The integration of Lean with BIM in Indian Construction Industry

Interaction of Lean & BIM in the Construction Industry

‘‘The Integration of Lean Principles with BIM in the Construction Industry in India’’

By

Student Name: Vimal R Chaturvedi Student Number: @00314231 MSc. Project Management In Construction School Of Built Environment

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Acknowledgements

Though this is an individual’s dissertation, it would not have reached fruition if not for the unwavering support and guidance of those whom I have had the privilege of working with. Firstly, I wish to thank my supervisor, Dr Andy Fleming. He not only supported me in completing my thesis but also provided immense moral and emotional support to me. He gave direction and shape to my learning by extending his vast expertise and experience in the field of education. Secondly, I thank my family, especially my brother Kushal Chaturvedi, for their kind and warm support. Finally, I thank a lot of friends, in particular Amgad Ahmed, Saeed Talebi, Pankaj Sharma, Ayman Iqbal and Shaik Mudassir Ahmed for their kind support. To them and to all who have been mentioned here - I say a warm & heartfelt thank you.

Student Name: Vimal Chaturvedi Date: 10th May 2013

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Abstract Waste is one of the main problems plaguing the construction industry. The need for identifying the sources of waste and eliminating them has resulted in the extension of the concept of lean and the development of lean principles and tools, especially for the construction industry. These include reducing variability in production, and production cycles. The tools used to achieve this include following a pull instead of push approach, use of multifunctional, multi skilled teams, a parallel process of standardization and ideation and the following of just in time schedules. While Lean provides the concepts, its implementation is done by BIM. These theoretical findings were validated by the empirical research conducted by the author on ten construction companies in India. It was found that the large firms in India with well-established reputations and large operations have incorporated both lean and BIM. However, the larger mass of smaller and medium sized firms still follows the conventional construction models. The study also found that those firms which followed Lean and BIM reported substantial decrease in product, production and production cycle variability. BIM features that enabled achievement of lean included visualization, aesthetic, functional features as well as those features that facilitated collaboration and partnership between multiple stakeholders and online communication features. Some of the objectives of lean that were not enabled through BIM are related to reduction of inventory, complexity of software and were found to be dependent on the reliability of software used. However, it does remain a fact that given the challenges confronting the construction industry, incorporation of both lean and BIM is no longer a matter of choice but an imperative.

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Table of Contents Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………..

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Abstract………………………………………………………………………………..

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Chapter 1 ………………………………………………………………………….......

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1.1.

Background…………………………………………………………………….

1.2.

Research Need..………………………………………………………………

1.3.

Research Question ……………………………………………………………

1.4.

Aims & Objectives…………………………………………………………….

1.5.

Methodology Outline………………………………………………………….

1.6.

Research Structure ……………………………………………………………

8 9 10 10 11 11

Chapter 2 – Review of Focal Literature Review…………………………………….

13

2.1. Definition of Concepts in Lean Construction ……………………………………..

13

2.2. Waste in the Construction Industry ……………………………………………….

14

2.3. Principles of Lean Construction …………………………………………………..

17

2.4. Tools used in Lean Construction ………………………………………………….

19

2.5. Summary of Lean Construction …………………………………………………...

22

2.6. Building Information Modelling …………………………………………………..

22

2.7. BIM Functionalities ……………………………………………………………….

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2.8. Interaction between Lean and BIM………………………………………………..

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2.9. Challenges in Implementation of Lean and BIM ………………………………….

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2.10. The Construction Industry in India………………………………………………

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Chapter 3 – Research Strategy ………………………………………………………

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3.1. Research Methodology – Qualitative versus Quantitative ……………………….

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3.2. Deductive & Inductive Techniques ………………………………………………. 4

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3.3. Primary versus Secondary Data ………………………………………………….

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3.4. Deductive Technique & Determination of Hypotheses……………………………

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3.5. The Inductive Approach ………………………………………………………….

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3.5.1. Data Collection Tools ………………………………………………………….

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3.6. Data Analysis Tools……………………………………………………………….

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3.7. Risk Mitigation ……………………………………………………………………

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3.7.1. Questionnaire……………………………………………………………………

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3.7.2. Telephone Interviews…………………………………………………………….

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3.8. Ethical Issues……………………………………………………………………….

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Chapter 4 – Findings………………………………………………………………….

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Chapter 5 – Discussion & Analysis…………………………………………………..

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Chapter 6 – Conclusions & Recommendations…………………………………….

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6.1. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………….

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6.2. Recommendations………………………………………………………………..

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6.3. Limitations of the Research………………………………………………………

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References …………………………………………………………………………….

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Appendix …………………………………………………………………………….

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Table of Contents – Figures Figure. 2.1. Traditional Model of Construction……………….……………………….

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Figure 2.2. Causes of Waste in the Construction Industry………………………..……

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Figure 2.3. Conversion of Materials and Information in Construction System……..…

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Figure 2.4. Last Planner System……………………………………………………..… Figure 2.5. Interactions between Lean and BIM…………………………………….… Figure 3.A. Interview Summary Form…...…………………………………………….

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Figure 3.B. Descriptive Statistic Tool……………….…………………………………

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Figure 3.C. Result Of Descriptive Statistic Tool……………………………………….

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Figure 4.1. Summary…………………………………………………………………..

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. Figure 4.2. Summary chart for Q.2………..…………………………………………...

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Figure 4.3. Summary chart for Q.3…………………………………………………….

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Figure 4.4. Summary chart for Q4……………………………………………………..

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. Figure 4.5 Sources of Waste – Large Firms……………………………………………

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Figure 4.6. Sources of Waste – Small & Medium Firms………………………………

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Figure 4.7. – 4.38. Large, Small & Medium Firms Responses……………………….

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Figure 5.1. Response to Q.4……………………………………………………………

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Figure 5.2: Sources of Waste in the Construction Industry – Q.5. …………………….

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Figure 5.3: Awareness of Lean – Q.6. …………………………………………………

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Figure 5.4. Variation in Product – Q.7. ……………………………………………….

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Figure 5.5. Causes for Variation in Product……………………………………………

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Figure 5.6. Causes for Variation in Production………………………………………...

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Figure 5.7. Production Cycles …………………………………………………………

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Figure 5.8. Reasons for variation in production cycles………………………………..

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Figure 5.9. Method of Production……………………………………………………..

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Figure 5.10. Manpower Characteristics ………………………………………………

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Figure 5.11. Standardization versus Ideation ………………………………………….

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Figure 5.12. Scheduling in Construction Firms……………………………………….

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Figure 5.13. Awareness of BIM ………………………………………………………

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Figure 5.14. Method of Conceptualizing Complex Designs…………………………..

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Figure 5.15. Methods to Reduce Product Variability …………………………………

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Figure 5.16. Methods to Reduce Product Variability ………………………………….

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Figure 5.17. Challenges in implementation of BIM & Lean …………………………..

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Chapter 1 – Introduction to the Topic 1.1.

Background

One of the problems plaguing the construction industry, the world over, is waste of time, materials and money. The most common causes of waste include overproduction, idling time, transportation, improper processing of data and of raw materials and rework (Strafaci, 2008). The conventional construction model being currently followed also contributes to waste. This model follows a sequential processing method, where subsequent activities, are constrained to start irrespective of whether proper planning has been done or whether the necessary materials and resources are available (Ballard, 2010). Piselli (2010) believed that both management ineptitude and poor management of information / data flows were the main reason for waste in the construction industry. A measure of the extent of the cost of waste can be gauged from the fact that only 40% of all funds allocated to a construction project is spent on value adding activities with the remaining 60% being spend on non – value added activities including rework, correction of defects, inventory stockpiling and even legal suits with dissatisfied customers (Hilton, 2010). The most pernicious effect of waste however is an inferior quality product which results in customer dissatisfaction. This ultimately erodes the brand name of the Construction Company, decreased sales & turnover, lower profitability and reduced market share. It was in order to achieve the dual objectives of elimination of waste and maximise value to the end customers that the concept of Lean Manufacturing was altered for use in the construction industry (Aumba et al., 2010). It must be noted that Lean is a concept consisting of several objectives which act together to achieve minimization of waste and maximization of value. These objectives include elimination of waste of time and of resources, improve quality of systems and processes in the workplace, using low cost but reliable alternatives to existing technologies, perfection of business processes and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The tools used by Lean construction include the pull system of production and inventory ordering, utilization of multifunctional, multiskilled teams, strict quality control processes, benchmarking against standards, A3 report generation and the Last Planner System (LPS) (Hilton, 2010). These concepts and tools have resulted in significant differences between Lean and conventional construction methods. Some of differences include a pull based 8


system which depends on customer orders rather than push based systems. Production is based on customer order only, batch sizes are small and are processed only after due preplanning, product life cycle times are much shorter, costs are more stable with high levels of flexibility being given to planners and workers. Planning, monitoring, course correction and learning are some of the essential characteristics of the Lean construction method. Building Information Modelling or BIM is another tool that is fast being incorporated into construction systems. BIM is a one stop software solution that provides 3D and 4D visualization capabilities of a construction project and is also a data warehouse for all the data / information items pertaining to that construction project. BIM offers significant advantages over the current 2D paper based drawing systems currently being used (Eastman and Tiecholz, 2008). It enables powerful visualization capabilities also known as parametric modelling, which enable designers to plan, take corrective action, and eliminate errors very early on in the construction process (Oskouie et al., 2010). By storing large amounts of data associated with a project, providing easy access to this data to all stakeholders involved in this project and by disseminating this information through electronic medium BIM facilities decision making, avoidance of conflict between project owners and end customers, reduces costs, enables the tracking of components and also provides for analytic and predictive capabilities (Bentley, 2009). It fosters co-ordination and collaboration amongst all the stakeholders in the construction project. By lowering costs, reducing conflict and allowing end customers to participate in the whole design and construction process, it achieves the allimportant goal of customer satisfaction. 1.2.

Research Need

While substantial research has been conducted on lean and on BIM in the construction industry, very little has been studied on possible interactions or synergies between the two. It can be inferred however, that Lean provides the concepts, while BIM is the implementation tool. Lean clarifies and focuses the areas of application of BIM tools (Parrish, 2007). It is this interaction that results in substantial benefits to a construction process. The incorporation of BIM tools in the construction process achieves the two main goals of Lean which are to eliminate waste and maximise value. BIM functionalities, theoretically at least, can aid in the identification of inefficient activities, reducing cycle time, detection and correction of errors, control costs, foster continuous learning and development, enhanced visualization and error detection capabilities, promote workflow stability, reduce inventory, 9


facilitate just in time production and stream line production. All of these activities coalesce to eliminate waste and achieve greater efficiencies in the whole construction process. There are several challenges however, in successfully achieving interactions between lean and BIM. Not all the principles maybe implemented in BIM nor are all functionalities of BIM required to achieve Lean. BIM is proprietary software which can cause problems of confidentiality when unauthorized persons access data stored on the systems (AACE International, 2008). In such a scenario, achieving collaboration and co-ordination amongst multiple stakeholders can be difficult. Interface with external software, intellectual property issues, legal and contractual restrictions are all issues that limit interface of BIM with Lean and are gaps which are still not adequately addressed. Despite this however, it may be postulated that there are significant benefits accruing due to the interaction of lean and BIM for the construction industry. The author believes that incorporation of these technologies and principles is particularly relevant for developing countries like India, which have large construction industries. However in India, the construction industry is dominated by the unorganized sector which still follows conventional methods of construction (Mukherji, 2008). While BIM and lean are concepts well known to Indian architects, they are not used in the country, but are used to develop construction projects for foreign clients. The author wishes to demonstrate how the interaction between these two concepts can result in significant benefits for the construction industry in India. 1.3.

