Automation in Construction/ Project Management

这项拟议研究的目的是研究并为支持建筑业数字化转型的两个主要领域的知识体系做出贡献：可持续和弹性民用基础设施的价值驱动工具；以及用于优化工程、采购和施工（EPC）项目交付的自动化方法和算法。在第一个领域，计划开发1)进行非破坏性和非侵入性检查测试的创新现场检查协议，并开发一种使用数据融合算法进行状态评估的新型多传感技术方法；2)评估和管理配水网络有针对性的弹性要求的工具，以及优化算法，以便编制价值驱动的维护、干预和恢复计划。3)建立系统动力学模型，帮助决策者研究和可视化选定的干预计划和恢复策略对基础设施资产性能的影响。在第二个领域，计划1)开发一个集成框架，以实现基于当前赠款期间开发的重复性、模块化和传统建筑项目的大规模随机时间成本权衡优化。我们将在该框架中探索精益和敏捷管理原则、关键链、最后规划系统和建筑信息建模的利用；2)通过尝试将超宽带与这些技术集成，扩展申请人及其学生在rfid、数字成像和3D激光扫描方面的工作，从而推进目标识别和定位方法；3)研究一套工具，使建筑设施的业主和建设者能够优化材料管理，4)研究和确定工作空间建模中的不确定性来源，并使用集成的基于代理的仿真和系统动力学模型开发一个框架，用于随机3D可视化和建筑工地碰撞检测；5)开发一个计算平台，在考虑到项目交付方法、合同类型和一套风险识别、量化、缓解和控制工具的情况下，绘制承包商在整个项目开发阶段的组织风险环境。将开发承包商组织的风险成熟度模型，以确定有效风险管理需要改进的领域。考虑到申请人目前和过去在相关领域的贡献，上述研究范围是可以实现的。拟议的工作旨在提供解决方案，以应对加拿大民用基础设施管理方面的严峻挑战，以及加拿大建筑业所需的数字化转型，以实现其生产力和竞争力的大幅提高，从而直接为创造就业机会和加拿大经济增长做出贡献。

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.