Construction Technology and Management

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Browsing Construction Technology and Management by Author "Abraham Assefa (PhD)"

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    Application of Load Bearing Brick Wall for Low Rise Condominium Projects in Ethiopia and Assessment of Locally Produced Bricks
    (Addis Ababa University, 2017-07) Betelhem Bayou; Abraham Assefa (PhD)
    Bricks are one of the oldest building materials in construction. Application of bricks in construction of Ethiopia is not new. They are used for construction of internal and external walls in all over the country. Once more brick is commonly used building material; however, there is a tendency to use brick masonry more as cladding and in-fill material rather than as a structural material. In order to solve the housing problem in Ethiopia, saving-house condominium projects, realestates, and private residential buildings have been constructed in many regions of Ethiopia for the past decades, there is also a bigger plan set by the government for the next GTP. From the past experience of building projects, wastage of materials, unsafe construction process, poor quality of output, high time and cost overrun, and risk of failure due to structural errors and mistakes made during construction process have been observed. The objective of this study is to assess locally produced bricks quality and availability to recommend a load bearing brick wall construction for low rise residential building and compare the cost with concrete frame structure building of the same plan, form and story. Over centuries, the utilization of bricks in construction has evolved significantly. In developed nations, bricks have emerged as the primary load-bearing system for various types of buildings, spanning from modest single-story residences to relatively tall commercial and industrial structures. Extensive analysis conducted on developed countries showcases the cost-related benefits of employing bricks. Additionally, brick walls exhibit excellent thermal insulating properties, leading to reduced fuel consumption and manufacturing energy expenditure. The analysis establishes that a three-story load bearing building can be built from locally produced fired clay bricks. There is also overall saving in both materials and cost when using load bearing structure instead of reinforced concrete of the same selected apartment building. The encouragement of the load bearing structure will result in the establishing number of modern factories for brick and clay product in Ethiopia.
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    Assessment of Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Practices on Selected Buildings in Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2023-05) Semhal Gebremedhin; Abraham Assefa (PhD)
    Construction and demolition waste accounts for a significant portion of global solid waste production, with the majority of it ending up in landfills. Parallel to the rise in environmental consciousness, there is a growing awareness of waste issues all over the world. As a result, developing some construction and demolishing waste management solutions has become important. The objectives of this study is on examining the major building construction and demolishing waste materials, current practice of building construction and demolishing waste recycling, and testing the identified major building construction and demolishing waste material on selected buildings in Addis Ababa. The quantitative data gathered from the questionnaire was analyzed by straight forward percentages and frequency using SPSS. All other categories of respondents' interviews and responses/opinions to open ended data have yielded qualitative data and were summarized. The findings of this research revealed that most contractors try to reuse materials before disposing them but do not consider recycling at the site as an option; in terms of recycling, 4% of contractors said they recycle the waste from building construction and demolishing. And as for the amount of wastage from building construction and demolishing, HCB and cement take the first and the second place with 30 and 26 percentages respectively. The study also carried out laboratory test to compare the density and compressive strength of HCB with 50% replacement of its course aggregate with recycled HCB and HCB with standard mix which the HCB with 50% replacement yielded approximately close result to the HCB with standard mix. The study also found that contractors believe that by raising awareness, building recycling plants, and providing government incentives, recycling building construction and demolishing waste could be taken as an option by most contractors also potentially attracting private investors to invest in recycling factories
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    Assessment Of Current Administrative Practices On Reducing The Occurrence And Impact Of Variation Orders: (A Case Study On Federal Housing Corporation Mixed-Use Apartment Projects)
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-08) Meskerem Mengistie; Abraham Assefa (PhD)
    This study investigates the current administration practices of variation orders within the Federal Housing Corporation (FHC), highlighting the reduction of occurrence and negative impacts and also assessing best practices essential for effective administration. Findings reveal that variation orders frequently arise due to factors such as material unavailability, design changes, and discrepancies in the Bill of Quantities (BOQ), leading to significant cost overruns and schedule delays. Current administrative practices at FHC are found to be inadequate, characterized by unclear documentation, inconsistent risk assessments, and insufficient stakeholder engagement during the planning phase. The study emphasizes the importance of adopting comprehensive strategies, including the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and other technological tools to enhance communication and streamline processes. It underscores the necessity of clearly defined roles and responsibilities among stakeholders, promoting prompt decision-making and trust-based relationships as vital components for effective variation management. Recommendations include enhancing documentation practices, implementing proactive risk management, and investing in continuous professional development for staff. By addressing these recommendations, FHC can significantly improve its capacity to manage variation orders, ultimately leading to better project outcomes and heightened stakeholder satisfaction in future construction projects.