Research Question

The research question is formulated as follows: How does the concept of Lean Production interact with BIM and what are the benefits that accrue from this interaction. 1.4.

Aims and Objectives

The main aims and objectives of this thesis are as follows: 

To understand the principles, tools and concepts of lean in the construction industry



To understand how BIM is implemented in the construction industry

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

To demonstrate how lean and BIM interact with each other in the Indian construction industry



To study the benefits that can accrue to the Indian construction industry due to the interaction of BIM with lean

1.5.

Methodology Outline

This method is quantitative and will use both deductive and inductive methods. The deductive method will use Secondary data to formulate hypotheses regarding the possible interactions between BIM and lean. These hypotheses will then be validated using the inductive method. The main data collection tool used in the inductive method will be a questionnaire administered to the construction managers of ten construction companies in India. Five of these companies are amongst the largest construction firms in the country while the other five are smaller construction firms. The main aim of the questionnaire will be to find out to what extent, the concepts of BIM and Lean are being used in the Indian construction industry and what are the possible benefits that are accruing due to this interaction. Whether this interaction is resulting in significant benefits in terms of minimizing waste and maximising value to end customers will also be examined. The data collected through the questionnaire will be analyzed using the Descriptive statistics tool of excel. The findings of the empirical analysis will be compared with the theoretical study conducted to check for validation of hypotheses. If the hypotheses are validated they can be accepted, else they will be rejected. 1.6. Research Structure This thesis will follow the structure given below: Chapter 1 – Introduction This chapter provides a brief background to the research, the research question, the aims and objectives of the dissertation as well as a brief on the methodology of the research. Chapter 2 – Literature Review This chapter reviews existing literature on lean and BIM and identifies the main concepts and methods used in the construction industry. It also presents possible areas of interaction, and sources of conflict between the two. 11


Chapter 3 – Methodology This chapter outlines the quantitative techniques used in this research. The hypotheses derived from deductive study are presented. The inductive techniques that will be used to validate these hypotheses will be explained. Chapter 4 – Findings This chapter will present the results of the findings of the inductive study Chapter 5 – Discussion and Analysis This chapter will analyse the findings of the inductive study with regards to the literature review. Whether the hypotheses have been validated or not will be identified. Chapter 6 – Conclusion and Future Scope This chapter will summarize the entire thesis and identify future scope of study.

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Chapter 2 – Review of Focal Literature Review This chapter is a review of literature on the concepts of lean construction, building information modelling. The main aim of the literature review will be to identify the best practices to be followed in integrating the two processes and to see what possible benefits could accrue to the construction industry. 2.1. Definition of Concepts in Lean Construction Lean construction refers to the adaptation of the concepts and principles of lean manufacturing to the construction industry. It is a philosophy derived from lean manufacturing and adapted from the Japanese concepts of lean manufacturing practiced in the car industry. Since it is a philosophy, there are various interpretations of the concept of “lean”. According to Grover and Somaya (2011), lean refers to those processes which result in maximum value through minimum consumption of resources. Piselli (2009), believes that the concept of lean refers to that philosophy that considers consumption of resources only to produce value to the end consumer. Any other utilization of resources is considered to be a waste and has to be eliminated from the system. Bhatla (2010), further explained this by saying that lean processes reduce time in fulfilment of customer orders by eliminating all sources of waste in the system. From these definitions it can be inferred that lean processes have dual aims of maximization of value and minimization of waste in a system. However in the construction industry, the concept of lean extends beyond these aims alone and applies to the entire construction process. This difference is captured by the definition given by Schonberger (2009), who defined lean construction goals as reduction of waste in human efforts, inventory and time to market and to become more response to customer needs and producing products of very high quality in the most efficient and economical manner possible. Thus apart from maximising value and minimising waste, the other aims of the lean construction are to improve efficiency of processes, quality of product and customer response, find reliable, low cost alternatives to technology and foster a culture of continuous improvement. The lean concept is thus focused on identification of and eliminating non-value adding / waste components in the construction process whilst improving those that do contribute value. Within the ambit of the ‘lean’ concept, ‘value’ is always interpreted in ‘end customer’ terms (Kenley et al., 2010). The concept of end customer is most important to lean 13


philosophy. End customer value is the measure of construction firm’s efforts in reducing waste and creating value for its customers. The end customer can be considered to be the purchaser of a building and the customer perception of value can be considered to be receiving the building when they want it, in conformance to the desired quality standard and at the agreed price. 2.2. Waste in the Construction Industry When a customer perceives value as defined above, it results into customer satisfaction. Achievement of customer satisfaction in the construction industry is as important as customer satisfaction in other industries such as retail and hospitality. This is because satisfied customers leads to increased turnover and sales, higher profitability and larger market share for the builder.

Fig. 2.1. Traditional Model of Construction (Gerber and Kunz, 2010) It is from this point of view that lean construction assumes critical importance. This is especially so, given the numerous sources of waste taking place in the construction industry today. Waste may be defined as the “unproductive consumption of resources which reduces value to the customer” (Choo, 2009). According to Choo (2009), sources of waste include: Overproduction - Constructions projects undertaken without orders or anticipating customer demand can result in congestion, excess supply / excess inventory which can drive selling prices down resulting in huge losses for the project owners. Resting / Idle time – This refers to the time workers have to wait between construction tasks. This can result in unnecessary overtime costs. Optimal management of labour in a way that will maximise return on investment is currently a major challenge in the construction industry.

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Transport time – this refers to the time it takes to transport men and materials to the construction sites. Moving products or persons not required at a particular point in time results in waste of time as well as increased costs, delayed activity and unnecessary movement of labour. Improper Processing – utilization of improper tools and techniques results in poor quality of finished product, out of sequence work, multiple stops and starts in work and a lack of ability of planning in advance. Frequent interruptions in supply of materials and tools can result. It can also result in supply of high quality products in cases where such quality is not required. Defects – poor quality of work results in excessive defects all of which results in increased repair, rework, scrap and replacement costs. Conventional Construction Model - According to Ballard (2010), most of the traditional model of construction still being widely followed today is also the cause of most of the waste in the construction industry. Some of the characteristics of the conventional approach to construction include (i) the fallacious assumption that all activities in a construction project add value to the product, (ii) no distinguishing between process and flow activities, (iii) estimation of costs based on work breakdown structures (iv) no appropriate consideration of resource flows, (v) all activities are assumed to function independent of each other and a reduction in the cost of a particular activity is assumed to reduce cost of entire project, (vi) no taking into account the effects of poor quality of product or considering market uncertainties and fluctuations, (vii) linear work flow structure. This model breaks up a construction project into a series of supposed value adding activities with the entire process taking the form of a conversion process. When one activity is over, the next one is constrained to start irrespective of whether men, money or materials are present (Alarcon, 2009). The entire system is thus pressurized into finishing its activities fast with possible compromise on quality. The non – incorporation of uncertainties or fluctuations into the schedule of activities, no proper planning, no taking into account the differences that exist between one construction project and another, non-accountability of contractors and workers ultimately result in waste of time, money and resources and poor quality of work.

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Piselli (2010), attempted to classify wastes in the construction industry as management, resource and information related. In the case of waste resulting from managerial ineptitude, excessive control or lack thereof, lack of planning, bureaucracy and poor comprehension of requirement were the main causes. In the case of resource based wastes, excessive or short ordering of materials, their poor quality, their lack of availability, their misuse and poor distribution were the main reasons. Unnecessary, inaccurate, unclear or delayed information along the communication lines of the project were also cited as other reasons. These and other causes of waste are depicted in Figure 2.2.

Figure 2.2. Causes of Waste in the Construction Industry (Piselli, 2010) Such large amounts of waste will result in unsustainable operations given the dramatic increase in the size and scope of construction projects and an inability to compete in the domestic and international arena. It also results in low productivity, low safety and poor working conditions. All this translates into poor quality of the end product. According to Forgues and Koskela (2009), 30% of all construction work consists of reworking completed work. 57% of all funds allocated for a building project is non-value added activities (Deming, 2009). According to research conducted by Hilton (2010), an estimated 50% of all site time is unproductive with 10% of materials getting wasted. It is a common assumption that incorporation of computer technologies and automated processes into construction projects will improve the quality of construction projects (Aumba et al., 2010). It is because of this assumption that there has been very little study of lean construction principles or their application to construction projects.

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2.3. Principles of Lean Construction According to Hilton (2010), the very essence of the principles of lean construction makes it eminently suitable as to redress waste in the construction industry and maximise value to the customer. Some of the important principles are given below: Reduction of Variability & Fluctuation – According to Bhatla (2010), the less the variability in most important product characteristics, the less waste in the construction process. Reduction in variability is related to inventory reduction as well. Reduction in Cycle time – lesser variability will result in fewer fluctuations in cycle times. Cycle times not only pertains to the entire start to finish process but also to individual processes as well. This includes flow of materials, design and fabrication of particular parts etc. Reduction in Batch sizes – any construction activity is broken up into batches with each batch containing a multitude of tasks. By reducing the number of batches and scheduling activities in terms of single piece flows, there will be less waste of time, materials and men in the system. More Flexibility – The system must be flexible enough to accommodate any changes required in terms of capacity and routings. It should incorporate teams with multiple skills to take care of any exigencies should arise. Selection of proper production control – In a pull system, the demands or orders from customers triggers activity upstream. In a push system, it is the upstream which kick starts off construction activity. Lean systems should almost exclusively function on the former system. However in reality all construction systems are a mixture of push and pull systems. Proper planning is essential to ensure the appropriate system is used for each state of construction. Standardization of work – Lean construction systems should standardize their products and processes as far as possible. This reduces variability, fluctuations and gives room for more improvements to be incorporated. Instituting a process of continuous improvement – through continuously incorporating the latest developments and improvements into the building systems, there will be a reduction in variability as well as an incremental improvement in technology. A process of continuous 17


learning can be implemented only through pre-planned, institutionalized and systematic activities undertaken by the organization. Incorporation of Visual Management systems – a process of visualization of production systems is essential to identify hidden problems and to help in identifying whether the construction is along correct lines or if there are any deviations. This is also known as the “go see for yourself principle”, which stresses on the significance of personal observation and site visits instead of computer generated reports alone. The construction systems must be designed for flow and conversion – construction systems must include a model where there is flow of information and materials from one activity to another. This process is depicted in Figure 2.3.

Figure 2.3. Conversion of Materials & Information in Construction System, (Hilton, 2010)

This system allows for parallel processing where each activity is conducted only after proper planning and ascertaining if all the materials required for a task are present. This eliminates waste in terms of poor quality of work (output) which will require substantial rework.

