Code No: CM-22/M Arch

M. Arch (CM) II Semester Regular Examination, November-2022

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT

Time: 3 hours Max. Marks: 50
Answer any FIVE questions
All questions carry equal marks.
---
1. Discuss various criteria for selection of Construction Equipment.

2. Explain the various types of equipment used in construction and discuss

their performance characteristics.

3. What is a job layout? Enlist essential features required to show in job layout
plan. Draw the job layout for construction of high-rise building

4. Explain the role, need and strategies of aggregative planning in materials

management

5. Explain the procedure involved in stores systems with suitable examples.

6. Briefly explain the steps involved in materials requirement planning and

estimating.

7. Explain in detail the various financial aspects of procuring Construction

Equipment.

8. Write short notes on any three of the following:

a) Crawler Tractor
b) Dumper
c) EOQ
d) Equipment repairs and maintenance.
****
Code No: CM-22/M Arch

M. Arch (CM) II Semester Regular Examination, December-2021

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT

Time: 3 hours Max. Marks: 50
Answer any FIVE questions
All questions carry equal marks.
---
1. Define the terms
a) Reliability as applied for Construction Equipment
b) Operatability
c) Maintainability
List the factors considered in selection of suitable construction
equipment’s for High way Road Projects (Flexible Pavement)?

2. Draw a neat sketch of a Tower Crane. Label its Main parts, describe
its function in brief and its use in construction of High rise buildings.
Prepare a Tower Crane specification when you want to hire it with a
Construction Equipment Rental company to be engaged in a Project?

3. What is meant by Mechanization in Construction? List the advantages

for going for Mechanization?

4. Briefly explain the following Maintenance system adopted in

Construciton Industry for Construction Equipment Maintenance:
a) Break down Maintenance b) Preventive Maintenance c) Predictive
Maintenance d) Design out Maintenance?

5. Define Materials Management? What are the Objectives of a Materials’

Management Department? Draw an organisation chart for a
Materials Management department highlighting the important
functional areas.

6. What is meant by Selective Inventory Control? Explain ABC analysis

with suitable example as applied to Materials Stores Department?

7. How are materials in Stores received and accounted? What are the
functions of Stores-in-Charge at a Construction work site?

8. Write short notes on any two of the following in about 20 lines:

a) Owning and Operating cost of a Construction Equipment
b) Integrated approach to Materials Management.
c) Financing of Construction Equipment
a) Equipment Replacement Policy in an Organisation
****
 MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
2022
1.Discuss various criteria for selection of Construction Equipment?

A. Selecting the right construction equipment is crucial for the success of any construction
project. The choice of equipment can significantly impact project timelines, costs, and
overall efficiency. When selecting construction equipment, project managers and contractors
should consider various criteria to make informed decisions. Here are some key criteria for
selecting construction equipment:
1. Project Requirements:
 Type of Project: Consider the nature of the construction project (e.g., residential,
commercial, industrial, infrastructure) and its specific requirements.
 Scope and Size: Determine the scale and scope of the project, including the size of the site
and the expected workload.
2. Equipment Specifications:
 Equipment Type: Identify the specific types of equipment needed for various tasks (e.g.,
excavators, bulldozers, cranes, loaders, etc.).
 Capacity and Size: Match the equipment's capacity and size to the project's requirements,
such as the depth of excavation or lifting capacity.
3. Project Location and Conditions:
 Terrain and Ground Conditions: Assess the terrain and soil conditions at the construction
site, as these can affect equipment stability and performance.
 Climate: Consider the local climate conditions, including temperature, rainfall, and seasonal
variations, which can impact equipment performance and maintenance.
4. Budget and Cost:
 Capital Cost: Evaluate the purchase or rental costs of equipment and ensure they fit within
the project budget.
 Operating Costs: Estimate the ongoing expenses for fuel, maintenance, repairs, and operator
wages.
5. Availability and Lead Time:
 Equipment Availability: Check the availability of the required equipment in the local rental
market or from equipment suppliers.
 Lead Time: Consider the time required to acquire or rent equipment and ensure it aligns with
project scheduling.
6. Equipment Age and Condition:
 New vs. Used: Decide whether to purchase new or used equipment, weighing the initial cost
savings against potential maintenance and reliability issues.
 Maintenance History: Review the maintenance records and history of used equipment to
assess its reliability.
7. Operator Skill and Training:
 Operator Expertise: Ensure that operators are trained and experienced in handling the chosen
equipment.
 Compatibility: Match the equipment to the skill level of available operators to optimize
performance and safety.
8. Safety and Regulations:
 Compliance: Verify that the selected equipment complies with safety and environmental
regulations and standards.
 Safety Features: Choose equipment with necessary safety features, such as ROPS (Roll-Over
Protective Structure) and FOPS (Falling Object Protective Structure).
9. Maintenance and Support:
 Manufacturer Support: Assess the availability of manufacturer support, including spare parts,
technical assistance, and warranties.
 Maintenance Facilities: Ensure that maintenance facilities and skilled technicians are
available to service the equipment.
10. Long-Term Considerations:
 Resale Value: Consider the potential resale value of equipment after the project's completion.
 Equipment Lifecycle: Evaluate the expected lifespan of the equipment in relation to the
project's duration.
11. Environmental Impact:
 Environmental Regulations: Adhere to environmental regulations and select equipment that
minimizes emissions and environmental impact.
 Fuel Efficiency: Choose equipment with higher fuel efficiency to reduce operational costs
and environmental footprint.
By carefully evaluating these criteria, construction professionals can make informed
decisions when selecting equipment, ensuring that it aligns with project requirements and
objectives while optimizing efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness.

