Resources of Construction Industry

MEWAR UNIVERSITY TOPIC :- RESOURCES OF CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Labor Productivity

• Productivity in construction is often broadly defined as output per labor hour.

• Since labor constitutes a large part of the construction cost and the quantity of labor hours in performing a task in construction is more susceptible to the influence of management than are materials or capital, this productivity measure is often referred to as labor productivity.

Labor Productivity

• Productivity at the Job Site– Contractors and owners are often concerned with the

labor activity at job sites. For this purpose, it is convenient to express labor productivity as functional units per labor hour for each type of construction task.

Labor Productivity

• Productivity in the Construction Industry– Because of the diversity of the construction industry,

a single index for the entire industry is neither meaningful nor reliable. Productivity indices may be developed for major segments of the construction industry nationwide if reliable statistical data can be obtained for separate industrial segments. For this general type of productivity measure, it is more convenient to express labor productivity as constant dollars per labor hours since dollar values are more easily aggregated from a large amount of data collected from different sources.

Factors Affecting Job-Site Productivity

• Job-site productivity is influenced by many factors which can be characterized either as labor characteristics, project work conditions or as non-productive activities. The labor characteristics include: – age and experience of workforce– leadership and motivation of workforce


• The project work conditions include among other factors:– Job size and complexity.– Job site accessibility.– Labor availability.– Equipment utilization.– Contractual agreements.– Local climate.– Local cultural characteristics, particularly in foreign

operations.


• The non-productive activities associated with a project may or may not be paid by the owner, but they nevertheless take up potential labor resources which can otherwise be directed to the project. The non-productive activities include among other factors:– Indirect labor required to maintain the progress of the

project– Rework for correcting unsatisfactory work– Temporary work stoppage due to inclement weather or

material shortage– Time off for union activities– Absentee time, including late start and early quits– Non-working holidays– Strikes

Materials Management

• Materials management is an important element in project planning and control. Materials represent a major expense in construction, so minimizing procurement or purchase costs presents important opportunities for reducing costs. Poor materials management can also result in large and avoidable costs during construction.

Materials Management

• First, if materials are purchased early, capital may be tied up and interest charges incurred on the excess inventory of materials. Even worse, materials may deteriorate during storage or be stolen unless special care is taken. For example, electrical equipment often must be stored in waterproof locations.

• Second, delays and extra expenses may be incurred if materials required for particular activities are not available. Accordingly, insuring a timely flow of material is an important concern of project managers.

Construction Equipment

• The selection of the appropriate type and size of construction equipment often affects the required amount of time and effort and thus the job-site productivity of a project. It is therefore important for site managers and construction planners to be familiar with the characteristics of the major types of equipment most commonly used in construction.


• Excavation and Loading– One family of construction machines used for

excavation is broadly classified as a crane-shovel. The crane-shovel consists of three major components:

• a carrier or mounting which provides mobility and stability for the machine.

• a revolving deck or turntable which contains the power and control units.

• a front end attachment which serves the special functions in an operation.


• Compaction and Grading– The function of compaction equipment is to produce

higher density in soil mechanically. The basic forces used in compaction are static weight, kneading, impact and vibration. The degree of compaction that may be achieved depends on the properties of soil, its moisture content, the thickness of the soil layer for compaction and the method of compaction.


• Drilling and Blasting– Rock excavation is an audacious task requiring

special equipment and methods. The degree of difficulty depends on physical characteristics of the rock type to be excavated, such as grain size, planes of weakness, weathering, brittleness and hardness. The task of rock excavation includes loosening, loading, hauling and compacting. The loosening operation is specialized for rock excavation and is performed by drilling, blasting or ripping.


• Lifting and Erecting– Derricks are commonly used to lift equipment of

materials in industrial or building construction. A derrick consists of a vertical mast and an inclined boom sprouting from the foot of the mast. The mast is held in position by guys or stifflegs connected to a base while a topping lift links the top of the mast and the top of the inclined boom. A hook in the road line hanging from the top of the inclined boom is used to lift loads. Guy derricks may easily be moved from one floor to the next in a building under construction while stiffleg derricks may be mounted on tracks for movement within a work area.


• Mixing and Paving– Basic types of equipment for paving include

machines for dispensing concrete and bituminous materials for pavement surfaces. Concrete mixers may also be used to mix portland cement, sand, gravel and water in batches for other types of construction other than paving.

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Engineering

Resources of Construction Industry