Ensuring complete requirements of the end user – by understanding all the requirements of the user, products can be designed and then constructed according to this need. This eliminates client dissatisfaction with the end product.

Translate requirements into products – the construction firm must have the capacity to translate client requirements into products which also satisfy them.

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Selection of Concept - the design stage must include formulating an overall concept for the construction. This will ensure that all the details of the construction will conform to this overall concept.

Verification and Validation – The products and designs produced by the construction company must be verified and validated against pre-set standard and specifications.

Consider all options – by widening the circle of decision makers, and by extending the number of options as much as possible, the possibility that the best solution to a particular problem will be found is increased.

Development of a large circle of partners – This refers to the development of a large circle of cross functional teams with multiple skills, partners and suppliers and promoting teamwork amongst them all so that they all function as part of the same company. In order to streamline these principles

categorized all of them into the 4P’s of Lean

Construction including Philosophy, Process, People and Problem Solving. Believes that there is a sequence to be followed in applying the concept of Lean to construction projects. This includes: Precise understanding of customer requirements. Here every effort should be made to understand customer requirement so that they get what is required and there is no wrong product being constructed. This fosters customer pull of product into the system. Visualization, organization and redefinition of the plan layout. This is a most important step because it allows planners to get an overview of all the activities in the pipeline which can then be reorganized Identification of Waste in the System. This is a three step process including product definition, management of information and physical transformation of product. Introduce innovations in concepts, technology, implementation and processing. Perfection in the final processing of the product 2.4. Tools used in Lean Construction The tools used in Lean Construction processes include the following: 19


The Pull Approach – In conventional construction methods, inventories are ordered and stockpiled depending on overall schedule. However using the Pull Approach, inventories are kept to the barest minimum and ordered Just in Time depending on demand or usage (Li and Chan, 2009). This eliminates waste due to excessive stocking. Multifunctional Teams - In conventional construction models, specialists are used to make quality products. In lean construction models, the team is composed of multifunctional, multi-skilled workers who can produce a wide variety of required goods (Liker, 2010). This eliminates waste of time as then workers do not have to wait for each other’s completion of the work to start their own work. The Kaizen Method of Quality Improvement – According to O’Brien (2000), the Kaizen method constantly looks for ways to introduce those innovations that will reduce costs and increase efficiency. This requires a process of continuous ideation on the part of the management team. Benchmarking – Benchmarking is an important tool that allows for standardization of products which in turn leads to good quality of construction. A3 Report Generation – This method involves, generation of A3 paper sized reports on any particular problem in the system, improvements / suggestions for the same, implementation status and follow up plan. Last Planner System (LPS) – According to Rivard (2000), this tool summarizes and includes all the aforementioned tools. In addition it reduces any uncertainties that are currently the bane in construction projects. It does away with the rigid adherence to the master schedule, irrespective of obstacles, currently prevalent in conventional construction systems. In the LPS, the focus is shifted from workers to the work flow. The main objectives of LPS are to incorporate a continuous and dynamic process of monitoring, learning and corrective action that will facilitate easy sequencing of work flow.

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The flow chart of the LPS is given in Figure 2.4.

2.4. Last Planner System (Rivard, 2000) LPS systems do not involve preparation of a master schedule well in advance and then rigidly adhering to the same. Instead a realistic plan is prepared in consultation with workers who actually perform the work with each activity being broken down into smaller details. This is known as the look ahead schedule (Sacks and Goldin, 2007). Each series of tasks are clearly defined and sequenced properly. Pre-requisites in terms of requirements for each task are obtained in advance and any possible constraints or possible roadblocks identified in advance and provisioned for (Tolman, 2008). Moreover each work is batched according to the size of the crew available. If any activity does not satisfy the aforementioned criteria, they are postponed till all the conditions are available. This system also pre-empts worker overload and allows for investigations on any failures to keep up with commitments. A common factor considered here is Percent Planned Complete or PPC which has a tolerance level of 20% from the ideal of 100 (Womack and Jones, 2010). According to Tsao and Tommelein (2009), some of the advantages accruing from the LPS are the ability to manage and reduce variability, assigning tasks according to capacity and analysis of prerequisites, continuous monitoring of causes of failure and instituting corrective action, incorporation of push and pull based systems and distribution of decision making authority amongst the project team. 21


2.5. Summary of Lean Construction It is evident that the Lean Construction concept, principles and tools go a long way in elimination of waste in a construction project. The presence or absence of the above features in the system indicates whether or not lean construction principles are being followed in a construction company. 2.6. Building Information Modelling Building Information Modelling (BIM) which has been defined as “a digital representation or visualisation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. In addition BIM serves as a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life-cycle from inception onward” (Eastman and Tiecholz, 2008). From this definition it is evident that BIM is a multipurpose tool facilitating design and development, data management and planning functions. The drivers for BIM are the exigencies of a fast expanding, increasingly complex construction industry, the need for more productivity and co-ordination amongst all stakeholders and reducing variance between customer expectation and final product (Tolman, 2008). 2.7. BIM Functionalities Several functionalities result due to the application of BIM in construction projects. These are discussed below. Conventional building models use 2D or 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawings. These drawings can run into hundreds of separate documents, which make it very difficult to gain an overview of operations resulting in inconsistencies (Stebbins, 2007). Moreover, CAD documents exclude information required for evaluating a design and monitoring construction activities (Oskouie et al., 2010). Bids and contract documents, bill of materials (BOM), time frame specifications, costs, labelling as well as installing and maintaining guides are also not included. According to Knight (2008), the growing complexities of design models threaten to make CAD drawings insufficient and redundant. BIM is a solution to all of these problems with manifold benefits which are discussed below: BIM is a one stop data repository for all information related to a construction project. This includes data on design, maintenance and installation. This data can be accessed easily ‘on demand’ by all the stakeholders in the project. Moreover this data may be visualized and 22


made explicit which enables it to be understood and evaluated easily. As a shared resource, BIM reduces costs and time associated with collation and consolidation of data. Such data may be quickly transmitted through electronic media such as the internet. Thus according to Fox (2008), from a data point of view alone, BIM results in increased speed of transmission, improves accuracy data, reduces costs, automates transmission and analysis tasks and improves process efficiencies. BIM is a great improvement over 2D and 3D drawings since it enables designers to view the building from all angles (Bentley, 2009). This enables identification of any errors at an early stage which can then be corrected avoiding costly rework. One of the functionalities of BIM is incorporation of parametric design elements. Changes, additions or editions in any one parameter results in simultaneous reconfiguration of all other elements involved in the design including sectional and elevation dimensions, raw material requirements, cost of production and construction schedules and timelines (Emery, 2008). This ability to quickly and easily reconfigure data elements allows customized designs to be done quickly and accurately. It results in integrity between information and design models. Parametric data manipulation also saves time during the design and development stages, improves co-ordination and collaboration, and obviates the need for frequent site visits and manual checks. According to Bohms (2008), one of the biggest advantages of BIM is facilitating collaboration between design and construction amongst both internal and external stakeholders. BIM allows internal stakeholders to simultaneously edit elements in the project design which can then be instantaneously viewed by external stakeholders including the end customers. Changes which may be suggested can be quickly incorporated till final sign off on the design happens. Parametric design facilitates change management across all levels of the project (Garba and Hassanian, 2010). Any areas of concern, danger or warning can be immediately highlighted and attended to as well. BIM is a one stop repository for such varied information as supplier data, manufacturer information, costings, dimensional data and component specifications. This data can also be leveraged to create accurate schedules and usage reports, which in turn allow both designers

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and workers to project material requirements and usage much before construction activity begins or even completed. Consolidation of data allows the project managers to provide clients with value added services. These include information on lighting, heat, power usage, furniture and post occupancy requirements (Howard, 2008). BIM facilitates co-ordination amongst all stake holders in a construction project by making evident to all of them the changes made in any particular sections of the design or schedule. The other functionality of BIM is parametric modelling. Parametric modelling allows visualization of form with some resemblance to realities (Manning and Messner, 2008). This allows evaluation of both aesthetic and functional features. Thus even non – technical stakeholders can easily understand these models. It is possible to rapidly generate and evaluate multiple design and construction alternatives. Moreover, drawing and documents can be quickly and automatically generated without the need to create them from scratch. All of this was not possible with CAD reports. Liston and Fischer (2010) believe that data attached to individual components increases accuracy of pricing and bidding. Construction schedules can be optimized in the face of constant changes in availability and delivery of raw materials and design changes. BIM reduces errors which in turn reduce insurance costs, legal fees and professional liabilities. According to Middlebrooks (2008), BIM promotes facility management. Facility personnel use BIM to access data stored in a single repository to prepare schedules, implement daily operations and make predictive and futuristic plans with regard to purchases and construction activities. Project management thus becomes more predictive rather than reactive. They can view the status of any particular tasks as well as its history all from the same dashboard. BIM also promotes rapid prototyping and computer based fabrication of components used in construction (Sabol, 2007). Drawings of component parts including detailed specifications are sent over the internet to fabrication factories where they are then fabricated for immediate usage. Perhaps the greatest benefit is that BIM facilitates customer satisfaction. BIM allows designers, draftsmen and workers to spend less time in design and implementation tasks and 24


more time on developing creative solutions for end customers. By increasing process efficiencies, delivery of the end construction project to the end customer can be expedited. Conflicts that routinely occur between clients and project managers are avoided or can be resolved dynamically and quickly through virtual verification and correction processes (Turk and Fischinger, 2010). Reduction of errors in end product, lesser insurance costs and possible professional liabilities are other benefits. Ultimately all of this translates into customer satisfaction and consequent enhancement of a firm’s reputation. This in turn will result in increased turnover, profitability and market share of the firm. 2.8. Interaction between Lean and BIM Both Lean management and BIM, even as stand-alone systems, offer multiple benefits to the construction industry. These include minimizing waste, maximizing value and significant proves improvements in the construction system. According to Tulke et al., (2008), there are several synergies or positive interactions between Lean principles and BIM functionalities. Because BIM increases efficiency of usage of raw materials, money, men and time, it can be inferred that it promotes lean construction resulting in a construction process that is quicker, more economical and much better than existing ones being followed. While Lean provides the concepts, its implementation is possible due to the application of BIM functionalities. Lean principles in turn give focus and direction to BIM implementation (Sacks and Barak, 2008). While there has been much research on Lean and BIM individually, there has been relatively little literature on the interactions between the two. Some of the research conducted in this regard is studied below. According to Smith and Tardif (2007), removal of waste by eliminating unnecessary or inefficient activities is one of the key principles of Lean. BIM enables this through its pre – assembly and pre – fabrication capabilities. Using BIM tools, more accurate and more detailed fabrications of prototypes and end components are possible than through usage of 2D and 3D drawings only. It also allows prefabrication of building parts in the factory which formerly could only be put together at the building site (Parrish, 2007). According to McNell and Allison (2008), this is much cheaper and much more error free than on site assembly and results in products / component parts of much higher quality. Reduction of cycle time is another essential requisite of Lean. Conventional model’s make the whole process of changing designs to the building or of its components a very time 25


consuming and difficult task. Using conventional 2D drawings it is difficult to make changes to components close to fabrication time. The problem is compounded if these changes affect other design elements or components or need the concurrence of a larger number of designers, fabricators or contractors (McCuen, 2010). BIM achieves this through its capacity for automatic generation and review of three dimensional models and component parts. Errors can be easily detected while changes can be quickly proposed. Moreover according to Kong and Li (2009), through a process of simultaneous interaction between both internal and external stakeholders, by facilitating online communication of product and process information, a sign off on all proposed changes may be quickly obtained which further hastens the whole end to end construction process.