2.Explain the various types of equipment used in construction and

discuss their performance characteristics?
A. Construction equipment encompasses a wide range of machinery and vehicles used in
construction projects. Each type of equipment has its own performance characteristics,
making it suitable for specific tasks. Here's an overview of various types of construction
equipment and their performance characteristics:

1. Excavators:
 Performance Characteristics:
 Excavators are versatile machines used for digging, trenching, and
foundation work.
 They have a rotating cab, a bucket on an arm, and caterpillar tracks or
wheels for mobility.
  Excavators vary in size, with different digging depths and lifting
capacities.
 Performance depends on factors like digging depth, bucket capacity, and
arm reach.
2. Bulldozers:
 Performance Characteristics:
 Bulldozers are heavy, tracked vehicles with a large, flat blade at the front.
 They are primarily used for earthmoving, grading, and pushing materials.
 Bulldozers vary in size and power, with larger ones capable of moving
significant amounts of earth quickly.
3. Loaders (Backhoes, Front-End Loaders):
 Performance Characteristics:
 Loaders are versatile machines for moving and loading materials like dirt,
gravel, and construction debris.
 Backhoes have a digging bucket at the rear and a front bucket for loading.
 Front-end loaders have a large bucket at the front for loading.
 Performance depends on bucket capacity, lift height, and reach.
4. Cranes:
 Performance Characteristics:
 Cranes are used for lifting heavy materials and equipment to elevated
positions.
 Types include mobile cranes, tower cranes, and crawler cranes.
 Performance depends on lifting capacity, boom length, and mobility.
 Tower cranes are ideal for tall construction projects, while mobile cranes
offer flexibility.
5. Graders:
 Performance Characteristics:
 Graders have a long blade used for grading and leveling surfaces, such as
roads and building sites.
 They provide precise control over grading depth and slope.
 Graders often have multiple blade angles and can create smooth, level
surfaces.
6. Rollers:
 Performance Characteristics:
 Rollers are used for compacting soil, asphalt, and other construction
materials.
 Vibratory rollers use oscillation or vibration to increase compaction
efficiency.
 Smooth drum rollers are used for asphalt, while padfoot rollers are
suitable for compacting soil.
 7. Pavers:
 Performance Characteristics:
 Pavers are used for laying asphalt or concrete surfaces, such as roads and
runways.
 They have a hopper for material, a distribution auger, and a screed for
finishing.
 Paving machines offer precise control over thickness and smoothness.
8. Concrete Mixers:
 Performance Characteristics:
 Concrete mixers are used for mixing and transporting concrete on
construction sites.
 They come in various sizes, from small portable mixers to large truck-
mounted units.
 Performance depends on mixing capacity, drum rotation speed, and
mobility.
9. Trenchers:
 Performance Characteristics:
 Trenchers are used for digging trenches for utilities, drainage, and cable
laying.
 They come in various types, including chain trenchers and wheel
trenchers.
 Performance is influenced by trench depth, width, and soil conditions.
10. Compactors:
 Performance Characteristics:
 Compactors are used for compacting soil, aggregates, and asphalt.
 They come in various forms, such as plate compactors, rammer
compactors, and sheepsfoot rollers.
 Performance depends on compaction force, surface area, and vibration
frequency.

It's essential to match the right type of equipment to the specific requirements of a
construction project. The performance characteristics of each type of equipment play a
crucial role in project efficiency, safety, and quality. Careful selection and operation of
construction equipment can significantly impact project outcomes.

3. What is a job layout? Enlist essential features required to show in job

layout plan. Draw the job layout for construction of high-rise building?

