Engineering Commons^™

Characteristics And Causal Factors Of Claims In Michigan Highway Construction Projects, Abel K. Sahlool

Wayne State University Dissertations

The US highway system is the largest road network system in the world. MDOT administers about 9,722 route-miles, (28,000 lane-miles) of roadway networks in Michigan. Every year, hundreds of projects worth millions of dollars are let by the State Transportation Agency (STA).

Majority of these projects are successfully completed within the original scope of work, budget, schedule, and without litigation. However; some projects end up in litigation and disputes costing tax payers a great amount of money and the STA a great amount of resources. The number and cost of these construction claims has been substantially increasing in recent years. …

Best Practices For Dealing With Price Volatility In Utah Commercial Construction, Justin Earl Weidman

Theses and Dissertations

In the commercial construction industry, the problem of price volatility as it pertains to materials and labor is a consistent problem. The changing instability of market conditions presents a challenge for construction companies to accurately estimate and complete projects within budget. This volatility can lead to higher costs and more risk to suppliers, contractors, and owners which can cause financial distress for all parties involved in the construction process. As lump sum contracts are typically being used on many projects, the owners seem to have the upper hand and are forcing contractors to honor lump sum contracts even when prices …

Data Analysis Of Utah's I-80 And I-215 Bridges - For The Use In The Development Of Accelerated Bridge Construction Standards, Erik S. Rosvall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study discusses five bridges on Utah's I-80 that were replaced in the summer of 2008 using Accelerated Bridge Construction methods. Each superstructure was built offsite and moved into place with the use of Self-Propelled Modular Transporters. The bridges were instrumented and monitored during the moving process to investigate the effects of moving an entire superstructure into place. Collected data was analyzed to find the level of stress each superstructure experienced during lifting, moving, and placement of each bridge.

The change in supporting conditions from when the superstructure was built to being transferred onto Self-Propelled Modular Transporters caused significant stress …

The Relationship Between Information Technology And Construction Productivity, Dong Zhai

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Over the past decades, information technology has been impacting industries, economics, the way of life and even the culture throughout the world. Productivity has been attracting much attention as an important indicator of economics, and numerous researchers have investigated the relationship between information technology and productivity. Construction is one of the largest industries in the United States, but little research has been conducted to investigate the relationship between information technology and construction productivity.

The major objective of this dissertation is to determine the degree (if any) to which information technology usage, specifically the use of information technology to automate and …

The Study Of Superintendent Training And Its Effects On Homebuilding Cycle Time, John Wesley Burk

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine how much time would be saved in the homebuilding cycle when field superintendents received training. The study took place during the 2007 calendar year with a production homebuilder in southern Nevada. New technologies and techniques were introduced during weekly training meetings that were held at both the corporate office and construction job sites. A scheduling tool was introduced along with new procedures and policies. The superintendents were required to report daily on the tasks that had been completed. This gave the superintendent and upper management the ability to follow the home throughout the building …

A Comparative Study Of Seismic Response Of R.C Low-To-Medium Rise Buildings Under The Egyptian Code Of Loads (Ecdl 2003), Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed Diab

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Computer-Aided-Learning Tool For Teaching Construction Engineering Decision Making: An Excavation Stage Educational Game, Hosnachah Ahmed Refaat Mekkawi

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Contractor Variability In Construction Of Cement Treated Base Layers, Maile Anne Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purposes of this research were to identify construction factors most correlated to specific mechanical properties of cement-treated base (CTB) layers and to determine which construction factors exhibit comparatively high variability within individual construction sections of the two pavement reconstruction projects included in this study. In addition, differences between construction sections tested in this research were evaluated. The research focused on the construction of CTB layers in two pavement reconstruction projects in northern Utah, one along Interstate 84 (I-84) near Morgan and one along U.S. Highway 91 (US-91) near Richmond. The significant predictor variables associated with California bearing ratio …

Payback Information: It's Effect On Home Buyers Regarding Energy Efficiency, Steven E. Sparti

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to find out how payback analysis would affect consumer decision making with regards to home energy efficient upgrade packages. Three different home plans were obtained from a local builder and seven different energy efficient packages were created. Using Hot2000 the heating and cooling loads were calculated for each building, with each energy efficient package, in each of the four major cardinal directions. The averages were taken and the payback information was calculated. The payback information included the increased cost of the package, the increase in the mortgage payment, the annual savings from heating and cooling bills, …

Correlating Factors Between Student Participation And Student Learning Via A Service Learning Project In Secondary Education: A Case Study, Shawn V. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

In this study a service-learning project was conducted with secondary students in a construction technology based course. Three research questions were considered; (1) does service learning projects help to engage student participation, (2) can students learn the course curriculum while participating in a service learning project, and (3) is there a correlation between student participation and student learning as it pertains to service learning projects? The data was collected through surveys, observations, interviews, and evaluations. The researcher concluded the following from the study; 92% of the students were actively participating in the two week service project, 76% of the students …

An Investigation Of Employee Satisfaction And Employee Empowerment Specific To On-Site Supervisors In The Residential Construction Industry, David Lars Halvorsen

Theses and Dissertations

Employee satisfaction and empowerment are vital elements to businesses in most industries. The construction industry has various types of employees, ranging from managers and executives to on-site supervisors and laborers. This study was conducted to obtain a greater understanding about the elements and levels of satisfaction and empowerment of on-site supervisors in the residential construction industry. An on-site supervisor in the residential construction industry is responsible for coordinating and managing employees, materials, equipment, budgets, schedules, contracts, and the safety of employees and the general public. They are also the employees most frequently perceived as accountable for the success or failure …

The Purposes And Evaluation Methods For State Residential General Contractor Licensing, James Ellis Fenn

Theses and Dissertations

The main topic in the licensing debate is whether licensing affects construction quality. Available literature and previous studies indicate that it does not. The real question is not whether licensing improves quality, but whether the improving quality is the actual purpose of licensing. There is little information available on the purpose of licensing as defined by state licensing departments as well as a general lack of information on how states evaluate whether licensing is fulfilling the intended purpose. In order to effectively resolve some of the issues surrounding the construction licensing debate, the true purpose of licensing and the methods …

Construction Of Shopping Malls In Egypt, Ramez Wageih Shafik

Archived Theses and Dissertations

This thesis entitled "Construction of Shopping Malls in Egypt: Reasons For Delay and Estimated Duration" was prepared by Ramez W ageih Shafik under the supervision and guidance of Dr. Samer Ezz El Din at the American University in Cairo The construction industry is one of the most important and essential industries in the economy of any country. Time delay is one of the major problems facing the construction projects in Egypt. Facing the fact that the construction of shopping malls has picked up in Egypt during the last ten years, research is needed to identify the different factors that affect …

Efficacy Of Speed Monitoring Displays In Increasing Speed Limit Compliance In Highway Work Zones, Jeanne Marie Bowie

Theses and Dissertations

Safety in highway work zones has become a concern among Departments of Transportation (DOTs) throughout the country as the highway network has begun to age and more maintenance and construction work has been necessary. Safety in highway work zones is more compromised than in other areas for two reasons. First, the construction workers are near traveling vehicles as they perform their already dangerous work, increasing the risk of an accident. Second, the highway user is at increased risk because of the increase in roadside obstacles, because other vehicles are more likely to act in unpredictable ways (such as sudden braking …

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

The construction industry can be considered as an indication of economical status of any country.