Closely related to reduction of project cycle time is the ability to control costs of construction which is a very important goal of Lean. BIM has robust database capabilities with the ability to both store information and provide it in real time to all the stakeholders. Thus it is a repository of historical data which can be used for such applications as renovation or remodelling. Moreover quick access to data reduces the time required for obtaining data and reduces the chances of wrong or ineffective decisions that can be made in the absence of data (Gillian and Kunz, 2007). The ability to control data involved throughout the lifecycle of a project allows for better monitoring and more effective budget planning.

By acting as a repository of historical data, a process of continuous learning and improvement, so critical to implementation of Lean, is created. BIM fosters experimentation based on past experience to further improve product and processes.

One of the most essential requirements of Lean is the early detection of bottlenecks in the system, identification of sources of waste and then eliminating them. BIM enables this through its visualization capabilities. BIM provides an overview of the entire construction process as well as associated information such as material requirements and costs as well as updated status reports (Gann, 2010). It enables more detailed views of any particular part of the construction or its components allowing for any corrections or changes to be made. It enables component parts to be quickly located saving time. Moreover, changes made in any one component or section results in a corresponding shift in all the elements associated with

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that part. Through such dynamic elements, BIM plays an important part in identification of sources of waste in the system.

Greater collaboration and co-ordination between processes and systems as well as enhanced visualization systems all of which are critical functionalities of BIM in turn result in implementation of the key Just in Time concept of lean. BIM models have the capacity to predict exactly how much material is required at each stage of the project, the number of tasks still to be completed and the status of all the jobs involved in a task. This fosters a “pull” system where those materials, equipment and manpower required for a particular task are identified by the BIM enabled management information system and are sourced just in time to complete that task (Fox, 2008). This eliminates inventory build-up, unnecessary stockpiling of raw materials and manpower idling, reducing waste in the system.

The Last Planner System (LPS) which focuses on reduction of inventory and of waste in factors of construction is also enabled by the BIM system. A key element of the LPS is the make ready process. This process includes the ability to look ahead and predict progress of work and to identify constraints at every stage. According to Baxter (2010), BIM through its visualization capabilities and management information system provides planners with a bird’s eye view of all the tasks that will have to be performed in the near future, the resources required for them and possible constraints.

BIM promotes workflow stability. The predictive ability of BIM technology enables users to quickly foresee future possible sources of conflict and clashes and pre-empt them. Using BIM technology contractors and fabricators are informed about just what needs to be produced and when (Clason, 2007). This streamlines production of component parts and also makes the entire work flow process more efficient since workers collaborate and depend on one another to keep the process moving ahead as fast as possible.

Through the generation of automatic assembly and bill of material information, BIM achieves standardization of work and of processes which have been identified by Lean as resulting in minimal waste. This reduces variability in of both process and of product. BIM also fosters proper project planning which results in safe processes that do not result in waste. 27


Some of the interactions between Lean and BIM are captured in Figure 2.5.

Figure 2.5. Interactions between Lean and BIM (Borrmann and Rank, 2008)

2.9. Challenges in Implementation of Lean and BIM From the above it can be inferred that while lean management is a conceptual tool providing overall vision and guidelines for streamlining construction activities, BIM is the corresponding implementation tool through which these concepts can be effectively embodied. However, not all of BIM and Lean interaction positively with each other or can be used together at all stages of a construction project. While BIM facilitates implementation of Lean and results in improved products and processes, its improper application can significantly increase the costs and complexities associated with building projects (Dave et al., 2008). In addition there are several potential sources of conflict in using BIM technology. While the BIM is a repository of all information pertaining to a project, deciding who has access to what information can be a challenge (AACE International, 2008). This will require a change in the relationship between project owners on the one hand and contractors, suppliers and even the end customer on the other. Co-ordinating and collaborating on this aspect can be difficult due to contractual restrictions as well as restrictions on access to proprietary data (Dehlin and Olofsson, 2008). External stakeholders can include consultants and designers who may use software tools different from those incorporated in the BIM system of a particular construction project. This 28


results in problems of interface which add to the complexity and errors of the model (Hopp and Spearman, 2009). For example, architects may be comfortable working only with 2D drawings, whereas contractors might require 3D models for planning, estimation and coordination with other vendors and suppliers. According to Khanzode et al., (2010), there can be intellectual property issues related to BIM usage. Legally, all the data pertaining to a construction project including drawings, component specifications and specifications related to materials are the property of the architects. This creates conflict and complications when there is a requirement to use a collaborative BIM model. The distinction or boundaries between who owns data and who can pay for this data or use it becomes blurred (Milberg and Tommelein, 2008). Setting accountability for data accuracies in a BIM model is also difficult. This is a gap which is still not addressed. According to Rischmoller and Alarcon, (2006) the biggest challenge in implementation of both BIM and Lean is changing the mindset of management and staff of construction companies, particularly those operating in developing countries such as the BRIC block. A BIM result in a dramatic shift or change from conventional models of operation and it is precisely because it is so different that makes it difficult to implement (Strafaci, 2008). Both Lean and BIM challenge conventional concepts of construction which have to be accepted by construction companies. Implementation of BIM will require special training not only in software, but also in processes and in modelling. While the technology is there, its proper usage is a challenge. Thus it can be seen that while there are manifold advantages that can theoretically accrue through integrating BIM with Lean, there are several challenges as well. There is a need to ascertain best practices in the interaction of BIM and Lean, understand which of them positively interact and which do not, understand the hurdles that will have to be overcome and the possible benefits and advantages that will accrue due to such an implementation.

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2.10. The Construction Industry in India

The construction industry in India plays an important role in the economy of India. After agriculture, it is the second largest industry in the country and is an important employment generator as well (Succar, 2008). It is a highly diversified industry spread out across infrastructural projects including highways and airports, commercial spaces including offices and malls, residential apartments and houses and well as industrial factories and mills (Netzer and Gupta, 2010). The decades post 1990 ushered in an era of liberalisation in the country which has resulted in the mushrooming of several IT parks, special economic zones, large malls and residential complexes. These requirements gave an enormous boost to the real estate sector. A measure of the demand is the fact that there is still a shortage of residential and office space (Mukherji, 2008). Despite rapid strides in infrastructural developments, there is a still a shortage of adequate infrastructure to take care of the needs of India’s growing population and industry (Mukherji, 2008). It is apparent, that in a developing country like India, the future appears bright for the building and construction industry. Indeed so important is this sector that the government has targeted investing $ 500 bn in infrastructural projects alone during the decade 2010 – 2020 (Koskela, 2010).

Despite these developments however, the construction industry in India is still plagued with many problems. It is a highly fragmented industry with only 0.4% of the total quarter of a million construction firms in the country being categorized as medium to large firms (Grover and Somaya, 2011). The rest of the firms come under the unorganized sector. Unable to handle the growing demand, the contractors routinely lead projects into time and cost overruns. According to Hewage and Ruwanpura (2009), over 60 % of all building / construction projects in India face time overruns running from 1 to 250 months. Poor quality of work is another concern. Another problem is the lack of trust between the project owners, the contractors and the end customers which results in litigation and stalled projects. In addition there is a growing shortage of skilled and semi-skilled labour. According to Bhatla (2010), the number of civil engineers will need to grow three fold in the next four years to take care of the growing demand.

With the vast majority of construction firms falling into the unorganized sector, it can hardly be supposed that concepts such as Lean or BIM are being incorporated into their operations. 30


Indeed, the traditional concepts of design and build are still being followed in the majority in the country (Hewage and Ruwanpura, 2009). Rigid adherence to preset schedules is the norm with little thought to quality of end product. A lack of global participation in the Indian construction industry has resulted due to the ineptitude, bureaucracy and red tapism that is rampant in the country. International firms consider investments in the Indian construction industry to be a non – profitable activity due to shortage of skilled labour, operational issues including ease of procuring lands and licenses, taxation issues, cost of materials and availability, barriers to entry, finance issues, infrastructure issues and import procedures (Koskela, 2010).

What this means is the few firms are exposed to international best practices in the construction industry and are hence reluctant to change their conventional methods of working. Thus while the world over, lean and BIM are becoming a vital part of construction industry, in India, the true potential of these tools are being untapped despite a strong imperative to adopt them. What is surprising is that Indian architects and large construction firms are not ignorant of BIM or lean or their manifold functionalities (Succar, 2008). Neither is there a dearth of persons not skilled in BIM (Sabol, 2007). In fact many international firms outsource their BIM and lean requirements to Indian consultants with huge cost benefits to them (Piselli, 2009). Indian design and development centres are actively involved in infrastructural projects in the UK the UK and other European countries. It is these countries that are apparently reaping the benefits of cost effective design and development activities and the expertise India has developed in the last twenty years. Despite this BIM and lean are relatively unexplored concepts in India itself (Kamara, 2012). According to Grover and Somaya (2011) one of the reasons for this is the availability of a large and cheap unskilled labour force which decreases somewhat the productivity of BIM. Automated solutions like BIM are more expensive than cheap labour. Concepts such as Lean may not appear to be very valuable in such an environment.

However, it still remains that if the Indian construction companies have to achieve profitability and competitiveness it would be in their own best interests to incorporate those ways of functioning that reduce waste and improve productivity.

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Chapter 3 – Research Strategy This chapter will present the quantitative method used in the research. The data collection and data analysis tools will be presented. 3.1. Research Methodology – Qualitative versus Quantitative

All research methodologies can be classified as Qualitative and Quantitative. Qualitative Research is based on theoretical study and is used to identify patterns, themes or recurring features in a mass of data. Quantitative studies are based on precise measurements and experiments and are used to identify statistical relationships between a set of variables. Qualitative studies use a process of exploration to construct and explain hypotheses. Conversely, Quantitative studies use mathematical models and calculations to predict possible outcomes (Zikmund, 2008). According to Werner (2009), qualitative methods are best employed when explaining social phenomena. It is a research that deals with subjective assessment of attitudes, opinions and behaviour. Research in such a situation is a function of researcher’s insights and impressions. As such it can be subject to bias, prejudice of the interpreter. Such an approach to research generates results either in non-quantitative form or in the form which are not subjected to rigorous quantitative analysis.

According to Zikmund (2008), quantitative research is based on numbers and statistics. It is used to test hypotheses, look at cause and effect and make predictions. It is used to identify statistical relationships between variables and yields objective results.

The Quantitative method has been employed in this research since it is based on precise measurements and statistical analysis which yield results that are objective and hence more credible. These results can hence be generalized to all construction companies in India.