A. A job layout, also known as a construction site layout plan, is a detailed representation of
how a construction project, such as a high-rise building, will be organized and structured on
the construction site. It includes essential features and information to ensure that the
construction process is efficient, safe, and well-coordinated. Here are some essential features
that should be shown in a job layout plan for the construction of a high-rise building:

1. Site Boundaries and Legal Requirements:

 Clearly mark the boundaries of the construction site, including any legal
setbacks or easements.
 Indicate any legal requirements, such as zoning regulations and building codes,
that must be adhered to.
2. Building Footprint and Dimensions:
 Show the exact location, orientation, and dimensions of the high-rise building
within the site boundaries.
 Include the building's height, number of floors, and key structural details.
3. Access Roads and Entrances:
 Illustrate the location and design of access roads, driveways, and entrances to
the construction site.
 Indicate any temporary or permanent road closures or detours.
4. Construction Offices and Facilities:
 Show the placement of temporary construction offices, trailers, and facilities for
workers and project management.
 Include facilities like restrooms, first-aid stations, and break areas.
5. Material Storage and Laydown Areas:
 Designate areas for storing construction materials, equipment, and supplies.
 Consider the proximity of storage areas to work zones to minimize
transportation distances.
6. Construction Equipment and Machinery:
 Indicate the location of equipment and machinery, such as cranes, concrete
pumps, and excavators, during various phases of construction.
 Include safety zones around heavy equipment to prevent accidents.
7. Utility Connections:
 Mark the positions of utility connections, including water, electricity, gas, and
sewage lines.
 Show how utilities will be connected to the building.
8. Safety Features and Emergency Exits:
 Highlight the locations of safety features like fire extinguishers, emergency
exits, and evacuation routes.
 Ensure compliance with safety regulations.
9. Temporary Structures:
 Identify the placement of temporary structures like scaffolding, shoring, and
formwork.
 Include details on their design and assembly.
 10. Construction Phasing:
 Divide the construction project into phases and indicate the sequence of
activities.
 Show how different areas of the site will be developed over time.
11. Environmental Considerations:
 Address environmental concerns, such as erosion control measures,
sedimentation basins, and stormwater management.
 Comply with environmental regulations.
12. Security Measures:
 Include security features like fencing, gates, and security personnel locations.
 Protect the site from unauthorized access and theft.
13. Traffic and Pedestrian Flow:
 Plan for the flow of construction vehicles and workers on the site to minimize
congestion and safety hazards.
 Consider separate routes for deliveries and worker access.
14. Landscaping and Site Amenities:
 Indicate any landscaping elements, green spaces, and site amenities, such as
parking areas, sidewalks, and seating.
15. Key Construction Milestones:
 Highlight significant project milestones, such as foundation pouring, structural
steel erection, and building enclosure.

Creating a comprehensive job layout plan is crucial for effective construction project
management. It helps ensure that the construction site is organized, safe, and conducive to
efficient work processes. Keep in mind that the specific features and details of a job layout
plan may vary depending on the project's size, complexity, and location. To create an actual
job layout for a high-rise building, it's recommended to work with experienced architects,
engineers, and construction managers who can provide site-specific expertise.

4. Explain the role, need and strategies of aggregative planning in

materials management?

A.Aggregate planning is a critical function within materials management and operations

management that involves developing, analyzing, and maintaining preliminary, approximate
schedules of the overall operations of an organization. It plays a pivotal role in balancing
supply and demand for an organization's products or services over a specified time horizon,
typically ranging from a few months to a year. Here, we'll delve into the role, need, and
strategies of aggregate planning in materials management:
Role of Aggregate Planning:
1. Balancing Supply and Demand: One of the primary roles of aggregate planning is to
align the organization's production and inventory capabilities with customer demand. It
ensures that an organization doesn't overproduce or underproduce its goods or services.
2. Optimizing Resources: Aggregate planning helps organizations make efficient use of
their resources, including labor, equipment, and materials. It minimizes production and labor
costs while maximizing resource utilization.
3. Minimizing Inventory Costs: By developing a well-structured plan that matches
production with demand, organizations can reduce carrying costs associated with excess
inventory.
4. Meeting Customer Service Levels: Effective aggregate planning ensures that
organizations can fulfill customer orders promptly and consistently, improving customer
satisfaction and loyalty.
Need for Aggregate Planning:
1. Demand Fluctuations: Customer demand often fluctuates due to seasonal trends,
economic factors, or changing consumer preferences. Aggregate planning helps
organizations adjust to these fluctuations.
2. Resource Utilization: It's essential to use resources efficiently to reduce operational
costs. Aggregate planning assists in optimizing resource allocation to meet production
targets.
3. Production Costs: Keeping production costs in check is crucial for profitability.
Aggregate planning helps minimize overtime, subcontracting, and inventory costs.
4. Lead Times: Long lead times in production can lead to customer dissatisfaction.
Aggregate planning helps manage lead times and improve delivery reliability.
5. Risk Management: Effective planning allows organizations to respond to unforeseen
events and market changes, reducing the risks associated with production and inventory
management.

