Revista Ingeniería de Construcción

IX ELAGEC Special Issue- Editorial Note

2024-11-29T19:16:40+00:00

Volume 39(3) Special Edition: IX Ibero-American Congress on Construction Management and Technology (ELAGEC) features articles addressing the main trends impacting the construction industry in Ibero-America. This volume compiles peer-reviewed and expanded articles on Construction 4.0, Lean Construction, Sustainability, and Social Aspects.

The first articles highlight technological advancements such as the integration of AI with BIM and ERP for industrialized construction, a comparative study on 3D concrete printing applied to complex geometries, and the use of BIM and drones to enhance building maintenance in low-digital-maturity contexts. Lean Construction studies focus on improving safety, subcontract management, and collaborative design, demonstrating efficiency gains and risk reduction. Sustainability is examined through public housing models, workforce well-being, and procurement strategies under the Covenant of Mayors initiative. Finally, social aspects explore the gender gap in education and workforce retention in construction, highlighting challenges and opportunities for inclusion.

The Revista Ingeniería de Construcción thanks the authors, reviewers, and all collaborators involved in the preparation of this special edition.

Bim and procurement data integration in industrialized construction using artificial intelligence

2024-10-20T02:12:14+00:00

Industrialized construction (IC) has experienced significant achievements in the development of innovative construction methods in response to the demands of the construction industry. In this context, building information modeling (BIM) integrates and manages data throughout prefabrication phases (design, bid, and procurement) within an IC project. However, manual tasks such as data transfer between BIM models and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems results in delays and errors due to the constant change of versions and large data flow between the involved parties. In this context, this research proposes the implementation of novel methods based on artificial intelligence (AI) to integrate the required information contained in elements in the BIM model with construction materials databases normally managed by ERP systems to procure and purchase materials in IC enterprises. Using a case study approach, this research presents a workflow with the proposed methods whereas the results show that 81.57% of the elements were successfully identified, leading to a 63.47% reduction in the time compared to the manual assignment approach. Despite classifying a considerable percentage of the elements, it was identified that the implemented workflow depends on manual-dependent tasks during the design phase, such as modeling methodologies. This research contributes by providing new methods to improve IC projects and and is expected to contribute to future research related to AI-based.

Comparative Study of Visual Programming Procedures for 3D Concrete Printing of Different Geometric Shapes

2024-10-20T01:47:45+00:00

3D concrete printing offers significant advantages over traditional construction methods, including eliminating formwork and facilitating the production of complex designs. However, challenges remain in optimizing the computational design processes for printing different geometries. This research presents a comparative analysis of visual programming routines used in 3D concrete printing for sixteen different geometries, focusing on the printing times of a robotic arm. The results show that although some geometries are printed faster than others, the differences in printing times are not significant. These findings suggest that architects, engineers, and constructors can confidently pursue increasingly complex shapes without being constrained by geometric complexity, thereby expanding the creative potential of 3D concrete printing.

Proposal for integrating drone images and BIM in educational public buildings to support maintenance management

2024-10-20T03:36:10+00:00

Educational public buildings face challenges in the maintenance management (MM) of their envelopes due to the need for more information about the built asset and the absence of standardized and transparent processes. This study proposes a preliminary method to integrate drone images and BIM to support the MM of educational public buildings with low digital maturity. This investigation adopted a case study approach. The main stages involved a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and a Case Study in a public university, including inspections of ten buildings and a questionnaire administered to the MM team. The SLR revealed a need for studies in contexts with low digital maturity, emphasizing using expensive and complex tools. The case study identified maintenance failures and the need for clear guidelines. Interviews confirmed the need for a preventive culture and a shortage of skilled labor. These insights supported the preliminary proposal for integrating drone images and BIM in educational buildings to support maintenance management. The following steps include implementing and evaluating the process in two case studies to improve transparency and efficiency in MM.