3.2. Deductive & Inductive Techniques The Quantitative method used in this research uses both deductive and inductive techniques. Deductive techniques analyse secondary data and arrive at a general concept called a postulate or hypothesis. The movement here is from the particular to the general (Zikmund, 2009). The validity of the hypotheses is then tested using the inductive method. Inductive 32


Methodologies use experiments and empirical techniques to apply hypotheses to individual cases to test for validity (Zikmund, 2009). Here there is a movement from the general to the particular. If the results of the inductive study validate the hypotheses they can be accepted. Else, they are rejected. 3.3. Primary versus Secondary Data Primary and Secondary data are used in this research. Primary data is the outcome of inductive research. It is new, freshly discovered and unique. It is used to “test” postulates and hypothesis. Secondary data is data that already exists. It is not fresh or unique to the particular research at hand but is used to formulate hypothesis which is then to be validated using inductive methodologies. 3.4. Deductive Technique & Determination of Hypotheses The deductive technique uses secondary data to formulate hypotheses. The sources of secondary data used in this dissertation are scientific journals, books, publications as well as the internet pertaining to Lean, BIM and their interactions in the construction industry. This secondary data provided material for the development of the literature review and for the formulation of hypotheses. While selecting the academic study great care was taken to ensure that only latest and relevant material was presented for analysing this case study. Based on this secondary research and the study of the literature review, the following hypotheses were constructed: H1 – The more BIM functionality is used in construction processes, the less the product variability H2 – The more BIM functionality is used in construction processes, the less the production variability H3 – The More BIM functionality is used in construction process, the less the production cycle times. H4 – Aesthetic and Functional features of BIM will help in achieving Lean in the construction industry. H5 – Multi user viewing and usage features of BIM will help in achieving Lean in the construction industry. H6- 3D & 4D visualization capabilities of BIM will help in achieving Lean in the construction industry. 33


H7 – Online communication capabilities of BIM will help in achieving Lean in the construction industry. H8 – Not all features of BIM interact positively with Lean in the construction industry

It may be noted that the above hypotheses are postulates only. They have to be validated by the inductive technique before being accepted. 3.5. The Inductive Approach

The main purpose of the inductive approach is to empirically verify the hypotheses identified in section 3.4.

The main research tools were (i) data collection tools which were a

questionnaire and phone interview and the data collation & analysis tools which is Microsoft excel.

3.5.1. Data Collection Tools

The main purpose of these tools is to collect and gather a data set which can then later be analysed.  Questionnaire

The essential form of inductive research is to “ask questions” and to “measure the response obtained” (Hague, 1994). Thus the primary data collection tool was an online questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 20 close ended questions. Close ended questions yield objective answers that can be used for statistical analysis. Hence in the interest of obtaining objective results and reducing ambiguity close ended questions were been chosen. Participants could answer the questionnaire based on a 4 point Liker Scale. Their preferred choice of answer could be represented by a number 1 to 4which when collated together could be used for statistical analysis. The questionnaire would analyse the extent of usage of Lean and BIM in the Indian construction industry and possible interactions between the two. According to Hague (1994), a Questionnaire has several benefits. It is the fastest, cheapest and most practical method of gathering information. The questionnaire can be answered at

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the convenience of the respondents. Moreover the respondents can answer it without disclosing their identities. This will encourage disclosure of information in a candid manner.  Phone Interview The telephone interview was used primarily to clarify doubts which arose during the analysis of data stage. Getting information through telephone is quick, flexible, allows for making notes and recordings as also obtain more frank feedback from the respondents. Altogether the author needed to make 10 phone interviews. 

Purposive Sampling Technique

Purposive sampling technique was used to identify respondents to whom the questionnaire could be administered. This technique was used to identify those respondents whose answers would be most suited to the research. The author conducted research on the internet to identify construction firms across the large and small scale construction sectors in India. 8 large firms and 10 small scale construction firms were identified. The author contacted the Head HR of each firm over telephone explaining the nature of the research and asking for permission to conduct the research in the firm. Of the 8 large scale firms contacted, 5 agreed to participate in the research and of the 10 small scale firms contacted 5 agreed to participate in the research. A brief about each firm is given below: Large Scale Firms 1) Prestige Constructions Group If the skylines of South Indian cities have been transformed, it is largely due to the constructions of the Prestige Group whose projects encompass residential, commercial, retail infrastructure and hospitality sectors. Since its inception in the 1990’s, the company has already completed 164 projects covering a total square feet area of more than 47 million square feet. Currently Prestige has nearly 35 ongoing projects, which when completed will add another 37 million square feet of real estate space. The company is also planning 32 upcoming projects, totalling 17 million square feet. These include residential enclaves, malls, infrastructure project as well as office spaces (Grover and Somaya, 2011). In 2010 – 11 itself, the company was the recipient of 16 awards received across several categories in the construction sector (Grover and Somaya, 2011). 35


2) Simplex Infrastructures Ltd This firm is one of the oldest construction companies in India with interests across the construction and infrastructure space. First started in 1924, it is present in almost all the Indian states with a presence in the Middle East as well. The company employs 8110 persons and reported a turnover of Rs. 4600 crs in 2011. Since its inception the firm has been profitable with orders from several reputed and large clientele. Its financial robustness and technical competence has earned the firm many awards. It is ranked amongst the first seven of India’s infrastructure companies and amongst the top 5 fastest growing Indian companies. It was awarded the Most Inspirational Company award in 2010 by the World Confederation of Business and won the Most Admired Infrastructure Company award in 2009. It is currently involved in 150 projects all across India and the Middle East. 3) The GMR Group This company is one of the largest and iconic infrastructure firms in India. It has played an important role in the development of infrastructure in India. Its areas of interest include airports, roads and highways and urban infrastructure such as flyovers, construction of public utilities and buildings. Some of the important infrastructure projects it is involved in include the construction of the Rajiv Gandhi International airport in Hyderabad and the modernisation of the Indira Gandhi international airport in Delhi. It is currently involved in the construction of several highways linking Hyderabad city with the rest of the country, the Chennai outer ring road as well as several other highways in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Other projects include construction of special economic zones in Tamil Nadu, construction of Kakinada port and construction of a central business district in Delhi. It can therefore be regarded as a firm which has capacity to undertake some very large construction projects. 4) Jaipraskash Associates Ltd Also known as the Jaypee Group, this firm, is one of the largest construction company in India and is involved in several infrastructural projects. These include construction of several major river valley and hydrothermal plants in the country as well as the construction of the Delhi Yamuna highway in 2012. The company has been awarded the CR1 grade for its capacity to execute projects very well within stipulated timelines without cost overruns. These capabilities have earned the firm the distinction of being the only firm in India which 36


is pre-selected for bidding on projects. In addition it has very strong in house design and consultancy capabilities. It is also involved in the development of integrated townships including residential, commercial, corporate and entertainment facilities. These include Japee Greens and the Wish Town in Noida. 5) Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) First begun in 1978, NCC has today emerged as a leading construction company in India. It is the only construction company from India to have won the “Best Under a Billion in the Asia Pacific Region” award by Forbes. It is ranked as the fastest growing construction company in India by Construction World and the second largest company in terms of turnover in 2011. It is ranked 103 amongst India’s top 1000 companies and figures amongst India’s top 500 companies in a list compiled by Dun and Bradstreet in 2010. A measure of its technical competencies in construction is measured by the firm winning the “outstanding structure of the year” award by the Indian Concrete Association. Small Scale Construction Firms 1) Kiran Construction Company (KCC) This firm, headquartered in Chandigarh specializes in civil, structural and mechanical projects. It is primarily engaged in the construction of septic and water tanks, fuel storage tanks and waste water systems in projects in the Punjab region. 2) Globe Construction Company This firm is located in Bangalore and undertakes construction projects for residences, commercial spaces, factory sheds, hospitals and apartments. It also undertakes small projects like the construction of guest houses, compound walls, swimming pools and underground work. 3) Ernad Constructions Located in Kerala, this firm specializes in undertaking construction projects for the government of Kerala. This includes housing projects for the underprivileged, small roads and other civil engineering projects.

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4) Jairaj Constructions This firm, headquartered in Kerala, specializes in the construction of deluxe residential projects in the state of Kerala. It has also started foraying into the building of commercial spaces. 5) Abad Builders This Tamil Nadu based firm, specializes in the construction of commercial spaces in the Southern States of India. The firm also undertakes construction of private residences and small civil engineering projects. Once these ten firms agreed to participate in the research, the author sent an email to the Head HR of each firm asking them to identify a construction manager who could answer the questionnaire. Once these ten persons were identified, the author sent to each of them an email explaining the purpose of the research and asking them to answer the questionnaire which was also sent online. As the answers came in, the author tabulated them in an interview summary form which was then used in the statistical analysis. 3.6. Data Analysis Tools The data collected from each respondent was analyzed according to the following steps:  Collection of Data in Interview Summary Form The answers against each question from each respondent were entered into an Interview Summary Form in Excel as shown in Figure 3.1.

Figure 3A. Interview Summary Form 38


The advantage of using an Interview Summary form is that it provides a comprehensive tool for data collection. Once collected this data was analysed using the Descriptive Statistics Tool of Excel.  Descriptive Statistics Tool of Excel Univariate analysis or Frequency Count is the simplest form of Descriptive Statistics Analysis. It summarizes individual variables in a given data set. (Wegner, 2008) Given that the questionnaire method of data collection was employed, the univariate method of analysis was used. The Descriptive Statistics Tool occurs in the Data Analysis section of Excel and is used to analyze univariate data and summarize it against various parameters. Hence this tool was utilized to analyze the data collected in the summary form.

Figure 3B. Descriptive Statistics Tool

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The summarized data appears in the form below:

Mode: Most Frequently Occurring Number

Frequency %

Figure 3C. Result of Descriptive Statistics Tool

While there are various parameters such as mean, median etc., for our purpose we will consider the Frequency % and median only. Frequency % is derived from the Sum Row and is simply the summation percentages of the number of affirmative responses against each parameter. Median gives the mid-point value of a host of variable numbers. It is used as an indicator of an approximate trend. 3.7. Risk Mitigation The main risks identified during conducting the research and the mitigation mechanisms put in place are given below: 3.7.1. Questionnaire – The main difficulties of using a questionnaire are: 

Not all the respondents are expected to reply in time. This needs constant follow up till answers are received.



Not all respondents are expected to reply completely. To prevent this, the questions will be as objective and exhaustive as possible.



The answers may not be as objective or descriptive as required. Hence descriptive site documents will also be studied in this research



This method is time consuming as it involves preparing the questionnaire, calling up respondents, getting answers, entering data into the database and then analysing them. 40


3.7.2. Telephone Interviews – The main disadvantages of telephone interviews are the costs, non – intensive answers, shortness of conversations, which prevents in-depth probes. These risks were mitigated by using this method only for clarification of doubts and ambiguities. 3.8. Ethical Issues Whilst doing this dissertation, the author followed the rules and regulations of the University. There was no attempt to manipulate any of the data. The author took care not to allow personal bias or prejudice to affect the objectivity of the research. Only genuine and value data was used for the research. The questionnaire was administered only post receiving permission from the respondents. There was no attempt to get in touch with respondents other than through official routes of email, questionnaire. The author also did not make any attempt to disclose the identities of the respondents.

