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Considering Prework on Industrial Projects |
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| Authors: | Jongchul Song Walter R Fagerlund Carl T Haas Clyde B Tatum Jorge A Vanegas |
| Affiliation: | 1Graduate Research Assistant, Dept. of Civil Engineering, ECJ 5.200, Uinv. of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-0276. E-mail: uniastro@mail.utexas.edu 2Project Engineer, HNTB Co., 2 Thomas Dr., Westbrook, ME 04092. E-mail: wfagerlund@hntb.com 3Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, ECJ 5.200, Univ. of Texas at Austin, TX 78712-0276. E-mail: hass@mail.utexas.edu 4Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Terman Engineering Ctr. M52, Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA 94305-4020. 5Associate Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Mason Bldg., 790 Atlantic Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332-0355. |
| Abstract: | Prefabrication, preassembly, modularization, and off-site fabrication, collectively termed as prework have become more viable with recent advances in design and information technologies. These construction methods offer a substantial opportunity to improve project performance when circumstances merit. Successful implementation of these methods on a particular project requires systematic analysis and early decision making based on specific factors of the project. This paper identifies those factors influencing decisions on the use of prework, and current industry practices for evaluating the applicability of prework on industrial projects. It then presents a decision framework to assist industry practitioners with evaluating the applicability of prework on their project, and describes a computerized tool to aid project teams in the decision-making process. The developed framework and tool are useful and effective in the decision-making process, and easy to use, as validated by practitioners in the industry. |
| Keywords: | Construction methods Construction management Decision making Decision support systems Modular structures Prefabrication |