Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Open University System

Master of Science in Construction Management

Aquino, Nicole Marie R. Methods of Research and Statistics

2019-13382-MN-0 Prof. Melito Baccay
Assignment No. 1 – Thesis Examples

1. Thesis Sample No. 1

a. Thesis Title
Finding a Solution for the Tradeoff between Time, Cost and Sustainability/LEED
Credits for New Construction

b. Abstract

Project complexity generated tradeoffs in construction, which evolved over

decades. This research focuses on the tradeoff between time-cost and sustainability
represented in the LEED credits (Materials and Resources in particular). The research was
broken down into preliminary and validation studies, wherein the preliminary study used an
exhaustive search to find the optimized solution. In validation case study, the size of
dataset increased exponentially, and it became computationally incompatible to find the
optimized solution. Genetic Algorithm (GA) was hence used to find the optimized solution
based on priority factors entered by the user. Usage of GA was validated using the
preliminary study data and then applied to the validation study data. A tradeoff could be
seen between the priority factors and the optimized solution. It was found that the
optimization model was successful in minimizing the time and cost, concurrently
maximizing the credits for a validation case study conducted for a real-life project.

c. Statement of the Problem

This research directly addresses the problem faced by the owners and design-builders
in solving the tradeoff between the time, cost and sustainability in construction projects. In
addressing the research problem, the following research questions were developed:

a) How to solve the tradeoff between time, cost and MR section of LEED?
b) Which optimization method should be used to solve that tradeoff, and which
algorithm should be used for the chosen method of optimization?
c) How to find an optimal/near optimal solution?

While answering these research questions, this study helps in providing a solution to
one of the most recent tradeoffs in construction projects, represented in the tradeoff
between time, cost, and sustainability. Though many aspects of the intended tradeoffs
have been considered, the tradeoff between time, cost and Material and Resources section
of the LEED has not been undertaken in previous research efforts.

d. Findings
 The preliminary study was used to run a sample data set on the optimization model
created in Python, following the exhaustive search algorithm. It presents the most optimal
solution based on user entered RIFs for time, cost and credits. The model is seen to be
coherent with the attainable minimum cost and time, and maximum credits among all
possible combinations. Another “real project” case study was used as a validation study
after applying the genetic algorithm, while also considering the user input as RIFs to test
the ability of solving for a tradeoff optimal/near-optimal solutions. It can be seen from the
results that the optimal solution depends on three main factors:

a) The initial size of the population (containing a set of chromosomes)

b) The Relative Importance Factors (RIFs) entered by the user
c) Number of runs for the genetic algorithm code

In this optimization model, the user defines the RIFs for time, cost and credits, which
give a different optimal solution based on the user input. For example, cost would be given
the priority to be minimized if the RIF for cost is the highest (meaning budget has the
highest priority for the user). The number of runs for the genetic algorithm code determines
the level of optimality of solution obtained, where a large number of runs mean that the
initial population goes through mutation and crossover many more times, which increases
the probability of finding an optimal solution. Recalling table 10, it is evident that as the
number of runs was increased, the solution became more optimal (lower total DAM in that
case). Similarly, when the model ran varying population sizes, it was found that the bigger
the size of initial population, the better the optimal solution can be. This is due to the more
number of combinations considered in a bigger population, hence increasing the probability
of finding the optimal/near optimal solution. To strengthen the reliability of the optimization
model, it was ran again using a dataset from a fire station project and it was seen to work
in concordance with the priority factors set by the user.
These factors show that in order to reach the most optimal solution or to increase
the level of optimality, it is necessary to compute a wide range of combinations (either
having a large initial population or having more runs in genetic algorithm) which further
justifies the use of the GAs due to its computational efficiency. It should be noted from table
10 that the effect of increase of number of runs is more than increasing population size, as
more number of chromosomes could be introduced in the population. Computational time
increases with increase in population size because the GA would run the whole population
size every time the fitness values need to be calculated (Haupt, 2000). It can be seen from
table 10 that the computational time increases with the number of runs and with the
increased population size. The increase in computational time is greater, when numbers
of runs is increased as compared to the population size, however, having a tradeoff with
the optimality of solution. Hence the user needs to decide the level of optimality required
and its tradeoff with the computational time required. This time would increase
exponentially as the size of dataset increases. It is expected that the solution would be the
most optimal if the GA is left to run for a sufficient time (large number of runs).