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Chapter 4 – Findings This chapter will present the findings for each question in the questionnaire

Q.1. Please indicate your position in the firm by ticking the appropriate slot

Figure 4.1. Summary chart for Q. 1

From the frequency row of figure 4.1. It can be seen that the majority (60%) of the respondents are Engineers with 30% of them being at the foreman level.

Q. 2. For how many years have you been working in your current company?

Figure 4.2. Summary chart for Q. 2 From Figure 4.2. It is evident that the majority of the respondents have worked for more than 5 years in the firms considered in this research.

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Q. 3. How many years of experience in the construction industry do you have.

Figure 4.3. Summary chart for Q3 From Figure 4.3, it can be seen that the majority of the respondents have more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry.

From the responses to question 1, 2 and 3 it can be inferred that the respondents of the questionnaire are persons with relevant experience and their opinions and views on the construction industry can be considered to be valid and correct.

Q. 4. What in your opinion are the most important challenges facing the construction Industry in India today?

Figure 4.4. Summary chart for Q4 From Figure 4.4. above it can be seen it is not governmental, socio – economic or even competitive forces that the respondents consider to be the major challenges as compared to

43


reasons related to systems and processes, management and achievement of customer satisfaction. Q. 5. What in your opinion are the most important sources of waste in your organization?

Figure 4.5 Sources of Waste – Large Firms Figure 4.5 corresponds to responses obtained from the five large firms. It can be seen from the frequency row that the major sources of waste in these organizations are related to changing customer demand and increasing complexities of design which in turn necessitates changes in original design. These to a large extent are external to firm control and are not related to internal systems and processes.

Figure 4.6 Sources of Waste – Small & Medium Firms Figure 4.6 corresponds to responses obtained from small & medium firms. It can be seen from the frequency % row that all the reasons mentioned have been identified as sources of waste in these companies.

Q. 6. Have you heard of lean construction?

Figure 4.7. Large Firms Response

Figure 4.8. Small & Medium Firms Response

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From the responses above, it can be seen that all the respondents from the large firms have heard of lean principles while only 80% of the respondents from the smaller firms have heard of lean.

Q. 7. Please indicate below the average percentage difference between the final design that was agreed upon and the final construction.


From Figure 4.9, it can be seen that the majority of the firms reported deviations in the range 10% - 25% of final product with respect to final design.


From figure 4.10, it can be seen that 20% of the respondents reported that there always difference between products design and end product with the majority 80% reporting differences in the range 50% - 75%.

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Q. 8. What according to you are the main causes of variations in product quality?

Figure 4.11. Large Firms Response From Figure 4.11, it can be seen that the respondents from large firms consider frequent changes by the client to be the main cause of deviations from product design. It is not so much lack of skills, or materials or even of the ability to conceptualize, implement and test changes in product to be the main reasons for these deviations.

Figure 4.12. Small & Medium Firms Response From Figure 4.12, it is evident that it is not so much lack of skills, experience of proper materials and tools that are the major challenges as much as the inability to conceptualize complex designs, integrate changes with final product, test for continuous changes and a lack of ability to collaborate and partner with all the stakeholders in the projects.

Q. 9. Once the design of the product has been finalized, please indicate the major challenges you face in ensuring consistency of production processes.

Figure 4.13. Large Firms Response From the responses to question 9, it can be inferred that production processes are consistent with little variation and changes. 46


Figure 4.14. Small & Medium Firms Response From Figure 4.14, it can be seen that financial, material or labour constraints do not influence production processes even in small and medium scale firms as much as other system related, technology related and process related issues.

Q.10. Across the years you have observed the following with regard to design to product Completion cycles.

Figure 4.15. Large Firms Response According to respondents from Large Firms, production cycle times have actually decreased with 20% stating that they have remained stable

Figure 4.16. Small & Medium Firms Response According to respondents from small & medium firms, all have reported an increase in production cycle times. 47


Q. 11. What according to you are the main challenges impacting production completion cycles

Figure 4.17. Large Firms Response From responses to Q.11, it is evident that frequent changes by customers in terms of design requirements are the main challenges impacting production completion cycles in large firms.

Figure 4.18. Small & Medium Firms Response Small & Medium firms report that almost all the options are challenges impeding smooth production cycles.

12) Are products constructed and then sold to customers or are they constructed as per customer demand?


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All the respondents from the large firms reported that their products are made as per customer demand.

Figure 4.20. Small & Medium Firms Response From Figure 4.20, it can be seen that small and medium firms prefer to construct and then sell products irrespective of customer demand.

Q.13. Do you hire specially skilled persons or do you have multi – skilled teams already in place?

Figure 4.21. Large Firms Response Q. 14. From responses to Figure 4.21, it can be seen that large firms all have multi skilled teams in place.

Figure 4.22. Small & Medium Firms Response From Figure 4.22, it can be seen labour is hired on a project to project basis.

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Q. 15. Does your firm believe in following standard patterns or innovating something new at all times.

Figure 4.23. Large Firms Response Large firms follow a blend of standardization and innovation

Figure 4.24. Small & Medium Firms Response Small and medium firms either innovate every time they construct something or they follow standard designs at all times.

Q. 15. The following characterizes the planning process during construction processes


All the large firms reported a just in time approach to their construction processes.

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The majority of small & medium firms either follow a very rigid schedules or the schedules area very flexible and fluid.

Q. 16. Have you heard of Building Information Management (BIM)?

Figure 4.27. Large Firms Response From Figure 4.27, it can be seen that all the large firms have indeed heard of BIM.

Figure 4.28. Small and Medium Firms Response From Figure 4.28, it can be seen that none of the smaller firms have heard of BIM.

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Q. 17. Which of the following methods are used for creating designs / visuals in your organization?

Figure 4.29. Large Firms Response Large firms use a variety of methods to create designs and visuals. These include AutoCAD as well as other BIM related software. None of them use hand drawings.

Figure 4.30. Small & Medium Firms Response From Figure 4.30, it can be seen that BIM tools are never used. Instead, the firms rely on hand crafted drawings and the conventional AutoCAD tool.

Q.18. You believe that the following facilities / tools will reduce variation in product.

Figure 4.31. Large Firms Response From Figure 4.31, it can be seen that large firms believe incorporation of visualization tools, tools that facilitate online communication processes, tools that allow for virtual prototyping and simulation will reduce product variability. 52


Figure 4.32. Small & Medium Firms Response Small and medium firms also share the same sentiments as large firms regarding tools that will aid in lessening product variability. Q. 19. You believe that the following facilities / tools will reduce variation in information flows.

Figure 4.33. Large Firms Response Automated processes that facilitate sharing of information amongst all stakeholders involved in construction projects, online access to such information and systems and processes that integrate all the verticals in a system are reported to reduce variability in information flows.

Figure 4.34 Small and Medium Firms Response 53


From Figure 4.34, it can be seen that respondents even from small and medium firms believe that automated processes that facilitate information sharing and online access to data will reduce variability in information flows.

Q.20. You believes that the following facilities / tools will reduce production completion cycles.

Figure 4.35. Large Firms Response From Figure 4.35 it can be seen that all the options corresponding to BIM functionalities are reported as being able to reduce production completion cycles.

Figure 4.36. Small & Medium Firms Response Despite being unaware of BIM tools and their functionalities, even small and medium firms indicate that they believe greater visualization, automated processes for data feeds, production processes, the ability to do parallel processing of data and co-ordinate amongst all stakeholders in a construction project will go a long way to reduce variation in production cycles.

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Q.21. According to you the following are the main challenges in introducing new concepts and software into the Indian construction industry.

Figure 4.37. Large Firms Response From Figure 4.37, it is evident that in India physical site visits are still considered very important. Other concerns about automating processes include those arising out of confidentiality / usage / administrative and data overload issues.

Figure 4.38. Small & Medium Firms Response All the options have been reported as being the main reasons for not incorporating automated processes and new concepts into their construction processes, by small and medium firms. The above findings will be analysed in Chapter 5 in relation to the literature review and the hypotheses identified in Chapter 3.

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Chapter 5 – Discussion & Analysis This chapter will analyse the findings in relation to the literature review Section 2.2 of the literature review deals with the construction industry in general, while section 2.10 of the literature review focuses on the construction industry in India. An analysis of both these sections reveals that the construction industry is large and growing. It also plays a vital role as an employment generator and as a contributor to the national GDP as in the case of India. However, just like other industries and sectors of the economy, the construction industry is impacted by socio – economic trends sweeping across the world. These include recession, fluctuating demand and the growth of a more demanding and discerning customer. It was also identified that the biggest challenge affecting the sector however, comes not from external conditions as from waste which is an internal condition. This fact is corroborated from responses to question 4 shown in Figure 5.1. 120

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n d d rs io an an ne ct m m w fa de de to tis t t c a e e e s k oj ark er ar pr m on m o d tm m k Pr of sto ic an e, ea cu es of ed rs i m r t W i e g n t p n n o m vi to of tai eti sto ie er te ty pl cu ch nc m ili as A U W en ab Co e In – w n et tb No lic nf Co m no co lE ba o Gl

on ts jec

m Ti

e

s ce ur so re , ey

Figure 5.1. Response to Q.4. From Figure 5.1, it can be seen that none of the respondents have rated government bureaucracy, lack of sources of capital and finance, weak consumer demand, lack of manpower, market uncertainties, a weak global economy or even competition as major challenges. They have however identified that internal conditions including lack of systems & processes, cost overruns, an inability to complete projects on time, conflict with customers due to customer dissatisfaction and waste in the system as main challenges. This focus on internal conditions assume significance, especially when it is a well-known fact that external conditions play a major role in the profitability and market share of the construction industry. 56


Section 2.2 of the literature review dealt with the problem of waste as it affects the construction industry. It was found that time delays, improper planning processes, an inability to deal with excess inventory or control information flows, defects in the final produce necessitating rework, inefficiencies of controlling flow of men, money, materials, poor distribution and poor co-ordination amongst all the stakeholders involved in the construction project all result in waste. It is waste that results in an inability to create value to the end customer resulting in customer dissatisfaction which translates into declining turnover, lower profits and market share for the construction company. Thus, most of the findings from question 1, point to waste as the major challenge facing construction industries in India as well. This fact is corroborated by responses to question 5 captured in Figure 5.2. In this figure, the blue lines correspond to responses from the five large firms, while the yellow lines correspond to responses from small & medium firms. 120 100

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de sign

ma t e r ia l

wor k

Figure 5.2: Sources of Waste in the Construction Industry – Q.5. It may be noted from Figure 5.2, that whilst all the firms recognize waste and the sources of waste in the construction industry as being major problems, the perception of level of challenge presented by waste is much less for larger firms as compared to small & medium firms. These points to the larger firms using systems and processes that reduce or even eliminate waste from their projects. This inference is corroborated by findings to question 6 shown in Figure 5.3. All the large firms reported awareness of the concept of lean, while none of the small & medium firms reported being aware of the concept of lean. 57


120 100 100 80 80 60 40 20 20 0 0 Large Firms - Frequency %

Small Firms - Frequency % Yes

No

Figure 5.3: Awareness of Lean – Q.6. Section 2.3. of the literature review dealt with the concept of lean and the manifold benefits its extension to the construction industry has resulted in. These findings have been corroborated in the responses to questions 7 to 15. One of the biggest benefits of Lean is that it reduces variation in product. This is evident in responses to question 7 shown in Figure 5.4. 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

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Figure 5.4. Variation in Product – Q.7. Whilst the five large firms reported only a 10 % – 25% variation in product, the smaller firms report a variation in product that is an almost invariable occurrence. The reasons for this variation in product can be inferred from responses to Q. 8 shown in Figure 5.5. It is evident that in India, frequent changes in design of product by end customers are an endemic problem. However, larger firms seem more capable of dealing with this problem that the smaller firms.