Optimizing security in architecture by design

2024-10-19T23:08:43+00:00

The construction industry remains one of the most dangerous in terms of occupational health and safety, with high rates of accidents and occupational diseases. Despite the efforts made, security is still managed reactively during the execution phase, leaving room for improved risk prevention. This study addresses the need to integrate safety from the earliest phases of architectural design, leveraging approaches such as Lean Construction and Prevention through Design (PtD).

The purpose of this article is to evaluate how the implementation of these approaches can improve safety in architectural projects in Uruguay. To this end, interviews, surveys and observations were carried out in architecture studios, as well as curricular practices with architecture and graduate students. The results reveal that the adoption of Lean Construction and PtD reduces accidents by up to 20%, although there are economic, cultural and training barriers to their widespread implementation.

These findings suggest that early safety integration not only reduces occupational risks, but also optimizes operational efficiency. Going forward, the adoption of technologies such as Building Information Modelling and increased safety training are crucial to consolidate these preventive approaches in the construction industry.

Qualitative analysis of the subcontract bidding process in mining projects

2024-11-01T02:01:03+00:00

Chile is the fifth largest economy in Latin America and one of its main economic activities is mining, a sector in which subcontracting has grown exponentially in the last decade. However, despite its importance, the process of awarding subcontracts lacks a deeper understanding that identifies its inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement. This context motivates the study of the subcontract bidding and awarding process within a contractor company in mining projects. A database with real projects was used, comprising 13 projects with an average of 33 subcontracts executed during 2023, complemented by a qualitative content analysis of interviews with 18 experts. This combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis aims to identify critical areas of the current process and propose potential improvements. Our results reveal inefficiencies in the approval and supplier management stages. Proposed improvements include the implementation of training, streamlining of approvals and greater control over suppliers. These results suggest that optimizing the outsourcing process would not only increase efficiency, but also may improve project quality. Future research might focus on modeling subcontracting processes to test potential improvements.

Development of a collaborative design management system for enhancing building project efficiency

2024-10-20T01:34:03+00:00

The construction industry often faces substantial challenges during the design phase, characterized by poor communication, inadequate documentation, and inefficient information management. These issues create a need for more effective tools to manage the complexity of design processes in building projects. To address this gap, this study proposes the development of a Collaborative Design Management System (CDMS) aimed at improving communication, coordination, and overall performance in multidisciplinary design teams. The CDMS integrates methodologies such as Lean, Agile, and Building Information Modeling (BIM) to optimize workflows, facilitate information exchange, and track performance through established indicators. The research is structured using the Design Science Research Method (DSRM), encompassing problem identification, literature review, system design, and implementation in real-world building projects. Data were collected from industry workshops and case studies, ensuring a practical basis for system development. The expected results include enhanced coordination, more efficient information flow, and improved design quality, contributing to a more collaborative and efficient approach to design management. These findings offer a practical framework for future applications aimed at optimizing collaboration in design projects. Future research should focus on broader implementation, customization for different project scales, and ongoing refinement of system functionalities to meet the evolving demands of the construction industry.

Assessment of the social sustainability of public housing projects in Chile

2024-11-01T00:54:50+00:00

The consideration of qualitative social approaches in public housing projects is not clear in the implementation process. Public agencies lack processes incorporating explicit social criteria for assessing public housing projects. Therefore, the inclusion of social sustainability in early planning and decision-making is limited. This study presents a structural model explaining the fundamental interdependence of social criteria that govern socially sustainable housing projects for vulnerable populations in Chile. For this purpose, a theoretical structural equation model (SEM) was constructed, derived from the application of a survey administered to 188 professionals involved in public housing development. In addition, the model was validated through five public housing projects in the Araucanía Region and compared with other survey methods. A model of ten criteria and 33 indicators was obtained. The results are consistent with other social certification methods (ENVISION and CVS). However, factors such as improvement in family economic capacity, housing committee involvement, and neighborhood functional integration are significant and not included in other approaches

