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.     

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     

浅谈工程项目管理的若干问题

随着我国社会经济的发展,人们对建筑的质量要求越来越高,建筑工程项目管理的作用也越来越大,其对保证建筑工程的实施和质量有着十分重要的意义。通过分析建筑项目管理工作的作用和具体内容,提出了改善和创新的方法和措施,以供相关单位借鉴和参考。     

微晶纤维素增粘剂的研制

以棉浆为原料，废盐酸为水解催化剂，所得合成革用微晶纤锥素增粘剂的质量指标达到了德国和日本同类产品的标准。