Strategies of Aggregate Planning:

1. Chase Demand Strategy: This strategy involves adjusting production and workforce
levels to match customer demand closely. It is suitable for industries with fluctuating
demand. When demand increases, the organization hires more workers or increases
production; when demand decreases, it lays off workers or reduces production.
2. Level Production Strategy: In this approach, organizations maintain a constant
production rate, irrespective of demand fluctuations. Surplus production is stored in
inventory during periods of low demand and used to meet demand during peak periods. This
strategy minimizes labor and production changes but can lead to higher inventory costs.
3. Hybrid Strategy: Some organizations combine elements of both chase demand and
level production strategies. They adjust production and workforce to align with demand but
maintain a certain level of inventory as a buffer to handle demand variability more
efficiently.
4. Subcontracting and Outsourcing: Organizations can use subcontracting or outsourcing
as a strategy to meet sudden increases in demand without overcommitting their resources.
This strategy helps manage peak demands without the need for extensive workforce
adjustments.
5. Backordering: When demand exceeds supply capacity, organizations may use
backorders, accepting orders beyond their immediate production capabilities. This approach
is often used for products with long lead times or when customers are willing to wait for
delivery.
6. Changing Work Hours: Adjusting work hours, offering overtime, or introducing
flexible work arrangements can help meet demand fluctuations without significant hiring or
layoffs.
In summary, aggregate planning in materials management is essential for organizations to
align their production, labor, and inventory with fluctuating demand while optimizing
resource utilization and minimizing costs. Choosing the right strategy depends on the
industry, the nature of the product or service, and the organization's specific circumstances
and objectives. Effective aggregate planning helps organizations remain competitive,
responsive to market changes, and financially efficient.

5. Explain the procedure involved in stores systems with suitable examples?

A. A stores system, also known as a store management system or inventory management

system, is a set of procedures and processes used to efficiently and effectively manage an
organization's inventory or stock of goods and materials. Proper store management is
essential for controlling costs, ensuring product availability, and minimizing the risk of
stockouts or overstock situations. Here is an overview of the procedure involved in stores
systems with suitable examples:

1. Receiving and Inspection:

 Procedure: When materials or goods are received, they should be inspected for
quantity, quality, and compliance with purchase orders.
 Example: In a manufacturing facility, raw materials such as steel or plastic pellets are
received. The store personnel count the quantity received, check for any damage, and
verify that the materials meet the specified quality standards.

2. Recording and Documentation:

 Procedure: All received materials should be recorded in the inventory system,

including details like item descriptions, quantities, suppliers, and purchase prices.
 Example: A retailer receives a shipment of electronic gadgets. The store manager
enters the received items into the inventory database, recording details such as the
product name, serial numbers, and supplier information.
3. Storage and Organization:

 Procedure: Materials should be stored in an organized and easily accessible manner.

Proper shelving, labeling, and storage procedures are essential.
 Example: In a warehouse, pallets of goods are arranged systematically, and each pallet
is labeled with a barcode. The store personnel use a warehouse management system to
track the location of each item.

4. Inventory Control:

 Procedure: Regularly monitor inventory levels, set reorder points, and reorder
quantities to ensure optimal stock levels.
 Example: An auto parts store uses an inventory control system that tracks the sales of
various parts. When the stock of a particular part falls below a predefined level, an
automatic reorder is triggered to replenish the inventory.

5. Issuing and Distribution:

 Procedure: When materials are needed for production or sales, they are issued from
the inventory according to established procedures.
 Example: In a construction company, when a new project starts, construction workers
request the necessary tools and equipment from the inventory. The items are issued to
the project site for use.

6. Stocktaking and Auditing:

 Procedure: Conduct regular physical counts of inventory to reconcile with the

recorded quantities and identify discrepancies.
 Example: A retail store conducts an annual stocktake, where employees physically
count every item in the store to ensure that the recorded inventory matches the actual
inventory.