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    Assessment of Pacing Delay in Construction Contracts (A Case on Selected Roads under Ethiopian Roads Administration)
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-11) Kenaw Maru; Abraham Assefa (PhD)
    Delay is one of the major sources of claims and disputes in construction and the impact of construction delays is not limited to the construction industry, but it also affects the entire economy of the nation. In construction contracts, Though employers are obligated to provide extra time for project completion they are not responsible for delay costs resulting from concurrent delays caused by contractors. When the contractors know the employers contention, contractors may argue that the delays dependent the were a deliverate decision following the employers independent delay. However, many Contractors failed to sufficiently demonstrate that the Contractor’s pacing of the works were intentional, concurrent delays following the employers’ delays. The purpose of the research is to assess existance of pacing delay in construction contracts and its relation with concurrent delay, highligh the practice of pacing delay provisions in the International contracts, identify the required procedures during implementation of pacing delay. To this end the review of related literatures, shows that pacing delay is not a concurrent delay which instead is characterized by the contractor's proactive approach to adjust the schedule of the works in response to delays caused by the Employer or external factor and it is a recognized business in the international construction contract, particularly in USA and UK. However, the case has not been researched in Ethioipian and broad African context and as a result, the existance of pacing delay has not been fully undrstood. Further, the questionnaire survey shows that 93.3% of the repondants agreed on importance of pacing delay clauses for effective management of delays under federal road projects in Ethiopia. Besides, the survey further sugests, the provision of pacing delay clauses in the Contract document along with enhancing communication, keeping comprehensive records, and establishing consensus on delay criteria, can significantly mitigate the risks of project Finally, further research should be done to get an in depth understanding on the practical application of pacing delays.
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    Enhancing Building Construction Project Management in Addis Ababa through the Implementation of Extended Reality Technology: A Preliminary Feasibility Study and Implementation Framework
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-10) Kidaneab Tekalign; Abraham Assefa (PhD)
    The construction industry in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia faces numerous challenges in project management, including design errors, communication issues, visualization difficulties, delays, rework, and cost overruns. This thesis explores the feasibility and implementation framework of integrating Extended Reality (XR) technology into construction project management practices to address these challenges. XR technology, encompassing Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), offers significant potential to enhance design visualization, improve stakeholder communication, and increase overall project efficiency. The methodology employed in this study involves a mixed research approach, including surveys and interviews with construction professionals to identify current practices, challenges and assess their awareness and acceptance of XR technology. Case studies of three construction consulting firms—A, B, and C and one technology company D, provided insights into the practical implementation and outcomes of XR technology in construction projects. The data were analyzed to evaluate the technical, economic, operational, and organizational feasibility of adopting XR technology in the local context. The findings reveal that XR technology can significantly improve project management processes. For instance, consulting firm B reported a 30% reduction in design errors and a 25% increase in stakeholder engagement through the use of VR and AR in two completed projects, a medium hospital and a private school. Notably, the internal rate of return (IRR) for implementing XR technology is estimated at 30.04%, highlighting its financial viability. The economic feasibility analysis indicates that the initial cost of implementing XR technology is approximately 1,007,424.00 Birr, with ongoing annual operational costs estimated at 307,660 Birr. Despite the high initial investment, the potential for cost savings through reduced errors and rework, improved efficiency, and enhanced communication suggests a positive return on investment within three to five years. However, challenges such as limited local suppliers for XR hardware and the need for significant training and technical support must be addressed. In conclusion, the integration of XR technology in construction project management in Addis Ababa is feasible and offers substantial benefits in addressing current challenges. The developed implementation framework provides a comprehensive guide for successful adoption, outlining necessary steps, resources, and strategies. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to further quantify the long-term benefits and explore the impact of XR technology on different types of construction projects.
