Statistical Process Control in the

Construction Industry

Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI

m.aichouni@uoh.edu.sa
www.uoh.edu.sa/dept/qicrc/

Monday, November, 21st , 2011

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Quality Definition and Characteristics

Quality is defined by the totality of features

and characteristics that satisfy customers
needs” (ASQ)
Quality Characteristics
Variables
Can be measured or expressed with some
unit, such as height, length (m), mass
Process
(kg), cycle time (s), concrete strength
Variations
(MPA) etc..
Attributes
Can be counted such as number of defects,
errors, accidents etc ..
 Process Variations and Quality

• Quality is inversely proportional to variability

(Variability & Quality are enemies).

• The more variation in product characteristics, in

delivery times, in work practices: the more waste,
higher costs and poor quality, is delivered to our
customers.
(Out of the Crisis, 1982)

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Process Variations Causes
1. Common causes are ever-present in the process;
========= Natural Variations

2. Special causes are intermittent effects that must be

investigated immediately.
========= Assignable Causes Variations

• Management should help people identify and remove

special causes and reduce the occurrence of common
causes in the process.

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Process Improvement

• Process Improvement is basically about

the reduction of variability in processes,
products and services.

• It results in waste reduction, quality

improvement, Customer Satisfaction and
more importantly to Business
Excellence.

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

How to Improve Processes and Quality ?

✓ Study and Understand Process Variation.

✓ Use Appropriate Quality Tools (The 7 Basic

tools (Statistical Process Control), the 7 New
Tools for Management and Planning etc..

✓ Set Process improvement teams

✓ Use Employee suggestions

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Seven Basic Quality Tools
Kaoru Ishikawa (1972)

✓ Called the Magnificent Seven

✓ They are simple visual tools

based on the use of data to study
and understand the things we do
(Process) so that we can improve
the quality of products and
services .

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Seven Basic Quality Control Tools
Magnificent Seven
Process
1
2
3

✓ Flow Chart 4
5
Dirt
1 2 3 4

Old

✓ Check Sheet Temp

Fault

✓ Pareto Analysis
✓ Histogram – Process Capability
✓ Cause-and-Effect Diagram x
x xx
x x xx x
x x x

✓ Scatter Diagram xx
x
x

✓ Control Charts (SPC) – Process Stability UCL

LCL

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Control Chart (SPC Chart)

What is it?
Out of Statistical Control Situation
• Quality Management tool, showing
Special Cause Variation
whether a process is working

Variable Y
predictably and smoothly. Upper limit

Average/Spec

What is its use? Common Causes Variation

• To monitor, control and improve Lower limit

process performance overtime by

studying variation and its source.
X (Time)

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 What Does a Control Chart Do ?

✓ Focuses attention on detecting and

monitoring process variation over
Out of Statistical Control Situation
time;
✓ Distinguishes special from common Special Cause Variation

Variable Y
causes of variation, as a guide to Upper limit

local or management action;

✓ Serves as a tool for ongoing control
Average/Spec

of a process; Common Causes Variation

✓ Helps improve a process to perform
Lower limit

consistently and predictably for

higher quality, lower cost, and X (Time)
higher effective capacity;
✓ Provides a common language for
discussing process performance.

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Control Charts Interpretation

• Stable process: one which performs

with a high degree of consistency at
an essentially constant level for an
extended period of time
– “In-control”
• A process that is not stable is
referred to as being in an out-of-
control state.
This is due to the existence of Special causes in the
process, It requires immediate cause-effect analysis to
eliminate the special cause of variation.

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Histograms
What is it?
• A Histogram is a bar graph used to present
frequency data.

LSL USL

frequency
What is its use?
• Histogram provides an easy way to evaluate
the distribution of the process and to have a
precise look at process variations.

• How the process distribution with respect to

Customer Specifications (USL, LSL)
Category
• Is the Process Capable to meet our customer
requirements ?
© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA
 Applications of SPC tools in the
Construction Industry
BinLaden Research Chair on Quality in the
Construction Industry (QICRC)
www.uoh.edu.sa/dept/qicrc/

Other Projects (TQM,

Statistical Process Control (SPC) zero energy
buildings,
in the Construction Industry Constructions
Materials, etc…)

(1) Concrete (2) Concrete (3) Optimization of

Production Production, Asphalt Quality
World Class Montgomery et al. Aichouni, 2011 Characteristics,
Arizona State UoH Projects ;Ready- Divinsky, Haifa Inst of
Research
University, 2010 Mixed Concrete Technology, ASTM, 2003

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Applications in Concrete
Production Processes

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Applications in Concrete Production
Processes

• Concrete is the most widely used material in

construction industries. Therefore, it is necessary to
understand and improve the efficiency of a concrete
production process.

• Producers of concrete can use control charts to

determine if the concrete production process is
out-of-control and subsequently attempt to identify
the root causes for the out-of-control situation.

• By identifying assignable causes of the out-of-

control process, the producer can then improve the
process by reducing product variation, unnecessary
waste, or over-designed concrete
mixtures.
© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA
 Applications in Concrete Production
Processes

Historical Data of Concrete (Arizona

Department of Transportation) were
analyzed using SPC techniques.