7. Stock Rotation and FIFO/LIFO:

 Procedure: Implement techniques like First-In-First-Out (FIFO) or Last-In-First-Out

(LIFO) to ensure that older stock is used or sold before newer stock to minimize
spoilage or obsolescence.
 Example: In a grocery store, perishable goods like dairy products are sold using the
FIFO method to ensure that the oldest products are sold first, reducing the risk of
spoilage.
8. Security and Access Control:

 Procedure: Implement security measures to prevent theft, unauthorized access, or

mishandling of inventory.
 Example: A pharmaceutical company restricts access to its controlled substances
inventory, requiring authorized personnel to use biometric authentication to access the
inventory.

9. Reporting and Analysis:

 Procedure: Generate regular reports on inventory levels, turnover rates, and other key
performance indicators (KPIs) to make informed decisions.
 Example: A retail chain generates weekly reports on the sales and stock levels of
different products. These reports help in making purchasing decisions and identifying
slow-moving items.

10. Disposal and Obsolete Inventory Handling: - Procedure: Develop procedures for
disposing of obsolete or unsellable inventory, such as through clearance sales, donations, or
recycling. - Example: A technology company periodically assesses its stock of outdated
electronic components and disposes of them through environmentally responsible recycling
channels.

A well-structured stores system helps organizations maintain accurate inventory records,

reduce carrying costs, improve customer service, and streamline their supply chain
operations. The specific procedures and processes may vary depending on the industry, the
type of inventory, and the organization's needs and goals.

6.Briefly explain the steps involved in materials requirement planning

and estimating?
A. Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) and estimating are essential processes in supply
chain and inventory management. Here are brief explanations of the steps involved in each
process:

Materials Requirement Planning (MRP):

1. Identify Demand: The first step is to determine the demand for the finished product
by analyzing sales forecasts, customer orders, and historical data.

2. Bill of Materials (BOM): Create a BOM, which is a list of all the components and
raw materials required to manufacture the final product. This list includes quantities
and dependencies.

3. Inventory Analysis: Check the current inventory levels of each component and raw
material. Determine what is on hand and what needs to be ordered.
 4. Net Requirements Calculation: Calculate the net requirements for each component
by subtracting the on-hand inventory and scheduled receipts (incoming orders) from
the total requirements.

5. Order Scheduling: Schedule purchase orders or production orders based on the net
requirements and lead times for each item. Ensure that materials arrive just in time for
production.

6. Capacity Planning: Ensure that production capacity matches the demand. Adjust
production schedules if necessary.

7. Monitoring and Control: Continuously monitor inventory levels, order statuses, and
production progress. Make adjustments as needed to prevent shortages or excess
inventory.

Estimating:

1. Project Scope: Define the scope of the project, including the specific tasks,
deliverables, and objectives. This step helps in understanding the work that needs to be
estimated.

2. Resource Identification: Identify the resources required for each task or activity. This
includes labor, materials, equipment, and any other resources needed.

3. Quantity Takeoff: Calculate the quantities of materials and resources needed for each
task or activity based on the project's specifications and requirements.

4. Cost Estimation: Assign costs to each resource and quantity. This involves
determining labor rates, material costs, equipment rental fees, and other relevant
expenses.

5. Risk Assessment: Evaluate potential risks and uncertainties that could impact the
project's cost. Include contingency allowances for unforeseen events.

6. Compile Estimates: Combine the cost estimates for each task or activity to create an
overall project cost estimate. This may include direct costs (e.g., materials, labor) and
indirect costs (e.g., overhead).

7. Review and Approval: Have the estimates reviewed by relevant stakeholders, such as
project managers and finance teams, to ensure accuracy and feasibility.

8. Documentation: Document the estimate, including all assumptions and calculations

made during the process. This documentation is essential for tracking and managing
costs during the project.

9. Monitoring and Control: Continuously monitor project costs against the estimates.
Implement cost control measures to stay on budget and address any deviations.
Both MRP and estimating are critical processes for efficient resource management and cost
control in manufacturing and project management, respectively.

7. Explain in detail the various financial aspects of procuring Construction

Equipment?
A. Procuring construction equipment is a significant financial decision for construction
companies and contractors. Several financial aspects need to be carefully considered when
acquiring construction equipment. Here's a detailed explanation of these financial aspects:

1. Initial Purchase Cost:

 The initial purchase cost is the most apparent financial aspect. It includes the
price of the equipment itself. Different types of construction equipment vary
widely in cost.
 When evaluating equipment options, consider both new and used equipment.
Used equipment may have a lower upfront cost but might come with
maintenance and repair expenses.
2. Financing Options:
 Companies often finance equipment purchases through loans or leases. The
choice between these options depends on the company's financial situation and
goals.
 Loans involve borrowing a lump sum to purchase the equipment, and the
equipment serves as collateral. Monthly payments cover both principal and
interest.
 Leasing allows for lower monthly payments and may provide tax benefits, but the
equipment doesn't become a company asset. At the end of the lease, you may have
the option to purchase the equipment.
3. Operating Costs:
 Operating costs are ongoing expenses associated with equipment ownership.
They include fuel, maintenance, repairs, insurance, and licensing fees.
 Estimating and budgeting for these costs is crucial for determining the total cost
of ownership over the equipment's lifespan.
4. Resale Value:
 Consider the resale value of the equipment when you no longer need it. Some
types of equipment hold their value better than others.
 Depreciation is a key factor in resale value. New equipment typically
depreciates more quickly than used equipment, which may affect your decision
between buying new or used.
5. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO):
 TCO is the sum of all costs associated with owning and operating the equipment
over its useful life. It includes initial purchase cost, financing, operating costs,
and any expected resale value.
  Calculating TCO helps make informed decisions about whether the equipment
is a cost-effective investment.
6. Tax Implications:
 Tax laws and regulations can significantly impact the financial aspects of
equipment procurement. Depending on your location and tax laws, you may be
eligible for tax deductions or credits related to equipment purchases.
 Consult with a tax professional to understand the tax implications of your
equipment procurement choices.
7. Warranty and Maintenance Contracts:
 Equipment warranties can provide cost savings by covering repair and
maintenance expenses during the warranty period.
 Maintenance contracts can also help control ongoing maintenance costs by
providing regular service and repairs for a fixed fee.
8. Insurance Costs:
 Insuring construction equipment is essential to protect against damage, theft,
and liability. Insurance costs can vary based on the type and value of the
equipment, as well as other factors.
 Shop around for insurance providers to get the best rates and coverage options.
9. Equipment Utilization and ROI:
 Calculate the Return on Investment (ROI) for the equipment by considering
how it will contribute to your projects and generate revenue.
 Analyze how often the equipment will be utilized. Idle or underutilized
equipment can increase the overall cost of ownership.
10. Financing Terms:
 Review the terms of financing agreements carefully. Pay attention to interest
rates, loan or lease duration, and any penalties for early repayment.
 Negotiate favorable terms when possible to minimize financing costs.
11. Budgeting and Financial Planning:
 Incorporate the cost of equipment procurement into your company's overall
budget and financial plan. Ensure that the purchase aligns with your financial
goals and doesn't strain your cash flow.
12. Market Research:
 Continuously monitor the construction equipment market for changes in prices,
new models, and technological advancements. This information can inform
your purchasing decisions.

In summary, procuring construction equipment involves a range of financial considerations

beyond the initial purchase price. Analyzing these aspects comprehensively and making
informed decisions is essential for managing costs, maximizing ROI, and ensuring the
equipment supports your construction projects effectively.
8. Write short notes on any three of the following:
a) Crawler Tractor
b) Dumper
c) EOQ
d) Equipment repairs and maintenance.

A. a) Crawler Tractor:
 A crawler tractor, also known as a bulldozer, is a heavy construction equipment
vehicle with continuous tracks instead of wheels. These tracks provide better traction
and weight distribution, making it ideal for earthmoving and construction tasks.
 Crawler tractors are equipped with a large blade at the front for pushing or leveling
materials like soil, sand, or debris. They are commonly used in construction, mining,
and forestry applications.
 These machines are known for their strength and durability, making them suitable for
demanding and rough terrain environments.
b) Dumper:
 A dumper is a specialized construction vehicle designed for transporting bulk
materials such as dirt, sand, gravel, or debris from one location to another within a
construction site.
 Dumpers are characterized by their open-top containers, often with hydraulically
operated beds that can be tilted to unload materials easily.
 They come in various sizes, from small, walk-behind dumpers to large, articulated
dump trucks used in mining and large-scale construction projects.
c) EOQ (Economic Order Quantity):
 EOQ is a concept in inventory management that determines the ideal order quantity to
minimize total inventory costs, including holding costs and ordering costs.
 It helps organizations strike a balance between the cost of carrying excess inventory
and the cost of frequently placing small orders.
 The EOQ formula considers factors such as demand rate, ordering cost, and holding
cost per unit to calculate the optimal order quantity.
d) Equipment Repairs and Maintenance:
 Equipment repairs and maintenance refer to the regular upkeep and servicing of
machinery, vehicles, and equipment to ensure they function efficiently and safely.
 Proper maintenance extends the lifespan of equipment, reduces the risk of
breakdowns, and enhances worker safety.
 Maintenance activities include routine inspections, lubrication, cleaning, replacement
of worn parts, and addressing any issues or malfunctions promptly.
 Preventive maintenance schedules are often created to systematically manage and
track maintenance tasks, minimizing downtime and repair costs.
****
 MATERIALS EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
2021
1. Define the terms
a) Reliability as applied for Construction Equipment
b) Operatability
c) Maintainability
List the factors considered in selection of suitable construction
equipment’s for High way Road Projects (Flexible Pavement)?