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    Identification of Determinant Factors for Contract Administration in Ethiopian Roads Administration Gambella Area Projects Management Office
    (Addis Ababa University, 2023-11) Yeshidinber Ketema; Abraham Assefa (PhD); Derese Birbirsa (Mr.) Co-Advisor
    The objective of the study is to identify the Determinant Factors for Contract Administration in Ethiopian Roads Administration Gambella Area Projects Management Office. The study prepared five scale based questionnaires and distributed to 141 sample populations and was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis. The descriptive and frequency analysis, interview response, meta-analysis and case study showed that documentation, resources, claim and dispute management, risk management, project process management, communication, project closure and stake holders are important in contract administration. The correlation analysis also showed that at significance level of 0.000 contract administration has high positive correlation with claim and dispute management (.769), moderate positive correlation with documentation (.651), project closure (.622), Risk Management (0.616) and project process management (.543) and low positive correlation with communication (.488), resource (.398) and stakeholder management (0.052). The regression analysis on the other hand showed that documentation, project closure, claim and dispute management and project process management have significant effects on Contract Administration with significance value of 0.001, 0.000, 0.000 and 0.006 respectively and, the coefficient significance value of communication (.134), resource (.147) and stake holders (.101) are significant at above 10% significant level and that of Risk Management (0.416) at 41.60% in which the variables have a significant relation with contract administration. In addition the foregoing; meta-analysis has been carried out to identify the best suit study among the similar perspective studies. Finally, the study recommends that recently launched ERA‘s various Manuals, Guidelines and Reports shall be properly implemented by the parties in the contract, better Communication scheme shall be devised among the parties, timely certification of Payments, assignment of qualified personnel for the works, establishment of strong Workshop, deployment of proper machineries both in number and quality, proper Stakeholder Management, Proper Risk Management, due consideration shall be given for the road at the Design Stage notably Design shall be done in due consideration of the actual site scenario, and last Security issue shall be resolved in the project vicinities.
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    Study on the Application of Just-In-Time Philosophy to Construction: A Case Study of Reinforcement Bar Production and Delivery System
    (Addis Ababa University, 2023-05) Ruhama Girma; Abraham Assefa (PhD)
    In cities like Addis Ababa, storage and working space are usually inadequate for construction projects. Construction materials like rebar require a lot of space for storage and production. For the temporary storage and production of rebar, some firms had to pay extra to rent space. Also, some use the roadside for storage and production areas. Furthermore, most activities performed during the construction process do not add value to the project but incur unnecessary costs and time that affect the project's performance. Therefore, this study intends to analyze the rebar production practice and explore whether applying the just-in-time concept to the rebar production and delivery system would be advantageous from the perspective of value. To achieve the study objective, case studies were carried out on two contractors. The contractors were selected based on their approaches to rebar production. The first one uses the on-site rebar production method, while the other contractor uses off-site rebar production with JIT delivery. The data collected from case studies was analyzed using descriptive analysis and by developing a discrete event simulation model. Finally, the study's findings revealed that there is a considerable amount of non-value-added and necessary but non-value-adding activities on site during the production of rebars. According to the simulation analysis result, off-site rebar production with JIT delivery is shown to decrease rebar production time, increase productivity, and decrease idleness of labor and machines. Additionally, the study revealed the motivating and challenging factors for JIT implementation. In general, on the basis of value, applying JIT to rebar production and delivery is efficient. Thus, it is important for construction companies to start considering the benefits of this production and delivery system.
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    Web- Based Application for Activity-Based Construction Cost Control in Selected Building Projects in Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2023-04) Hanna Hailemicheal; Abraham Assefa (PhD)
    Managing cost is the most important aspect in a construction project as it is an integral and sensitive part of a construction. The activities of contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers are dependent on the consistency of cash flow management of a construction project as it helps in determining how much money is profited after a project completion. If not, it can induce financial constraint or may lead to subsequent claims. However, in Ethiopian Construction Industry, the cost estimation method is usually not linked to the cost management and control mechanisms. In addition the current practice does not offer insight how to value projects or predict price for future bids. Furthermore, it is limited in supporting decision-making and performance control during construction. Current construction projects are also characterized by cost overruns and delays due to inefficient cost controlling processes besides other factors. This study develops a web-based Activity-Based Cost Controlling System by recording actual costs of onsite activities, analyzing and comparing it with budgeted cost, throughout a construction project life cycle to improve the project cost performance. The system uses a centralized database system to store actual cost information collected for each activity using cost codes (of which many activities in building construction share, the system records the daily executed quantities, the material, labor, equipment, and subcontract costs of each activity and analyzes to calculate the direct costs). A backend program is developed using PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) that integrates the cost information and the tender price (unit price) of each activity to compare it with the actual cost performance and finally provide performance reports that are automated for control of cost. The web-based application is tested using data from three building projects from different contractors and was found to be close to actual cost. Aside from creating performance reports, the web-based application can provide data on the activities’ start and finish dates, and cost information for activities including labor productivity and composition. The result of the study has shown that this web-based application facilitates automation, control, and follow-up of the cost controlling process for contractors.