破确保了工程的安全和施工进度,为工程的顺利竣工奠定了基础。     

退役晶硅光伏组件接线盒和边框拆解设备设计

接线盒和边框是晶硅光伏组件的重要组分,其拆解效率和准确性直接影响了晶硅光伏组件后续拆解回收的利用程度及经济价值。研发了一种自动化拆解设备,首先对拆解设备进行三维模型的设计和搭建,然后通过科学合理的测试和仿真,利用试验数据和仿真结果,完成了对废旧晶硅光伏组件接线盒和边框回收设备的设计。结果表明：设计方案具有一定的可行性,设备整体运行稳定,接线盒拆除装置能够铲下完整的接线盒;边框拆解装置能够在不破坏玻璃等其他组分的前提下顺利拆解下铝合金边框。整体设备拆解动作流畅,拆解效率较手工拆解有很大提升,同时拆解损坏率也大大降低。     

Use of a WBS Matrix to Improve Interface Management in Projects

Many researchers agree that smoother construction would result from better communication between designers and constructors about specific requirements and constraints for construction that can be incorporated into the design. The same principle can be generalized to apply to all the phases of a construction project (design, equipment procurement, transport, delivery, installation, and testing, as well as hand-over activities), to the different partners (main contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers), and even internally to the teams working on different parts of a system for the same contractor. Specific requirements and constraints at work interfaces that are technical, organizational, temporal, and geographical in nature have to be made transparent so that they can be managed and resolved to avoid unnecessary reworks and delays. This paper proposes to use the work breakdown structure (WBS) concept to improve work interface management. In the manufacturing industry, the WBS concept is well exploited by crossing a horizontal breakdown of production activities with a vertical breakdown of final products, thus obtaining a WBS matrix, which is more complete and useful than the classical WBS tree. In this paper, the WBS and interface management concepts are first clarified. Then, it is proposed to transpose the WBS matrix concept into the construction industry and to analyze, in a case study, how it may be used to improve interface management. The case study involves the construction of a segment of a mass rapid transit system comprising many specialty trades spanning track works, power supply, signaling, passenger vehicles, and control.     

Graphical Approach for Manpower Planning in Infrastructure Networks

Infrastructure networks such as highways and pipelines have recently been at the center of attention for contractors and owner organizations. Due to their large size and their repetitive/distributed nature, construction and/or maintenance operations for such networks become complex tasks that require huge resources, particularly manpower. In order to provide a transparent tool for quick manpower planning and sensitivity analysis, a graphical approach (using nomographs) is introduced in this paper. The nomographs encode the mathematical formulation, and the results of many optimization experiments, of a distributed model for scheduling large projects with multiple sites. Accordingly, the nomographs can be readily utilized by practitioners to estimate the manpower needed to meet a predefined deadline, under anticipated network-level risks due to unfavorable site conditions. Details on the development of the nomographs are presented in the paper along with an example to demonstrate their usefulness for supporting manpower planning decisions and for what-if analysis. The nomographs also present researchers with a simple yet powerful approach to make research results readily usable by practitioners.     

Integrated Decision Support for Roadway Safety Analysis

This paper presents an integrated decision-support framework that helps public agencies identify high-crash locations and develop cost-effective safety improvement projects. State-of-the-art safety concepts, such as safety performance functions, empirical Bayesian method, and potential for safety improvements, are incorporated to identify hazardous highway locations. Cost-effective safety projects are prioritized based on life-cycle safety benefit evaluation and optimal resource allocation models. An efficient solution algorithm to the optimization model is also proposed. The models are implemented in an internet-based, geographic information system (GIS) software tool that builds on state-of-the-art information technologies, graphical interfaces, and customized GIS algorithms such as spatial analysis with buffering operations.     