Workforce Sustainability in U.S. Construction

2024-10-29T14:16:36+00:00

The construction industry is currently experiencing high turnover rates and a shortage of skilled labor, which presents significant challenges to workforce sustainability. This study examines the relationship between key workforce sustainability attributes—diversity, health and wellbeing (H&W), equity, community, and connectivity—and their impact on job satisfaction and attrition intentions among Latino/Hispanics, Black or African Americans, and Caucasian workers within the U.S. construction sector. Utilizing data from 95 fieldworkers, correlation analysis indicates that diversity, equity, and community play crucial roles in influencing job satisfaction and retention. These insights provide strategic guidance for promoting a sustainable workforce through inclusive and supportive workplace practices.

Analysis of sustainability in the procurement of public works

2024-10-20T03:04:27+00:00

The fight against climate change is a global challenge that must be addressed at all levels of government, especially by local governments, whose potential to contribute to this process has been widely recognized. With the aim of contributing to the fight against climate change, most of the municipalities in Spain have signed up to the Covenant of Mayors, an initiative of the European Union that has three clear strategies: mitigation, adaptation and the fight against energy poverty. This study aims to identify the main measures that town councils attached to the Covenant of Mayors have committed to carrying out towards this goal and to analyze how environmental sustainability is being promoted through the local public-works procurement. In order to do this, regulations related to public contracting and sustainability have been analyzed, measures contained in the action plans of the municipalities attached to the Covenant of Mayors have been identified and classified according to their action sector. Finally, the award criteria for public-works procurement files were analyzed. The results suggest that the municipalities affiliated to the Covenant of Mayors are working mainly in the area of energy efficiency, while the public-works procurement files emphasize environmental criteria mainly related to the areas of environmental management and energy efficiency, although they receive insignificant weights.

Challenges for the retention of women in the chilean construction industry

2024-10-20T02:36:35+00:00

Globally, female participation in the construction sector has increased in recent decades; however, it remains significantly lower than that of men. Several studies have identified the barriers and challenges that women face throughout their careers in this industry. Nevertheless, in the Chilean context, academic research on this topic is limited. This study aims to address this gap by identifying the obstacles women encounter to stay within the construction industry in Chile. A quantitative analysis was conducted to responses from a survey responded by 111 industry professionals, including men and women. The data were analyzed using survey analysis and independence tests, focusing on five key factors: gender, age, years of experience, number of children, and marital status. The results indicated that gender is the most influential factor, followed by age and family situation, highlighting issues such as difficulty balancing personal and work life, job dissatisfaction, and long working hours. Our findings may contribute to public entities and decision-makers formulating specific gender-oriented policies in construction. For instance, the inclusion of the concept of "woman-hour," analogous to "man-hour," in human resource budgets in construction is suggested, which would facilitate greater equity in workforce planning.

Diagnosis of gender gaps in higher education

2024-10-20T02:20:40+00:00

The low female participation in the construction industry in Chile is an evident reality that reflects persistent gender gaps influenced by stereotypes and prejudices regarding women's skills. This study aims to understand the gaps and challenges faced by female students of civil construction at the Federico Santa María Technical University, thereby addressing the existing knowledge gap. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA methodology, analyzing eight relevant articles, complemented by a qualitative survey applied to 47 female civil construction students and ten semi-structured interviews with key female students. The results reveal concerns about cultural stigma, peer valuation, and harassment; however, there is also personal interest in entering the field and a positive perception of the support received in the environment. The presence of female role models and meeting spaces could encourage both the entry and retention of women in construction. This study provides an evidence-based approach to understanding and addressing these disparities, suggesting that paying attention to these factors could enhance the inclusion of women in the industry. Future research is recommended to delve deeper into the impact of female role models on attracting and retaining women in construction careers and to implement educational and institutional strategies to mitigate these gaps.