e. Conclusion

The optimization model created in this research uses genetic algorithm, which is
one of the most dynamic and user friendly evolutionary coding techniques. The model
works efficiently and run 1000 times with changing RIFs to yield optimal solutions which
can minimize a project’s cost and DAM, while maximizing the earned credits. This
 optimization model is beneficial to different stakeholders in the construction industry. It can
reduce the workload of LEED consultants exponentially, by providing those with material
options to use based on the importance factors provided by the owners. Similarly, Design-
Builders can use it to optimize the owner’s budget while attaining the maximum credits for
the LEED certification and reducing the risk of their schedules.

In many cases, the owners (mostly state and federal facility owners, e.g.
Educational facilities) have to meet certain minimal requirements for building certification
and this model can be a time and cost efficient method of achieving the best possible
material combinations for the cheapest price and highest number of attainable credits. The
optimization model created to fulfill the purpose of this research is very dynamic and works
with any datasets in the required format (DAM, cost, sustainable criteria values for MR1,
MR2 and MR3 in order from left to right) as shown in both, the preliminary and the validation
case studies where it worked in different project sizes. The optimization model developed
in this research has been seen to be highly successful in the preliminary study, which
created a premise for the validation study using HMC data. The success from the validation
study shows that the model not only works at the theoretical level, but also at a practical
level and has the potential of getting embedded in a software package for industry use.
Coding is highly dynamic and user friendly to new data sets and inexperienced users,
respectively. The optimization model takes into account user defined priorities which can
provide them with easy and efficient solution to these kinds of tradeoffs.

f. Recommendations

As part of future study, the whole LEED system or any of the other certification
systems could be chosen for optimization. Also, as the data pool for LEED V4 increases,
the projects certified in accordance with the new version, can be used as the validation
data set. Finally, a resource utilization plan can be used in determining the criticality of
activities which can allow for optimizing the targeted project critical path and not just the
duration of a combination of activities.

2. Thesis Sample No. 2

a. Thesis Title

Adoption of Building Information Modeling in Developing Countries: A Phenomenological

Perspective

b. Abstract

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a cutting edge technology that has

addressed prominent challenges in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC)
industries in most of the developed countries. Construction industries in developing
countries due to identified challenges and unavailability of the clear understanding of best
practices, are dithering whether to adopt this technology. The scope of this study was how
to facilitate BIM adoption developing countries.
 A phenomenological design approach was considered to seek early adopters’ and
BIM professionals’ lived experiences on similar situations and how did they triumph over
the hindrances against BIM adoption and made its implementation successful.

A total of six participants with extensive BIM experience and first hand BIM
application knowledge were interviewed. The result confirms BIM adoption issues
similarities in both developed and developing countries. Recommended best practices for
new BIM users in four categories of education requirement, infrastructure requirement,
sound practices, and working with partners with no previous BIM experience is represented
in chapter five.

The study limitation was the inability to reach out BIM professionals in developing
countries therefore, considering the similarities of BIM adoption issues, five of the
participants selected for this study were from the United States whereas one participant
was selected from developing countries. The study concludes with recommendation for
further study in this field.

c. Statement of the Problem

Due to the contemporary sophistication in construction contracts, building design

and the resulting demand for the construction of quality infrastructure, the constructability
challenges many construction companies face are very sophisticated and cannot be
addressed and solved easily without the help and application of technology. One
technology that has emerged over the last decade and a half is Building Information
Modeling (BIM). This technology has enabled designs to become more sophisticated as
the technologies supporting BIM have evolved.

