Innovation in construction: a sociology of technology approach

An alternative approach to understanding innovation is made using two intersecting ideas. The first is that successful innovation requires consideration of the social and organizational contexts in which it is located. The complex context of construction work is characterized by inter-organizational collaboration, a project-based approach and power distributed amongst collaborating organizations. The second is that innovations can be divided into two modes: 'bounded', where the implications of innovation are restricted within a single, coherent sphere of influence, and 'unbounded', where the effects of implementation spill over beyond this. Bounded innovations are adequately explained within the construction literature. However, less discussed are unbounded innovations, where many firms' collaboration is required for successful implementation, even though many innovations can be considered unbounded within construction's inter-organizational context. It is argued that unbounded innovations require an approach to understand and facilitate the interactions both within a range of actors and between the actors and technological artefacts. The insights from a sociology of technology approach can be applied to the multiplicity of negotiations and alignments that constitute the implementation of unbounded innovation. The utility of concepts from the sociology of technology, including 'system building' and 'heterogeneous engineering', is demonstrated by applying them to an empirical study of an unbounded innovation on a major construction project (the new terminal at Heathrow Airport, London, UK). This study suggests that 'system building' contains outcomes that are not only transformations of practices, processes and systems, but also the potential transformation of technologies themselves.     

Time and cost securing in complex large-scale projects

Meeting time and cost objectives in complex projects involves specific problems and risks. An attempt is made to analyse the components of total cost increase of a project caused by time delay. An outline is given as to how these considerations can be used to estimate cost increases in investors' decision situations as well as to ascertain fair contractual penalties and claims for compensation and for the evaluation of justified project acceleration costs.     

A bidding decision index for construction contractors

Results from applying the model on a sample of contractors, the majority of whom were international and operating in Egypt, reinforces the credibility of the developed methodology, claim the authors.     

关于项目管理中施工进度控制的研究

阐述了项目管理中施工进度控制的地位与作用，分析了影响工程进度的因素，提出项目进度控制需做好的工作，以提高进度控制水平，确保合同工期的实现。     

Marmaray project: Tunnels and stations in BC contract

Istanbul is one of the most famous historical cities in the world. However, the project alignment selected as the best of a range of alignments cannot avoid passing beneath the historical and cultural heritages of Istanbul as well as under ancient and densely inhabited areas of the city. This paper will explain some of the challenges related to the bored tunnels.

Historical buildings are vulnerable. Yet many existing residential and office buildings are old and constructed on minimal foundations. As a consequence, it is vital that any drawdown of groundwater and any ground settlements have to be minimized.

In addition, the connection between the immersed and bored tunnels will be made directly and totally underground, without the usual intermediate shafts and beneath the deep waters of the Bosphorus Strait. This operation needs the utmost control of the tunnel excavation face to ensure its stability and to minimize water ingress. Based on such considerations, tunnel excavation by tunnel boring machine (TBM) using a slurry shield and having the ability to operate under high pore pressures was recommended as the method of excavation for the main running tunnels.

The paper will explain how the design team from Avrasyaconsult – the Employer’s Representative – arrived at the final minimum, specific and functional requirements of the bored tunneling works which are to be carried out using the ‘FIDIC EPC/Turnkey Project’ conditions.     

浅论建设项目投资控制的重点

建设项目控制的重点应放在投资决策和设计阶段中,否则会造成巨大的损失。这不仅需要人们改革组织结构和管理体制,更需要从根本上转变思想观念。     

浅谈化工建设项目竣工预验收程序和内容

结合作者的实际工作 ,总结了对工程建设实施“三道质量控制工序”的经验 ,强调了过程质量控制的重要性 ,较为系统地介绍了化工建设项目预验收工作的程序和内容     

基于Web的重点建设项目管理系统

为提高重点建设项目的管理水平和工作效率,在详细分析重点建设项目的业务流程和用户需求的基础上,提出基于Web的重点建设项目信息管理系统。该系统采用典型的三层体系架构,具有较强的可扩展性和灵活性。通过该系统对重点建设项目信息科学管理,可以有效克服传统管理方式的弊端,极大地提高重点建设项目信息管理工作的效率。