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Figure 5.5. Causes for Variation in Product An important finding is that neither the smaller nor the larger firms report that they do not have the ability, the skill sets, the experience or the lack of tools and materials to product quality products. On the contrary, control of product variability, seems to be a function of the ability to properly conceptualize and visualize complex geometries, the ability to quickly integrate suggested changes with final design fabrication, test these finished products with standard specifications and most importantly institute processes of collaboration between all the stakeholders involved in the construction project, including the end consumers and the designers. It is evident from Figure 5.5. That the larger firms in India have systems and processes in place, to achieve all of this as compared to smaller firms, which in turn results in less product variation. Another benefit of lean is that it reduces variation in production. The responses to question 9 summarize the causes of production variation in both large and small scale firms. It can be seen that in the former case, none of the other options given have been stated as major reasons. From this it may be inferred that larger firms have systems in place that ensure that there is not much variation in production cycles. The smaller firms on the other hands report the existence of mutually independent verticals, frequent disruptions and changes made by designers and managers, lack of flexibility in the system to accommodate changes, a lack of clarity on requirements as well as a lack of transparency as being the prime causes of production variability.

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Figure 5.6. Causes for Variation in Production Another advantage of Lean is that it facilitates quick completion of production cycles. In response to question 10 as shown in Figure 5.7, it can be seen that in the case of larger firms, the production completion cycles have decreased or at least remained stable even under condition of growing business. In the case of smaller firms however, production completion cycles have increased. 120 100 100 80 80

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Figure 5.7. Production Cycles The major reasons given by the smaller firms for this increase in production cycles have been summarized in Figure 5.8. the inability to plan work properly, too many individual pieces of work, frequent interruptions and changes in design, rework, customer dissatisfaction and lack of collaboration have been cited as the major reasons for variations in production cycles.

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Lack of Planning

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Figure 5.8. Reasons for variation in production cycles An important finding is that none of the larger firms have reported any of these reasons as being responsible for variations in production completion cycles. It is evident from responses to questions 7, 8, 9 and 10 that the major benefits of lean have accrued to larger firms, whilst they have not accrued to smaller firms. This, when compared to the awareness of lean principles as reported by the larger firms indicates that they have in fact instituted the tools and best principles of lean which have enabled them to realize these benefits. This assumption is corroborated from answers to subsequent questions. Figure 5.9 summarizes results to question 12. The large firms follow a pull approach where products are manufactured in accordance with customer demand. 120 100 100 80 80

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Figure 5.9. Method of Production This is opposed to the push approach followed by smaller firms where products are first manufactured and then sold to clients. In section 2.4 of the literature review it was identified that a pull approach pre-empt inventory stockpiling, facilitates Just in Time ordering and 61


usage, eliminates waste and achieves the all-important criteria of customer satisfaction as products are manufactured and made according to consumer demand. From the response to question 13, summarized in Figure 5.10, it can be seen that larger firms use multi-functional teams as opposed to specialized labour teams used by the smaller teams. From section 2.4 of the literature review, this process was identified as being key to achieving parallel processing activities which is turn results in quick completion of tasks. 120 100

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Figure 5.10. Manpower Characteristics From Figure 5.11, which summarizes answers to question 14, it can be seen that larger firms follow a dual process of standardization and ideation as compared to the smaller firms which either follow a policy of standardization or innovation at all times. 120

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Figure 5.11. Standardization versus Ideation From section 2.4 it was identified that ideation is a necessary step for any construction process. However, it should be relegated to those areas where there is customer demand or where there is a requirement only. Unbridled innovation will result in waste as the implementation of any innovative process will consume vast resources and this problem gets exacerbated if the innovations are not in line with consumer demand. The lean principles 62


dictate that benchmarking leading to standardization will reduce waste. Thus for those processes where there is no need for innovation, a policy of standardization may be followed. A judicious blend of standardization and innovation will result in optimal consumption of resources and minimal waste which is what is being done by the larger construction firms. In addition from responses to question 15 and indicated in Figure 5.12, it is evident that larger firms follow a Just in Time approach to ordering and production as opposed to the process followed by the smaller firms. It appears that the latter follow rigid schedules or very flexible, constantly changing schedules all of which lead to waste. Just in Time allows for production schedules to be undertaken ahead of demand which allows for in time consumption of resources as well as minimal waste. 120 100 100 A schedule is prepared in advance, which is then rigidly adhered to

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Figure 5.12. Scheduling in Construction Firms If lean is the concept designed to eliminate waste from the construction industry, Section 2.6 identified BIM as the tool to implement lean. As such, it is a most important tool, whose advantages have been enumerated in Section 2.7 of the literature review. The awareness of this tool however, seems to be most with the larger firms in India as compared to small / medium firms as can be made out in response to question 16. Figure 5.13 summarizes these findings. 120 100

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Figure 5.13. Awareness of BIM 63


The levels of awareness of BIM can be seen in response to question 17 summarized in Figure 5.14. 70 60

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Figure 5.14. Method of Conceptualizing Complex Designs It can be seen that none of the larger firms use manual methods of drawing. They use some form of BIM tool. Conversely, smaller firms extensively still rely on hand drawings and the conventional AutoCAD tool for drawings. Figure 5.15 summarizes responses to question 18. It can be seen a process of visualization, incorporation of 3D and 4D imagery, automated generation of drawings, rapid generation of design alternatives, facilitating a process of collaboration between all the stakeholders in the project, the ability to assess impact of changes in design on product and direct transfer of information for fabrication processes are methods that are seen to reduce variations in product 120 100

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Figure 5.15. Methods to Reduce Product Variability

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Direct t r ansf er of

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Figure 5.16 summarizes response to question 19. Here again it appears the visualization features, multi user viewing, 3D & 4D visualization capabilities, and online capabilities are seen to reduce both variation in information flow and variation in production schedules. Sharing of construction models among all participants of a project team

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Figure 5.16. Methods to Reduce Product Variability The same features are reported to reduce or shorten production completion cycles as well. Thus it appears that those features of BIM that facilitate lean include visualization options, facilitation of online communications, aesthetic and functional features including those that facilitate multi user viewing, usage and collaboration amongst all stakeholders involved in construction projects. From section 2.9 of the literature review it was identified that BIM does not interact with lean seamlessly at all times or along all verticals. It is these very areas that also form the biggest challenges for the incorporation of BIM into construction processes and hence to the implementation of lean as is summarized in Figure 5.17. 120 100 100

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Figure 5.17. Challenges in implementation of BIM & Lean

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c o m p lic a t e d

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Some of the areas of Lean which seem to be negatively impacted by BIM include those pertaining to reduction of inventory, simplification of production systems and the incorporation of reliable systems, processes and technology. Other areas that pre-empt its use are those arising from confidentiality of information. Complexity of software and the additional investments required for incorporation of this software into construction processes and training personnel are additional deterrents. If the BIM software fails, it will lead to additional costs and overheads all of which further pre-empt the incorporation of Lean into construction processes.

From the above analysis it is evident that all the hypotheses identified in section 3.4 stand proved. BIM functionalities do result in reduce product, production and production cycle variability. This in turn achieves the lean objective of reducing waste. Those BIM functionalities that are most beneficial in achieving lean include aesthetic and functional features, multi user viewing and usage features, 3D and 4D visualization capabilities and online communication features. There are also those features that do not interact positively and these include the inability to reduce inventory, achieve simplification of processes and the dependence on reliable, proven technologies in the achievement of lean.

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Chapter 6 – Conclusions & Recommendations

This chapter summarizes the entire thesis and makes recommendations for the construction industry

6.1. Conclusion

Whilst on the one hand, the construction industry is a growing one; it is plagued by problems of waste. It was primarily to tackle this problem of waste that the concept of lean, first developed for the manufacturing sector, was extended to the construction industry as well with some modifications. This research identified the principal causes of waste in the construction industry including overproduction, idling of time, inefficient scheduling of transport and management of data flows, poor quality of finished products necessitating frequent rework and the many disadvantages of the conventional construction system which is fast becoming redundant in light of the exigencies of the current business environment. The principles of lean that have been developed to tackle these problems include reduction of product variability, reduction of production variability, reduction of product completion cycle time and standardization of product and processes. The tools employed by lean to achieve these objectives including following a pull rather than push approach, using multifunctional, multi skilled teams, a continuous process of ideation that happens parallel to standardization processes and benchmarking, just in time planning and a process of monitoring and course corrections. These theoretical findings have been corroborated by the empirical research conducted by the author on ten construction companies in India. The primary sources of waste in the construction industry were identified not as governmental bureaucracy, lack of finance, fluctuating demand or lack of manpower. Rather than main challenges include lack of systems and processes, non-completion of projects, customer conflict and failure to achieve customer satisfaction. The source of all these challenges was found to be waste. Whilst large firms in India seem to be familiar with the concept of lean, the smaller firms do not seem to know of it. Those firms that have incorporated lean into their construction processes suffer from far less variability in production, product and production cycles than those firms which have not incorporated lean into their planning and construction processes. 67