Currently the modeling industry in developed countries can support not only 3D
models but the construction management areas of scheduling, cost control, estimating,
safety training, and sustainability. The focus of this study is to identify what issues/problems
one may face when adopting BIM in a developing country. Prior knowledge of potential
issues/problems could be the difference between successful adoption and a failure to adopt
BIM in a timely and cost effective manner.

d. Findings

The goal of this study was to provide answers to the sub-questions established to
support the main question of the study “Are there similarities between BIM adoption issues
in developed and developing countries? If so, what lessons can be learned for Construction
Companies in developing countries that want to adopt BIM”. The main question of the study
was narrowed to a total of ten (10) sub-questions to collect sufficient data required to
answer the main research question. In order to address the first part of the main research
question “Are there similarities between BIM adoption issues in developed and developing
countries?” the (10) sub questions were further synthesized into four new sub questions
following the analysis of the ten sub questions. The new four sub-questions are more
generic and encompassed the responses from all (10) sub-questions. The four new sub-
questions then resulted in a comprehensive response to the first part of the main research
question “are there similarities between BIM adoption issues in developed and developing
countries?” (Figure 22)
 In order to provide lessons learned from early adopters’ experiences to the
companies wishing to adopt BIM in developing countries, all the best practices, remedies,
suggestions and approaches that early adopters have either practiced or merited were
extracted from the analyzed responses. The summary responses were condensed into four
naturally occurring categories of lessons learned or best practices (Figure 22). At the end
of this chapter, lessons learned or best practices will be outlined as a result of condensing
the analyzed interview responses into four categories: education requirements, basic
infrastructure requirements, sound practices and working with no previous BIM experience
partners.

Why Did You Choose to Adopt BIM?

While discussing this question with participants, there were no divergent views observed
whereas, based on the individual experiences, somehow unique reasons were given by
informants to explain their experience on that view (Table 5). It is interesting to observe the
uniqueness of reasons, benefits and overall drivers towards BIM adoption from different
perspectives. Also, further scrutiny of the responses reveals a uniqueness of the
phenomena, “BIM fosters environment of collaboration and innovation” and the concept of
“no BIM no business in the future” from participants in developed countries. These
responses not only signify the importance of BIM but also an incentivizing factor to the
companies for BIM adoption. P5 denotes BIM importance in saying “BIM fosters
environment of collaboration whereas adds an incentive factor of elevating knowledge in
different areas of specialties and that from a designer’s perspective it’s the best thing ever”.
Pondering over all these reasons from participants’ experiences, they align with the
previous studies done on BIM benefits and that BIM potentials are vast and pervasive in
regards to its use in AEC industry.

More enticing is the clear difference of notions observed between developed and
developing countries’ BIM professionals. Participants from developed countries seem to
be transitioned towards BIM in order to further augment their construction practices to
address the challenges of collaboration, coordination of different trades and to produce
documents that assist the projects throughout their life cycle. The participant from the
 developing country looked at the BIM adoption purpose from a slightly dissimilar
perspective “BIM saves a lot of money and time” and that the “documents created by BIM
are more useful for the project team”. Noticing this viewpoint, it can be perceived that
companies in developing countries are in the stage where salient construction challenges
are rudimentary traditional construction practices. Therefore, the primary step towards
enhancement are efficient practices that can save time and money and that more
comprehensive construction documents be produced to run construction businesses more
efficiently in developing countries.

e. Conclusions
As observed throughout the course of analysis and summarization, the responses
were re-aggregated to develop the overall lessons learned from the early adopter or risk
takers perspective. An important point to be noted was to see if all the participants agree
on the similarities of issues that early adopters may encounter in BIM application in
developing countries.

Further view of the participants although highlighted that BIM implementation may
encounter intense resistance in developing countries than developed countries where
remedies were highlighted from the BIM expert perspectives for expected scenarios in
developing countries.

As summarized throughout the process, the most important lessons that new BIM
users in developing countries may consider prior to the implementation process were,
sound practices, immediate infrastructure requirements, education requirements, and
working with partners with no previous BIM experience.