钢铁企业炼钢-连铸生产调度系统的应用

描述了湘钢的炼钢 连铸生产调度系统。该系统能直观地显示生产流程的信息画面，在生产总调及主要工序（转炉、精炼、连铸）通过集成化的图形界面跟踪工单、计划的执行情况来及时反映完成工单、在制工单以及待制工单的信息。图形化动态生产计划的实时调整可极大地提高计划编制效率、降低生产人员的劳动强度，保证计划的规范性。系统投入实际生产后，不仅优化了生产过程，较大幅度地提高了钢厂的产能和品种钢比例，且实现了系统运行的高效性和连续性。     

Dynamic Three-Dimensional Visualization of Fluid Construction Materials

The presented work extends the state-of-the-art of visualizing discrete-event construction simulations in three dimensions (3D). Efficient methods are presented along with a tool, ParticleWorks, that can be used to animate simulated construction processes that involve unstructured, fluid construction materials as resources or byproducts. Common construction processes that involve such fluid materials include placing concrete, dumping dirt, shotcreting, sandblasting, dewatering, water distribution, and inserting slurry. The writers capitalize on a classical computer graphics concept called particle systems to design simple, simulation model-authorable, parametric-text methods that can describe arbitrary volumes of dynamic fluid construction materials in animated 3D virtual construction worlds. These methods can be used to instrument discrete-event simulation models (or other external authoring interfaces) to automatically generate dynamic visualizations of any modeled construction operations that commonly handle and process fluid construction materials.     

设备检修管理信息系统的设计与分析

依据检修管理流程,构造和建立设备检修管理信息系统,旨在实现从检修计划至实绩收集的全流程的闭环跟踪与控制,为实现设备状态维修提供指导,本文介绍了设备检修管理信息系统的设计、主要功能及实现方法.     

RNA secondary structure as a reusable interface to biological information resources

The dissemination of biological information has become critically dependent on the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW), which enable distributed access to information in a platform independent manner. The mode of interaction between biologists and on-line information resources, however, has been mostly limited to simple interface technologies such has hypertext links, tables and forms. The introduction of platform-independent runtime environments facilitates the development of more sophisticated WWW-based user interfaces. Until recently, most such interfaces have been tightly coupled to the underlying computation engines, and not separated as reusable components. We believe that many subdisciplines of biology have intuitive and familiar graphical representations of knowledge that can serve as multipurpose user interface elements. We call such graphical idioms "domain graphics". In order to illustrate the power of such graphics, we have built a reusable interface based on the standard two dimensional (2D) layout of RNA secondary structure. The interface can be used to represent any pre-computed layout of RNA, and takes as a parameters the sets of actions to be performed as a user interacts with the interface. It can provide to any associated application program information about the base, helix, or subsequence selected by the user. We show the versatility of this interface by using it as a special purpose interface to BLAST, Medline and the RNA MFOLD search/compute engines. These demonstrations are available at: http://www-smi.stanford.edu/projects/helix/pubs/ gene-combis-96/     

Interface Management within Construction: In Particular, Building Facade

This paper discusses the need for interface management within construction, with particular reference to building facade interfaces. It categorizes the three different types of interface management—physical, contractual, and organizational. The implication of interface management in construction contracting is discussed; it is explained how the U.K. procurement trends have changed, affecting the interface management within projects. U.K. cladding procurement is very fragmented, and the paper maps the development of a typical cladding system showing the complexities of interface management. Finally, the paper discusses CladdISS, a U.K. government funded research project to develop a standardized strategy for the design and management of window and cladding interfaces. It explains the principles of CladdISS with reference to process maps, action plans, management strategy, bibliography, advice on standards, materials, maintenance, joints, movement, and tolerances. This will enable strategies to be developed to avoid the endemic interface problems occurring on-site. It will also guide the management of the interfaces throughout the project.     