It can be inferred therefore that the principles and tools of lean have to be incorporated into construction processes in order to reduce waste. Thus the first objective of this dissertation which is to study the concept, principles and tools of lean has been achieved. While lean is a concept, it is embodied and implemented through BIM. The manifold benefits of BIM for the construction industry have been enumerated in detail in the literature review. These include the ability to rapidly construct 3D and 4D visual models of even very complex designs and specifications, the ability to store and analyse data pertaining to the whole project, facilitation of sharing of this data quickly amongst all stakeholders involved in the project, quick detection and correction of errors, the incorporation of parametric design elements, the ability to reconfigure data elements, customization and the facilitation of collaboration between all the stakeholders involved in the project. Thus the second objective of this thesis, which is to study the application of BIM to the construction industry, is also fulfilled. From the empirical survey conducted it was found that several features of BIM facilitate achievement of lean. The ability to visualize products in three or four dimensions allows for quick configurations of design of complex products. The integration of the system across all verticals of the business enables any changes to be seen by all concerned and rapid modifications done. Any modification in design instantly reflects across all functions, work flow processes and parameters associated with these changes. Thus these changes can be quickly and efficiently effected. The system facilitates collaboration and partnership amongst all stakeholders reducing incidence of conflict and achieving the customer satisfaction. From the empirical survey conducted, those firms that implemented BIM were found to have significantly reduced variations in product, production cycles and in the production process itself. Thus the third objective of this dissertation which is to study those areas which lean interact with BIM is also achieved. Aesthetic, functional, visualization, online communication, multi user viewing and usage are those that interact positively with lean principles and succeed in achieving the objectives of lean. All the hypotheses identified in chapter three are also thereby validated. It was also found that not all BIM functionalities are needed or interact positively with Lean. BIM may not be successful in reducing inventories, reducing complexities of construction 68


processes. The success of achievement of lean is dependent on the reliability of BIM software. From these negative interactions also stem the principle challenges of implementing both lean and BIM. The cost of installing BIM, training personnel in its usage and implementing it is substantial. It is complex software that has to be learnt. Any misuse or system failure can have catastrophic results on construction projects. Since some information can be confidential, conflict can arise as to user rights and what information can in fact be disseminated or not. Thus the fourth objective of this dissertation which is to identify areas where lean cannot interact with BIM is also fulfilled. Despite this however, that there are substantial benefits for the entire construction industry in adopting both lean and BIM cannot be doubted. 6.2. Recommendations The following are the recommendations made to the Indian construction industry based on the above findings. The first recommendation is to engage consultants familiar with best practices on lean as they are followed in Western countries and incorporate their suggestions into their firms The three main aspects of lean that need to be incorporated are those pertaining to reduction of variability of production, production cycle and product It is recommended to invest in BIM according to the needs and requirements of the organization. This investment will yield rich dividends as was seen in the research above The areas where BIM can enable Lean are visualization, online communication, online collaboration amongst all stakeholders involved and design capabilities. The BIM tools incorporated into the system must include these features whether or not other features are incorporated. Every attempt must be made to use reliable software only. At every point in time, whether or not the software adds to the complexity or reduces the complexity of a particular process must be ascertained and then invested in. The data stored on BIM and the usage of this data must not become a bone of contention amongst users. Rather it must be used to promote collaboration amongst all stakeholders by clearly spelt out guidelines and policies on usage of the system and of data. 69


6.3. Limitations of the Research The main limitation is the limited number of companies studied in India. Thus to that extent, the results of this research can be subjective. This research confines itself to findings in India. However, other developing countries in the world, including China, Brazil, Russia and the countries of South East Asia and Africa all have their own peculiar methods of operating in the construction industry. Thus the application of the results of this research to all construction companies seems to be presumptuous. There can be more possible interactions between Lean and BIM. This needs to be explored further given the newness of BIM technology and of the application of lean concepts to the construction industry.

70


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Appendix – The Questionnaire

I, Vimal Chaturvedi, an MSc student, at the University of Salford hereby invite you to participate in a research project called “Integration of Lean & BIM in the Construction Industry” The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of how the BIM concepts interact with Lean and the potential benefits that can accrue from these interactions. . Your participation in this project is voluntary. You may refuse to participate or withdraw from the project at any time with no negative consequences. There will be no monetary gain from participating in this survey group. Confidentiality and anonymity of records identifying you as a participant will be maintained. If you agree to the above and want to proceed to the questionnaire, please proceed with the questionnaire.

77


Part A – Demographics 1. Please indicate in the slot provided below the name of the firm you work for.

2. Please indicate your position in the firm by ticking the appropriate slot

Position

Tick

Engineer Foreman Administration Designer Contractor Supervisor

3. For how many years have you been working in your current company? Please tick the appropriate slot. Position

Tick

< 1 years 1 – 3 years 3 – 5 years More than 5 years

4. How many years of experience in the construction industry do you have. Please tick the appropriate slot Position

Tick

3 – 5 years 5 – 10 Years 10 – 20 years More than 20 years 78


Part B 5. What in your opinion are the most important challenges facing the construction Industry in India today? Please rate the different options according to the scale below: 4 – Most Important; 3 – Important; 2 – Moderately Important; 1- Unimportant Options

Most Important

Important

Government Bureaucracy Lack of Sources of Finance / Capital Weak Consumer Demand Competition Lack of Manpower Lack of systems and processes Cost Overruns Weak Global Economy Non – Completion of Projects on Time Waste of time, money, resources Achieving customer satisfaction Uncertainties of market demand Inability to predict market demand Conflict between customers and project owners 79

Moderately Important

Unimportant


6. What in your opinion are the most important sources of waste in your organization? Please rate the different options according to the scale below: 4 – Most Important; 3 – Important; 2 – Moderately Important; 1- Unimportant Options

Most Important

Important

Rework / Uncompleted work / Unsatisfactory work Idling of Manpower and Equipment Unnecessary movements of labour and material Defects and poor quality of finished product Poor Planning Excessive Management Control Bureaucracy Frequent shortages of material Defective / unclear information Theft / Pilferage Frequent Interruptions in work processes Changing customer requirements Frequent changes in original design Complexities in design

80


Unimportant


7. Have you heard of lean construction? Please tick the appropriate box. Yes

No

8. Please indicate below the average percentage difference between the final design that was agreed upon and the final construction. Please tick the appropriate option. Options

Tick

0% 1 – 10% 10 – 25% 25 – 50 % 50 – 75 % Greater than 75% There is always a difference between product design and end product

9. What according to you are the main causes of variations in product quality? Please rate the different options according to the scale below: 4 – Most Important; 3 – Important; 2 – Moderately Important; 1- Unimportant Most

Options

Important

Important

Frequent changes by client Lack of skill sets to deliver quality work Lack

of

necessary

experience Lack

of

proper

tools,

materials to product quality products Inability

to

conceptualize

properly /

visualize 81


Unimportant


complex products Inability to quickly integrate design changes with final product Testing of design against quality

/

performance

criteria Lack of collaboration with client and other stakeholders involved in product design changes

10. Once the design of the product has been finalized, please indicate the major challenges you face in ensuring consistency of production processes. Please rate the different options according to the scale below: 4 – Most Important; 3 – Important; 2 – Moderately Important; 1- Unimportant

Options

Most Important

Each process is an independent vertical Financial constraints Manpower / Labour constraints Material / equipment constraints Frequent disruptions and changes made by management and designers Lack of Flexibility in the system to accommodate changes No transparency or visibility of information Lack of clarity on requirements

82

Important


Unimportant


11. Across the years you have observed the following with regard to design to product Completion cycles. Please tick the appropriate options Options

Tick

Production Completion Cycles times have increased Production Completion Cycles times have decreased Production Completion Cycles times have remained the same

12. What according to you are the main challenges impacting production completion cycles Please rate the different options according to the scale below: 4 – Most Important; 3 – Important; 2 – Moderately Important; 1- Unimportant Most

Options

Important

Important

Lack of Planning Too many individual pieces of work Frequent

interruptions

in

between Frequent changes in design Customer dissatisfied with end

product

leading

to

rework Poor

quality

of

work

leading to rework Inability

to

reduce

inventories quickly Lack

of

amongst

co-ordination

individual work

processes

83


Unimportant


13. Are products constructed and then sold to customers or are they constructed as per customer demand? Please tick on the appropriate slot. Options

Tick

Products are made as per customer demand Products are constructed and then sold

14. Do you hire especially skilled persons or do you have multi – skilled teams already in place? Please tick on the appropriate slot. Options

Tick

We hire skilled persons as and when required Our construction teams contain multi – skilled persons

15. Does your firm believe in following standard patterns or innovating something new at all times. Please tick on the appropriate slot. Options

Tick

The firm always innovates every time The firm follows standard designs at all times The firm follows a policy of standardization wherever required with innovations only where necessary

16. The following characterizes the planning process during construction processes. Please tick on the appropriate slot. Options

Tick

A schedule is prepared in advance, which is then rigidly adhered to Schedules are prepared just ahead of any construction activity Schedules are very flexible and are constantly changed

17. Have you heard of Building Information Management (BIM)? Please tick the appropriate box.

Yes

No 84


18. Which of the following methods are used for creating designs / visuals in your organization? You may tick on the appropriate slots. Tick

Options

AutoCad Hand Drawings on A3 Sized Sheets Bentley RAM, STAAD and ProSteel Eco Domus Innovaya Graphisoft ArchiCAD Any other

19. You believe that the following facilities / tools will reduce variation in product. Please rate the different options according to the scale below: 5 – Most Important; 4 – Important; 3 – Moderately Important; 2- Unimportant; 1 – Don’t Know Options

Most Important

Visualization tools that produces 3D and 4D imagery Quick communication processes between design, production and clients The ability for customers to suggest and make changes in the design Automatic testing of product against specifications and automated generation of alerts Facility for virtual prototyping and simulation Generation of alternatives to a particular design Multi‐disciplinary review of design and of fabrication detailing The ability to assess impact of changes in design on final product quickly

85

Important


Unimportant

Don’t Know


Automated generation of drawings, especially shop drawings for fabrication Direct transfer of fabrication instructions to numerically controlled machinery, such as automated steel or rebar fabrication

20. You believe that the following facilities / tools will reduce variation in information flows. Please rate the different options according to the scale below: 5 – Most Important; 4 – Important; 3 – Moderately Important; 2- Unimportant; 1 – Don’t Know Most

Options

Important

Sharing of construction models among all participants of a project team Simultaneous review of system design

alternatives

by

all

stakeholders involved in the project Integration of different companies’ logistics and other information systems Use and re‐use of design models to set up analysis models Online access to production standards,

product

data

and

company protocols When

up‐to‐date

product

information is available online, the opportunities

for

identifying

conflicts and errors within short cycle‐times, when their impact is limited, are enhanced.

86

Important

Moderatel

Unimportan

y

t

Important

Don’t Know


21. You believe that the following facilities / tools will reduce production completion cycles. Please rate the different options according to the scale below: 5 – Most Important; 4 – Important; 3 – Moderately Important; 2- Unimportant; 1 – Don’t Know

Most

Options

Important

Visualization allowing for consecutive activities required to complete a building to be performed one after the other with little delay between them resulting in shorter cycle time Direct computer controlled machinery fed directly from a model can help shorten cycle times by

eliminating

data

entry

labour-intensive and/or

manual

production, thus shortening cycle times. Removal of data processing steps for ordering or renewing material deliveries, removal of time wasted before ordering, etc., improve cycle times. Online visualization and management of process can help implement production strategies designed to reduce work in process inventories and production batch sizes Quick turnaround, parallel processing

on

workstations,

Model

multiple based

coordination between disciplines all serve to reduce cycle time during construction itself because they result in optimized operational schedules, with fewer conflicts

87

Important

Moderatel

Unimportan

y

t

Important

Don’t Know


Quick turnaround of structural, thermal, acoustic performance analyses; of cost estimation; and of evaluation of conformance to client program, all enable collaborative design, reducing cycle times for building design and detailing.

22. According to you the following are the main challenges in introducing new concepts and software into the Indian construction industry. Please rate the different options according to the scale below: 5 – Most Important; 4 – Important; 3 – Moderately Important; 2- Unimportant; 1 – Don’t Know

Most

Options

Important

Important

Reluctance of engineers / technicians to adopt new technology Complexity of the software arising

out

Unimportan

y

t

Important

The importance placed on physical site visits, physical movements High cost

Difficulties

Moderatel

of

confidentiality / usage issues Information / Data overload Traditional administration systems work in India and not automated ones Availability of cheap labour makes technology redundant We need to simplify production systems, not make them more complicated Reliability of technology used

88

Don’t Know

The integration of Lean with BIM in Indian Construction Industry

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