Since the study focused on the lived experience of early adopters, the lessons
learned may be generalized to the application of BIM at a company or individual levels in
 developing countries. It is also important to note that legal aspects of BIM and mandating
BIM application in the industry level may require further studies. The results of the study
will fill the gap of starting

BIM implementation in developing countries construction industries as previous

studies have highlighted the unavailability of clear understanding of the best practices that
construction companies would follow as a road map towards successful BIM application
which has resulted in companies dithering or being hesitant to adopt this technology.

Although, it is quite challenging to avoid a personnel bias influencing the analysis

process since, the author had a good understanding of the current BIM application
challenges and status in both developed and developing countries through conducting an
in depth literature review. Every effort was made to bracket self-suppositions when
analyzing the data in hand as the only source of information for explicating and analyzing
the data. To maintain a high level of validity the author sent follow-up inquiries to the
participants asking them to validate the transcriptions for accuracy and completeness of
the data throughout the study process.

f. Recommendations

The potential areas of future research identified by the author are based on the
access to the data from developing countries construction industries. Since some of the
known companies in developed countries are outsourcing their models to the developing
countries for more economical product point of view, it is suggested that further research
should be more focused on accessing a large number of construction companies in
developing countries to further explore the issues and barriers against BIM implementation.
In order to share the experiences of early adopters in developing countries and comparing
those approaches to the result of this study would be of great value that would help
construction firms choose the best suited approaches among the successful set of
recommendations and practices.

3. Thesis Title

a. Thesis Title

Effective Strategies to Reduce the Impacts of Skilled Worker Shortages in the

Construction Industry

b. Abstract

One of the most common problems over recent years in the construction industry
is the supply of skilled workers to the industry. Across the United States, over the years
this has been identified repeatedly. During the great recession, many of the unemployed
workers shifted into the more stable industries. In the recent years, baby boomer
generation (born 1946 to 1965) retirement and a decrease in unemployment rates indicate
a skilled workforce shortage in the United States.
 Skilled workforce shortages have some impacts on the industry. These impacts
could be reduced by training the new low skilled workers coming into the industry.
However, there has been limited research to identify the strategies that can be
implemented during the design and planning stage.

This thesis reports the results of interviews with eight industry professionals and
explored their view on each impact identified during the literature review. The researchers
collected participant responses through convenience sample interview questionnaire to
identify the strategies used and suggested by the participants. Through this qualitative
study, it was expected that a list of suggested and current strategies towards the impacts
would emerge. This data was then used to create a structured survey to find the
effectiveness of the strategies identified through the interviews. The researchers collected
participant responses with structured electronic survey through random sampling of the
Design Build Institute of America.

The results indicated the majority of the participants thought prefabrication could
be the most efficient way to reduce the negative impacts on the construction industry. Both
qualitative and quantitative results emphasized the shift towards prefabrication can be
more efficient than any other strategies identified.

c. Statement of the Problem

The construction industry consists of complex organizations experiencing swift

changes, with diversified offerings, that are widely distributed and require a variety of skilled
units. One of the major challenges in the construction industry includes recruiting and
passing critical knowledge to the next generations (Sowers & Wooddy, 2006). The problem
has been identified and surveyed by various researchers and found to be one of the
important and ever-increasing problems in the construction industry (Burleson, Haas,
Tucker, & Stanley, 1998; Darren & Mark, 2012). There have been multiple reasons for
worker shortages in the industry, including retirement and workers moving out of the
industry.

There are existing initiatives to reduce the impact of skilled worker shortages, but
most of the research has focused on increasing the skill levels of the existing workforce
through training (Albattah, Goodrum, & Taylor, 2015). Research exploring the impact of the
possible changes during the design phase has been limited. Since there has been limited
research in this area, the focus of this research was aimed to explore and report what
strategies are used by designers and contractors to counter the impacts due to the skilled
workforce shortages in the construction industry. This research was oriented towards
studying the strategies used in the design phase or before construction phase to reduce
the impacts using the designers and contractors’ perspective. With the limited research on
the specific topic, researchers aimed to first provide a background of the problem and
explain the need for research.