步进梁在钢卷运输中的应用及其设计

对常见钢卷运输设备的特点进行分析比较,分析了步进梁的基本原理和结构类别,结合具体工程对步进梁进行了优化设计,详细阐述了步进梁的设计计算过程,并给出偏心轮步进梁的升降轨迹原理和理论计算过程,以及工程应用中的简化设计方法,可指导相关的工程设计。     

钢带热轧机机前导尺装置的设计改进

文章针对钢带热轧机机前导尺装置轧制较薄带材时会挤压带材,造成带材损伤,导板磨损后不能互换,产生资源浪费,导板拆卸不便的问题,提出相应的改进设计方案,对机前导尺装置的结构形式、控制方式和控制精度进行改进.现场实践证明,新的设计方案可以控制导尺的夹紧力,导板磨损后可以左右互换,延长了导板的使用寿命,且导板更换非常简便,减少...     

采用一体化设备处理酸性矿井废水

一体化处理设备不仅适用于矿井废水而且可用于给水处理,具有工艺组合灵活。控制方便,占地面积小,维护工作量少等优点。与之配套的自动控制设备不仅能够优化工艺运行参数,而且还配有远程监控功能。方便运行与管理。     

烧结法粗液脱硅系统存在的问题及改进措施

分析了某公司烧结法粗液脱硅系统存在汽耗高、设备老化、液量通过困难、检修频繁、生产过程不易控制等问题的原因，提出了烧结法粗液脱硅系统改进的措施。     

Mixed Reality-Based Visualization Interfaces for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Industry

Varied computing devices and automated sensors will enable new human-computer interface paradigms for interacting with digitally managed project information. The writers therefore propose the development of Mixed Reality (MR)-based computer interfaces, and especially Augmented Reality systems, for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry and describe the technologies and principles for applying such computer interfaces to support all phases of the constructed facility project life cycle. An Augmented Reality computer-aided drawing prototype is described as an experimental platform to study the human factors issues in interacting with Augmented Reality three-dimensional digital design models. Two critical research needs are cited for realizing effective Augmented Reality systems: (1) human factors research for development of visualization tools to enhance design comprehension and support collaborative work, and (2) the development of a technology infrastructure for “augmented” control and inspection interfaces to directly access digital project plan and site information that may be spatially referenced and displayed in the field. Research should be geared to advance knowledge regarding spatial cognition, human–computer interfaces, and computer-mediated human-to-human interactions, and it should address application of MR to all phases of the project life cycle.     

Towards an ecological audiology: stereophonic listening chamber and acoustic environmental tests

An acoustic laboratory for reproduction of speech and acoustic environments is presented along with two sound field tests. Its design has been inspired by the LEDE (Living End Dead End) principle for construction of radio and music control rooms. The equipment and the 12 loudspeakers can simultaneously reproduce several stereophonic and monophonic recordings. The interesting feature is that the delayed first reflex in the LEDE room allows for a realistic perception of the recording room. A preliminary presentation of two newly developed tests for sound field listening is given. In DSIN. Directional Speech In Noise, the JFC (just follow conversation) threshold for continuous discourse is determined in 12 directions in quiet and in noise from +/- 60 degrees azimuth. In SEIT (Sound Environmental Identification Test), stereophonic acoustic environments are presented and the subject is asked to identify specific components and to characterize each environment as closely as possible. Results from tests with normal hearing subjects and examples of results with hearing impaired subjects are presented. The potential of the technique for use in aural rehabilitation, functional definition of auditory communication and quality assessment of hearing aids is discussed. It is pointed out that the term ecological audiology is suitable for describing the interaction between the communicating individual and the environment in a broad sense.     

Integrating Neurofuzzy System with Conceptual Cost Estimation to Discover Cost-Related Knowledge from Residential Construction Projects

Cost estimation during early stage of a building construction project plays an important role for feasibility analysis in the planning and design phase. Traditional knowledge-based approaches suffer an essential difficulty due to resource price fluctuation in the market. This paper presents a hybrid method that integrates the principal items ratio estimation method with the adaptive neurofuzzy inference system for mining of cost estimation data. The proposed method provides exceptional capability for mining estimation knowledge that is difficult to be discovered by traditional knowledge-based approaches. A case study of residential building projects in China is conducted to demonstrate the proposed method. The testing results show that the proposed method does not only achieve high estimation accuracy, but also provide desirable features for estimators, such as explicit fuzzy decision rules and graphical presentations.