4-DAYS COURSE ON QLASSIC FOR

BUILDING QUALITY ASSESSMENT

MODULE 2– QUALITY IN CONSTRUCTION

PROJECTS

DR. AIDI HIZAMI BIN ALES @ ALIAS

OUTLINE

● Introduction
● Quality in Conceptual Design
● Quality in Preliminary Design
● Quality in Design Development
● Quality in Construction Documents
● Quality in Construction
● Quality in Testing, Commissioning and Handover
INTRODUCTION
● Construction projects are mainly capital investment projects
○ Customized and nonrepetitive in nature
○ Products used are expensive, complex, immovable and long-lived
● Construction projects are constantly increasing in technological complexity
● The requirements of construction clients are on the increase, and as a result, construction
products must meet varied performance standards
● Quality for construction projects is different from other areas
○ Not only the quality of product and equipment used in the construction, but the total
management approach to complete the facility
○ Depends mainly upon the control of construction, which is the primary responsibility of
the contractor
○ Typically involves ensuring compliance with minimum standards (contained in the
specification document) of material and workmanship in order to ensure the
performance of the facility according to the design
○ Defects or failure in construction facilities can result in very large costs
■ Even with minor defects, reconstruction may be required and facility operation
impaired
● The quality plan for construction projects is part of the overall
project documentation consisting of the following:
○ Well-defined specification for all the materials, products,

components and equipment to be used to construct the

facility
○ Detailed construction drawings

○ Detailed work procedure

○ Details of the quality standards and codes to be compiled

○ Cost of the project

○ Manpower and other resources to be used for the project

○ Project completion schedule

● Participation involvement of all
three parties at different levels of
construction phases is required to
develop quality system and
application of quality tools and
techniques.
● With the application of various
quality principles, tools and
methods by all the participants at
different stages of construction
project, rework can be reduced,
resulting in savings in the project
cost.
● How Construction defects happen:
○ There are only 3 ways construction defects happen

■ Faulty materials

■ Faulty workmanship

■ Faulty design

○ In many cases, the construction defect is a combination of these 3

causes/reasons
○ The contractor and their subcontractors control 2 out of 3

causes/reasons
■ Faulty materials

■ Faulty workmanship
● Construction defects – some of the possible impacts to
companies
○ The company`s reputation

○ The cost of insurance

○ The long tail for claims – the statute of repose

○ Time spent handling construction defects claims is time

away from completing projects

● Some of the typical construction defects
○ Building envelope and structure

■ Door, window and exterior wall deficiencies

■ Roof leaks

■ Damp proofing and waterproofing deficiencies

■ Deck and balcony deficiencies

■ Foundation movement

○ Infrastructure

■ Drainage deficiencies

■ Settlement

■ Retaining wall collapse

■ Compaction and structural deficiencies

■ Electrical and HVAC deficiencies

■ Plumbing and other leaks to internal systems

■ Sound, vibration, odor, vapor transmission and code compliance

deficiencies
QUALITY IN CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
● Conceptual design is the first phase of the project life cycle
● The most significant impacts on the quality in a project occur during the conceptual phase
○ This is the time when specifications, statement of work, contractual agreements and
initial design are developed
○ A small error that is allowed to stay in the plan is magnified through subsequent
documents that are second or third in the hierarchy
● The conceptual phase includes
○ Identification of need by the owner, and establishment of main goals
○ Feasibility study, which is based on owner`s objectives
○ Identification of project team by selecting other members and allocation of
responsibilities
○ Identification of alternatives
○ Development of concept design
○ Time schedule and project cost
○ Manage quality
○ Identify/manage risk
○ Finalize concept design
● Identification of needs
○ Construction projects begin with recognition of the new
facility
○ The owner`s need must be well defined, indicating the
minimum requirement of quality and performance, an
approved main budget and required completion date
○ Conceptual design is initiated once the owner`s need is
recognized
● Feasibility
○ Economic appraisal of owner needs and benefits,
considering the many relevant moral, social.
Environmental and technical constraint
● Identification of alternatives
○ The consultant engineer provides engineering advice to
the owner to enable him to assess its feasibility and the
relative merits of various alternative schemes to meet
his requirement
○ Comparison and evaluation of conceptual alternatives
are carried out by considering the advantages and
disadvantages of each item systematically
● Team member
○ Once the project delivery system is finalized and the designer /consultant is

selected and contracted, a terms of reference (TOR) is issued to the designer to

prepare a design proposal and contract documents
■ TOR is a document that describes the purpose and structure of a project,

that gives the project a clear understanding of the development of the

project
● Development of concept design
○ The selected preferred alternative is the base for development of the concept

design
○ The designer can use techniques such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to

translate the owner`s need into technical specifications

● Estimate time schedule and project cost
○ The expected time schedule is important from both financial and acquisition of

the facility by the owner/end user

○ Th estimation of project cost is required for the owner to arrange the finances
● Quality management
○ In this stage, the designer must plan and establish quality criteria for

the project, including but not limited to:

■ Owner`s requirements

■ Quality standards and codes to be complied

■ Regulatory requirements

■ Conformance to owner`s requirements

■ Conformance to requirements listed under TOR

■ Design review procedure

■ Drawings review procedure

■ Document review procedure

■ Quality management during all the phases of project lifecycle

● Identify/manage risks
○ The designer has to identify the risks that will affect the successful completion

of the project, which include the following

■ Lack of input from owner about the project goals and objective

■ Project objectives not defined clearly

■ Feasibility study not done properly

■ Alternative selection is not suitable for further development

■ The related project data and information collected are incomplete or

inaccurate
■ Environmental consideration

■ Regulatory requirements

■ Errors in estimating project schedule and cost

■ Delays in approval

● Finalize concept design

○ Final designs for submission to the owner are prepared incorporating the

comments found during analysis and review of the drawings and documents
taking into consideration risks
QUALITY IN PRELIMINARY DESIGN
● Preliminary design is mainly a refinement of the elements in the
conceptual design phase, also known as schematic design (with almost
similar steps as in conceptual design)
● During this phase, most project team members such as owner`s
representative, project manager (design) and other design personnel
are selected and identified
○ Project manager

○ Design managers (for each field)

○ Quality manager

○ Team leader (principal engineer for each field)

○ Team members (engineers, CAD technicians for each field)

○ Quantity surveyor (cost engineer)

● In order to minimize design errors, minimize design omissions and reduce
rework during schematic design, the designer has to plan quality (planning of
design work), perform quality assurance and control quality for preparing
schematic design
○ Quality planning

■ Establish owner`s requirements

■ Determine number of drawings to be produced

■ Establish scope of work

■ Identify quality standards and codes to be complied

■ Establish design criteria

■ Identify regulatory requirements Identify requirements listed under

TOR
■ Establish quality organization with responsibility matrix

■ Develop design (drawings and documents) review procedure

■ Establish submittal plan

■ Establish design review procedure

● Quality assurance
○ Collect data

○ Investigate site conditions

○ Prepare preliminary drawings

○ Prepare outline specifications

○ Ensure functional and technical compatibility

○ Coordinate with all disciplines

○ Select material to meet the owner`s objectives

● Quality control
○ Check design drawings

○ Check specifications/contract documents

○ Check for regulatory compliance

○ Check preliminary schedule

○ Check cost of project (preliminary cost)

QUALITY IN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
● Design development follows the
preliminary design phase and takes
into consideration the
configuration and the allocated
baseline derived during the
preliminary phase
● During this phase, all suggested
changes are reevaluated to ensure
that the changes will not detract
from meeting the project design
goals/objectives
● Generally the project team
members selected to develop
schematic design continue during
the detail design phase
● Quality Management
○ Quality planning

■ Review comments on schematic design

■ Determine number of drawings to be produced

■ Establish scope of work for preparation of detail design

■ Identify requirements listed under TOR

■ Identify quality standards and codes to be complied

■ Establish design criteria

■ Identify regulatory requirements

■ Identify environmental requirements

■ Establish quality organizations with responsibility matrix

■ Develop design (drawings and documents) review procedure

■ Establish submittal plan

■ Establish design review procedure

○ Quality assurance
■ Collect data

■ Investigate site conditions

■ Prepare design drawings

■ Prepare detailed specifications

■ Prepare contract documents

■ Prepare BQ

■ Ensure functional and technical compatibility

■ Ensure the design is constructible

■ Ensure operational objectives are met

■ Ensure drawings are fully coordinated with all disciplines

■ Ensure the design is cost-effective

■ Ensure selected/recommended material meets the owner`s objectives

■ Ensure that design fully meets the owner`s objectives/goals

● Quality control
○ Check quality of design drawings

○ Check accuracy and correctness of design

○ Verify BQ

○ Check specifications

○ Check contract documents

○ Check for regulatory compliance

○ Check project schedule

○ Check project cost

○ Check interdisciplinary requirements

○ Check required number of drawings

QUALITY IN CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

● The construction development phase is the fourth phase of

construction project life cycle.
● During this phase, the drawings and specifications prepared during the
design development phase are further developed into working
drawings
● All the drawings, specifications, documents are assembled and
subsequently released for bidding and tendering
● Quality management
○ Quality planning

■ Review comments on design development package

■ Determine the number of drawings to be produced

■ Establish scope of work for preparation of construction documents

■ Identify requirements listed under TOR

■ Identify quality standard and codes to be complied

■ Identify regulatory requirements

■ Identify environmental requirements

■ Establish quality organization with responsibility matrix

■ Develop review procedure for the produced working drawings

■ Develop review procedure for the specifications and contract

documents
■ Establish submittal plan for construction documents
○ Quality assurance
■ Prepare working drawings