The purpose of this study was to explore and record the various strategies used
by the designers and contractors to reduce the impact of skilled workforce shortages in the
construction industry. To accomplish this objective, a multi-method research plan was
developed. Phase I utilized qualitative telephone interviews administered among the
industry professionals with experience. The interview was partially structured with some
 questions left open for discussion to gather more data. After gathering the data from the
interviews, Phase II utilized an on-line survey tool to explore the effectiveness of the
strategies identified through the qualitative analysis. This study sought to explore the
effective strategies among the ones identified. By utilizing this data, the industry can be
more focused and reduce the impact of skilled workforce shortages on projects.

Research Questions
a) What are the strategies used by the designer/contractors before construction
phase to reduce the impacts of skilled workforce shortages in the construction
industry?
b) What are the most effective strategies amongst the identified strategies?

d. Findings

The purpose of this study was to explore the effective strategies implemented in the
construction industry in response to the skilled worker shortages experienced. To analyze
the findings from two phases of the study, research questions are revisited here which are:

a) What are the strategies practiced in the industry to reduce the impacts of skilled
workforce shortages?
b) How effective are the strategies identified through the interviews to reduce the
negative impacts of skill shortages on the construction industry?

Data from both eight interview participants (qualitative) and seventeen survey
participants (quantitative) was analyzed to find the confirmations. Data from the survey was
not further analyzed based on demographics due to low response rate. Data from
interviews was analyzed using descriptive statistics only.

The highest number of occurrence during interviews happened for prefabrication as a

strategy for reducing schedule delays. All the interview responses had this theme reported
at least once during the interview. Participant P2 specifically said, “In one of the projects,
when we knew that resources are going to be limited, it [pre-fabrication] helped in sticking
to the schedule”. Others reported that pre-fabrication helped them achieve projects tight
schedules and they had met with their companies to increase the usage. One participant
P8 clearly stated”. The amount of schedule savings was incredible, it costs little more but
it was almost mind-blowing how quick they put together” as a response to question asked
if prefabrication could help reduce the impacts due to skill shortages. Similar to the highest
repetition during the interviews, the highest arithmetic mean was reported in the survey
results for the same strategy to reduce schedule delays.

Similar patterns were seen in the responses during both phases for prefabrication as
a strategy to increase the productivity of construction workers. This is the only other
strategy that achieved arithmetic mean above six on the Likert scale responses during the
survey. Five out of eight participants in the interviews reported this. Pre-fabrication as a
strategy also has received a mode of seven among the survey participants. As many as
seven out of seventeen participants reported this as “very effective” means to decrease
the productivity loss due to skilled workforce shortages. Seven out of seventeen also
accepted that it could be “effective” to increase the productivity of the construction industry.
Only one out of seventeen participants reported it as “ineffective”, while no one remained
neutral. Table 18 explains the importance of each strategy depending on the acceptance
given in both interviews and the survey.

A similar acceptance is observed with the overall distribution of the means and the
number of interview participants that expressed the strategy. Early design completion to
reduce schedule delays is the only exception that was rated low by the survey participants
while four among the eight participants responded that this was one of the strategies they
would use to reduce schedule delays. Even though specific reason could not be pointed
 out, reading the transcripts from the interviews gave an insight into the possible perception
difference. Interview responses focused more towards the idea of finishing the design early
to reduce the schedule delays and deviated from the purpose of the study to analyze the
strategies to reduce the schedule delays caused by skilled workforce shortages.

