Automation in Construction/ Project Management

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The objective of this proposed research is to study and contribute to the body of knowledge in two main areas that support digital transformation of the construction industry: value driven tools for sustainable and resilient civil infrastructure; and automated methods and algorithms for optimized delivery of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) projects. In the first area it is planned to develop 1) an innovative field inspection protocol for conducting non-destructive and non-invasive inspection tests, and develop a novel multi-sensing technology method for condition assessment using data fusion algorithms, 2) tools to assess and manage targeted resilience requirements for water distribution networks, and optimization algorithms to enable preparation of value-driven maintenance, intervention and recovery plans, and 3) a system dynamics model to assist decision makers in studying and visualizing the impact of selected intervention plans and recovery strategies on performance of their infrastructure assets. In the second area it is planned to 1) develop an integrated framework to enable large-scale stochastic time-cost trade-off optimization for repetitive, modular and traditional construction projects that builds on developments made during the current grant. We will explore utilization of lean and agile management principles, critical chain, last planner system and building information modeling in that framework, 2) advance object identification and localization methods by extending the work of the applicant and his students on RFIDs, digital imaging and 3D laser scanning by experimenting with integration of UWB with these technologies, 3) examine a set of tools that enables optimized material management for owner-builders of constructed facilities, 4) study and identify sources of uncertainty in workspace modelling and develop a framework for stochastic 3D visualisation and detection of collisions on construction jobsites using an integrated agent-based simulation and system dynamics model, and 5) develop a computational platform that maps a contractor's organization risk environment throughout its projects development stages taking into account project delivery method, type of contract, and a set of tools for risk identification, quantification, mitigation and control. Risk maturity model of the contractor's organization will be developed to identify areas of needed improvement for efficient risk management. The above scope of proposed research is attainable considering the applicant's current and past contributions in related fields. The proposed work aims to deliver solutions that meet serious challenges in management of Canadian civil infrastructure, and in the needed digital transformation of the Canadian construction industry in order to realize sizable improvement in its productivity and competitiveness, and accordingly contribute directly to job-creation and to growth in the Canadian economy.