■ Prepare detailed specifications

■ Prepare contract documents

■ Prepare BQ and schedule of rates

■ Ensure functional and technical compatibility

■ Ensure the design is constructible

■ Ensure operational objectives are met

■ Ensure drawings are fully coordinated with all disciplines

■ Ensure the design is cost-effective

■ Ensure selected/recommended material meets the owner`s objectives

■ Ensure that design fully meets the owner`s objectives/goals

■ Ensure that construction documents match with approved project

delivery system
■ Ensure type of contracting/pricing as per adopted methodology
○ Quality control
■ Check quality design drawings

■ Check accuracy and correctness of design

■ Verify BQ for correctness as per working drawings

■ Check complete specifications are prepared and coordinated to match

working drawings and BQ

■ Check contract documents as per project delivery system

■ Check for regulatory compliance

■ Check project schedule

■ Check project cost

■ Check calculations

■ Review studies and reports

■ Check accuracy of design

■ Check interdisciplinary requirements

■ Check required number of prepared drawings comply with

requirements
QUALITY IN CONSTRUCTION

● Construction is the translation of the owner`s goals and objectives into

a facility built by the contractor as stipulated in the contract
documents, plans and specifications within budget and on schedule
● Construction activities typically involves erection, installation or
construction of any part of the project
● Construction therefore requires more detailed attention on its
planning, organizations, monitoring and control of project schedule,
budget, quality, safety and environment concerns
● The construction project quality control process is the part of the contract
documents that provides details about specific quality practices, resources, and
activities relevant to the project
● The purpose of quality control during construction is to ensure that the work is
accomplished in accordance with the requirements specified in the contract
● Inspection construction works is carried out throughout the construction period
either by the construction supervision team (consultant) or the appointed inspector
agency
● Typically on the construction site, inspection and testing are carried out in three
stages during the construction period to ensure quality compliance
○ During the construction process

■ Carried out with the checklist request submitted by the contractor for

testing ongoing work before proceeding to the next step

○ Receipt of subcontractor or purchased material or services

■ The contractor submits a material inspection request to the consultant upon

receipt of material
○ Before final delivery or commissioning and handover
● Contractor's Quality Control Plan (CQCP)
○ CQCP is the contractor`s everyday tool to ensure meeting the performance standards
specified in the contract documents
○ The efficient management of CQCP by the contractor`s personnel has a great impact on
both the performance of the contract and the owner`s quality assurance surveillance of
the contract`s performance
○ The contract documents specify the details of the contents of the Quality Control Plan
(QCP) to be prepared by the contractor for the construction of the project, which
requires approval from the consultant
○ The outline for preparation of a QCP is as follows
■ Purpose of QCP
■ Project description
■ Site staff organizational chart for quality control
■ Quality control staff and their responsibilities
■ Construction program and subprograms
■ Schedule for submission of subcontractors, manufacturer of materials and shop
drawings
■ Method statement for various installation activities
■ Project-specific procedures for SWIs and remedial notes
■ QC procedure for all the main activities such as
● Procurement (direct bought out items)
● Off-site manufacturing, inspection and testing
● Inspection of site activities (checklists)
● Inspection and testing procedure for systems
● Procedure for laboratory testing of material
● Inspection of material received at site
● Protection of works
■ Quality control records
■ List of quality procedures applicable to project in reference to the company`s
quality manual and procedure
■ Periodical testing procedure for construction equipment and tools
■ Quality updating program
■ Quality auditing program
■ Testing
■ Commissioning
■ Handover
■ Health, safety and environment
QUALITY IN TESTING, COMMISSIONING AND
HANDOVER
● Testing, commissioning and handover constitute the last phase of a
construction project`s lifecycle
● During this period, the project is transferred/handed over to the
owner/end user for his or her use, and a substantial completion
certificate is issued to the contractor
● Testing and Commissioning Quality
Process
○ Commissioning is the orderly
sequence of testing, adjusting and
balancing the system and bringing
the systems and subsystems into
operation and starts when the
construction and installation of
works are complete
○ Testing and commissioning is
normally carried out by the
contractor or specialist in presence
of consultant and owner/owner`s
representative and user`s operation
and maintenance personnel to
ascertain proper functioning of the
systems to the specified standards
○ Testing, adjusting and operation of
the systems and equipment are
essential in order to make the
project operational and useful for
the owner/end user
● Normally, a final walk through
inspection is carried out by a
committee which consists of the
owner`s representative, design
and supervision personnel and the
contractor to decide the
acceptance of works and whether
the project is complete enough to
be made operational
● Once everything is of satisfactory
condition, the certificate of
substantial completion is issued to
the contractor, and the facility is
taken over by the owner/end user.
● The project is declared complete,
and the construction project`s life
cycle is over