A. a)Reliability as applied for Construction Equipment:

substantial capital investments, in the form of facilities and equipment,
are required for manufacturing almost all goods of economic
significance. The productivity of these investments is a fundamental
element of competition among companies and nations. Events that slow
or interrupt the manufacturing process or degrade the product impair
the competitiveness of a manufacturing enterprise.

The term equipment reliability and maintenance (ERM) encompasses

not only equipment, such as machines, tools, and fixtures, but also the
technical, operational, and management activities, ranging from
equipment specifications to daily operation and maintenance, required
to sustain the performance of manufacturing equipment throughout its
useful life. This chapter addresses all causes of diminished or degraded
output. The panel considers ERM to be a significant factor in the
competitiveness of manufacturing firms, an assessment supported by
the case studies in the section on present practice.

Historically, the evolution of ERM can be traced from breakdown

maintenance and repair to preventive maintenance to predictive
maintenance. Breakdown maintenance and repair is the after-the-fact
restoration of failed equipment. Preventive maintenance is the
systematic servicing of equipment to reduce the possibility of failure.
b)Operatability:

This paper addresses a pet-type welfare robot system for aged people.
The robot offers interactivity, which can communicate autonomously
and communicate with others using Internet-connectivity, for being a
partner. To avoid being satiated with conversation, we propose
interactive operatability, especially focused conversation contents. In
order to watch over aged people through Internet, we have furthermore
developed auto-detection alert system for aged people by checking user
logs, which is also reconfigurable. Index Terms-Reconfigurable
System, Pet-type Robot, Rehabilitation Engineering, Human Computer
Interaction.

In addition to the neutron - and temperature - measuring channels, the

detectors and thermocouples for active functional testing are also
included in the safety circuits. The measuring parameter (neutron flux
or coolant outlet temperature) is modulated by the output control
system or output and/or coolant flow. This modulation is determined
using an auxillary parameter (movement of control rods or neutron
flux). To represent the actual value of the measuring parameter to be
compared with the previously determined reference value, there is a
division of the relative change of the neutron flux or the coolant outlet
temperature by the change of control rod position or reactor output
caused by it. The effect of the auxiliary parameter on the measured
parameter is measured by the cross correlation of both of them and of
the auxiliary parameter directly or by auto correlation. The coarse and
fine monitoring of the measuring channels takes place with different
time constants.

c)Maintainability:

Maintainability is defined as the probability that a failed component or

system will be restored or repaired to a specified condition within a
specified period or time when maintenance is performed in accordance
with prescribed procedures.

Maintainability is a measure of how quickly your manufacturing or

maintenance team can detect and pinpoint an issue, repair it, and
restore the asset’s functionality after this downtime.
This measure is expressed as a KPI metric known as “Mean Time to
Repair” (MTTR). MTTR is the average time required to repair a
problem on an asset. It measures the time required to restore an asset to
its normal functioning state after a problem is identified and is
sometimes confused with reliability.
The process of cutting or loosing and removing earth from its original
position, transport and improve it as a fill or spoil bank is known as
excavation. For any type of soil such as soil, soft rock or even hard
rock before preparing the subgrade excavation is needed. The
reservation will also be required for the construction of side drains.
Choice of suitable equipment will only depend on the nature of soil to
be excavated.

These are intermittent types of equipments. Tractors, power shovels,

draglines, Clam shells, bulldozer, angle dozer, scrapers, back hoes,
dredger, ripper, motor grader, etc are the earth excavating equipments.

Construction Equipment CE can improve the quality of production and

increase project efficiency, cost savings, profitability and safety at any
jobsite. Hence, selection of right CE is a very important step. Since,
there are different options to choose from, the selection of appropriate
CE becomes all the more difficult.

Here is a list of factors that affect the selection of CE and should

always be kept in mind...