For the majority of concrete delivered to

customers, the strength far
exceeded that required for a
particular project.
Over-designed concrete mixtures : The
amount of cement that could be
saved by reducing the total cement
content in the mixture is significant.
Savings can be huge.
Hybrid Control Charts for Active Control and Monitoring of Concrete Strength,
B. Laungrungrong; B. Mobasher; D. Montgomery; and C. Borror, Arizona State University
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING © ASCE / JANUARY 2010 / 77
 Applications in Concrete Production Processes

Project (1)

✓ EWMA and CUSUM Control Charts were used to analyze concrete data
✓ This case represents an in-control stable and capable process.
✓ The process is stable under the acceptable level of concrete strength (greater
than the fc`) .
No action is required on the process
Hybrid Control Charts for Active Control and Monitoring of Concrete Strength,
B. Laungrungrong; B. Mobasher; D. Montgomery; and C. Borror, Arizona State University
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING © ASCE / JANUARY 2010 / 77
 Applications in Concrete Production Processes

Project (2)

Out of Control Process (points outside Control Limits) Unstable Process

Poor Process capability : unacceptable level of concrete strength lower than the fc

It is important to investigate the process and reduce variation with the goal being
to bring the process back into statistical control and make it capable.
Hybrid Control Charts for Active Control and Monitoring of Concrete Strength,
B. Laungrungrong; B. Mobasher; D. Montgomery; and C. Borror, Arizona State University
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING © ASCE / JANUARY 2010 / 77
 Applications in Concrete Process
Hail University Projects

Customer : UoH, Engineering College Building

Producer : XXX Ready-Mix Concrete Co (Hail)

Concrete Types : RMC 21 and RMC 35

Quality Characteristic: Concrete Compressive

Strength (MPa) at 28 Days;
Tests Data were taken from Third party
laboratory (Period : March – October 2011)

Data Analysis using Minitab Quality Software

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Applications in Concrete Process
Hail University Projects RMC 35
Fully Satisfied Customer (Delivered
Strength varies : 102 – 181 % of
Required )
BUT Overdesigned Concrete
Producer Perspective:
Frequency Distribution for RMC-35 Process
Normal
70 Mean
StDev
46.24
6.230
Production Process Variability
60
N 524
Required Strength = 35 Mpa
50
Delivered Mean = 46 Mpa
Frequency

40

30
Std Dev = 5.8 MPa
20 Min = 35.77 M
10
Max = 63.20 MPa
0
36 42 48 54 60 66
Delivered Mpa

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Applications in Concrete Process
Hail University Projects RMC 35

1. Out of Control Situation and big variability in the concrete.

2. Management Decision to set up Quality Control Department led to
improved process;
3. However, still some opportunity for Improvement exist.
 Applications in Concrete Process
Hail University Projects RMC 21
Frequency Distribution for RMC-21 Process

20
Normal

Mean 36.27
Fully Satisfied Customer (Delivered
StDev 4.211

15
N 75
Strength varies from 137 to 207 %
of Required )
Frequency

10

5
Production Process Variability
0
30 35 40 45 50 Required Strength = 21 Mpa
Delivered Mpa

Delivered Mean = 36.2 Mpa

Std Dev = 4.2 Mpa
Min = 28.7 Mpa
Max = 43.8 Mpa

Out of Control Process

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Applications in Asphalt Production

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Applications in Asphalt Production
(a) Process with Problem / Without Problem
• Histogram = Product
UC
L (18.75 %) lower than
Production Plant 24 Target
specifications limit (LSL)
LCL
• IR-R charts indicate required by customer.
clearly process out of
control = Lower Process
UC
Quality level of L Capability ?
Asphalt. ?????
LCL
• For Process LSL Target USL
Improvement, reasons
need to be
investigated using Product not
appropriate quality meeting
tools specificatio
ns

7 basic toolbox

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Applications in Asphalt Production
(b) Process with Problem / Without Problem

UCL

• Production Plant
22 LCL

UCL
• IR-R control charts
indicate clearly in LCL
LSL Target USL
control process
• = Quality level
high

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Applications in Asphalt Production
Comparison of # Processes

CP ≥ 1 Process Capability is acceptable ;

CP ≥ 1.3 Process Capability excellent.
Expected level of quality : high
CP < 1 : Big problem with the process and the product quality .
Process Not Capable to meet Customer Specifications

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Conclusions
Statistical Process Control (SPC) help construction industry to
understand the process and to improve its efficiency and
capability to meet customer specifications and requirements.

When historical data are available on projects, better insight

into operational procedures can be obtained through the use
of control charts.

Construction Companies can use SPC to reduce their cycle

times and defect rates as well as their operational and
administrative costs and, simultaneously, increase their
products quality and their returns on investment.

SPC allow construction companies to work leaner

and faster, with greater quality and customer
satisfaction levels, and lower costs and accident
rates.
© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA
 A Final Word
Quality Control begins with education and ends with education ,
Dr Kaoru Ishikawa

BinLaden QICRC team will be happy to provide the training according to the
construction industry needs.
www.uoh.edu.sa/dept/qicrc/

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA

 Thank you

http://www.uoh.edu.sa/dept/qicrc/

Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI
Email : m.aichouni@uoh.edu.sa

© Copyright : Dr Mohamed AICHOUNI, PhD, SQC, KAQA