All participant responses were matched constantly among survey responses, with
the objective of analysis for most effective strategies. Four out of top six strategies reported
prefabrication as a strategy to reduce the impact of skilled workforce shortage.
Prefabrication was the highest accepted a strategy for all the impacts recognized with
arithmetic means of 6.18, 6.06, 5.89, and 5.71 for schedule delays, productivity,
construction defects, rework respectively. Similarly in the qualitative study, prefabrication
had a repetition at the rate of eight, five, three and three for schedule delays, productivity,
construction defects, rework respectively. This indicates that prefabrication has been
accepted my more participants as a better solution than the others strategies examined.

Bringing sub-contractors early was the second most accepted strategy. It was
accepted as the second most effective strategy for decreasing schedule delays and
increasing productivity of construction workers. Participant P4 specifically said, “We rely
heavily on subcontractors to join in the making the specific designs if we are short of skilled
workers”. Hence, in the skilled workforce shortage areas, it emphasizes the importance of
selecting and involving the subcontractors early.

e. Conclusions
The construction industry consists of complex organizations experiencing swift
changes, with diversified offerings, that are widely distributed and require a variety of skilled
units. One of the major challenges in construction industry includes recruiting and passing
critical knowledge to the next generations (Sowers & Wooddy, 2006). With increasing
skilled worker shortages, the industry is recruiting more low skilled workers. There are
existing techniques to train workers and improve their skills. Therefore, the primary
objective of this research was to identify effective strategies at pre-construction stage to
reduce the impacts of skilled worker shortages in the construction industry. Identifying
strategies to reduce the impacts allows contractors and designers to better strategize in
case of markets with skilled worker shortages. These strategies will also allow contractors
to work with owners and make construction decisions that are not motivated by
misinterpretation, bias, or lack of awareness.

Literature was gathered from existing literature to identify the impacted areas due
to skilled worker shortages. Telephone interviews were conducted to discover the potential
strategies from the industry experts. A survey instrument was developed and piloted by an
experienced researcher. The survey instrument was refined and distributed through DBIA
email list. Data from both the methods was analyzed to identify the effective strategies. The
data from telephone interviews were supplemented by the survey.

Majority of the telephone interview participants had experienced the impacts of

skilled worker shortages in construction and attributed to the increase in recent times. Both
the interview and survey professionals complemented each other in most strategies. The
highest rate of acceptance from the interviews was received for the prefabrication strategy
to reduce the impacts due to skilled workforce shortages.
 Schedule delays due to skilled workforce shortages can be effectively controlled
going for prefabrication, involving subcontractors early and early design completion in
respective order. Going for 3D documents can be least effective among the chosen
strategies to improve schedule delays according to the participants in this study.
Productivity loss due to skilled workforce shortages could most effectively improve by going
for prefabrication, early subcontractor involvement and repeating design elements.
Construction defects due to skilled workforce shortages could reduce by going for
prefabrication, setting up mockups and repeating design elements according to the
research performed.

After all the data analyzed, it is safe to assume that schedule delays, productivity
and construction defects have a better chance of improvement through the respective
strategies identified when compared to the rework and the strategies identified. The
general trends observed in the data analysis suggested prefabrication could be the most
effective strategy to reduce the impact of skilled workforce shortages. These findings have
their own limitations due to the small sample size for a quantitative and selective sample
for qualitative.

f. Recommendations

The future studies should be larger and diverse in selecting the survey participants.
It is necessary to recruit more varied demographic participants in future to avoid possible
bias. It is, therefore, necessary for other researchers to continue examining the effective
strategies used in the construction industry with larger population samples. Five years later,
it will be interesting to conduct the same survey and identify the new strategies emerging
with ever-increasing skilled workforce shortages.

References:

o Kumar, S. (2018). Finding a Solution for the Tradeoff between Time, Cost and Sustainability/LEED
Credits for New Construction. Retrieved from: https://mountainscholar.org/

o Sahil, A. (2016). Adoption of Building Information Modeling in Developing Countries: A

Phenomenological Perspective. Retrieved from: https://mountainscholar.org/

o Alturi E. (2018). Effective Strategies to Reduce the Impacts of Skilled Worker Shortages in the
Construction Industry. Retrieved from: https://mountainscholar.org/