1. Economic factors: Economic considerations such as the cost of

owning the equipment and operation and fuel costs are some of the
most important factors that play a deciding role in selecting the
equipment. Besides, consideration over resale value is also very
important.
2. Factors specific to companies: The selection of Construction
Equipment also depend on the need of the company. If the company
has a lot of projects in hand for the coming few months or even years,
then it definitely makes sense for it to invest in the heavy CE.
However, if there is a one-off job or a short term job that needs to be
completed, then the company might opt for renting the equipment.
Further, if the company is doing really well and is ready to expand,
then this also has a considerable impact on CE selection decision. Also,
the amount of outsourcing the company does to execute its projects has
an impact on CE selection decision. If the projects are given on a
contract-basis to the third party, then the investment on equipment is
kept low. Further, storage issues also come into play. If the company
has its own industrial garage where it can store the equipment, then it
may prefer to buy the CE.

3. Factors specific to the jobsite: Both ground as well as climatic

conditions at the site also affect the selection decision. For example, the
soil and overall terrain at the jobsite and nearby surroundings define
which CE should be used. At the same time, climatic conditions such
as the presence of strong winds, visibility level etc., also affect the
decision process.

2. Draw a neat sketch of a Tower Crane. Label its Main parts,

describe its function in brief and its use in construction of High
rise buildings.
Prepare a Tower Crane specification when you want to hire it
with a Construction Equipment Rental company to be engaged
in a Project?
A. The demand for cranes is ever-growing with their unique property of
lifting and transporting extremely heavy materials that are beyond the
capability of manual labor. This demand has been catalyzed by rising
industrialization and urbanization, leading to the construction of
residential and non-residential infrastructures across the globe.
However, with the pandemic slowing down global operations and the
current geopolitical state causing inflation, the crane rental industry
must be aware of where the future lies and prepare themselves with a
successful plan.
With over 17 years of experience in the manufacturing and rental
industries, we at To-Increase have seen various businesses go through
different trends and empowered them to stay ahead of the curve with
software embedded in Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP.
This article will share the trends in the crane rental market, the current
challenges it faces, and how to solve them with our solution —
DynaRent, a rental software embedded in Dynamics 365.
Tower Crane Parts
Tower cranes in general are composed of three main parts: the base,
the mast or tower, and the slewing unit.

BASE: The base is the main support of the crane. It is connected to a

large concrete foundation that carries the entire weight.

MAST OR TOWER: The mast is connected to the base, and it is the

supporting structure that gives the crane its height. The mast has a
large triangulated lattice structure, which gives the crane its strength.

SLEWING UNIT: The slewing unit consists of a gear and motor,

attached to the top of the mast, allowing the crane to rotate along its
axis. In turn, the slewing unit consists of three parts:
 Jib or working arm: A horizontal element that carries the load, with
a trolley that runs along its length to move the load in and out.
 Machinery arm: A shorter horizontal element that holds the load-
lifting motor. It also contains electronic controls, the cable drum,
and concrete counterweights to keep balance.
 Operator’s cabin: Consists of the space in which the operator
handles all the functions of the crane.
Tower Crane Specifications

A typical tower crane has the following specifications, but note there
are differences depending on the model and manufacturer:

 Maximum unsupported height: 265 feet or 80 meters. It can reach

taller if attached into the building, since the building rises around the
crane.
 Maximum reach: 230 feet or 70 meters
 Maximum lifting power: 19.8 tons or 18 metric tons
 Counterweights: 20 tons or 16.3 metric tons
Note that the maximum load is 18 metric tons, but the crane cannot
lift that much weight when the load is positioned at the end of the
jib. The closer the load is located to the mast, the more weight the
crane can lift safely. Operators have two limit switches to prevent
overloading: a maximum load switch to stay below 18 metric tons,
and a maximum moment switch to protect the crane from the load’s
bending force.

Weather monitoring in construction sites is important, but especially

when tower cranes are used. A strong gust of wind can destabilize
the load and structure, causing a collapse. Project managers should
constantly check weather forecasts, and avoid lifting operations with
unfavorable weather. A weather monitoring system at the project
sites can warn about dangerous wind conditions that are not covered
in forecasts.

3.What is meant by Mechanization in Construction? List the

advantages for going for Mechanization?

A. Mechanization is the process of shifting from working largely or

exclusively by hand to do that work using machines. The construction
projects are becoming more demanding and complicated in
construction and delay of projects would arise if conventional
construction method is used.
Delays in construction are costly and have prompted developers to
embrace mechanization. Construction machineries are used in order to
achieve larger output, cost-effective, execution of work that is not
feasible by manual efforts, reduce the amount of heavy manual work
which would cause fatigue, maintaining large output, and finalize
projects on time.
Mechanization is based on rented construction equipment is cost
effective. construction equipment when rented can be exactly to match
the requirement. For rented equipment, time to make the equipment
ready for operation is important.
The advantages of mechanisation are:
1. It Relieves Monotony
2. Maintains Standardization
3. Accuracy
4. Better Control
5. Greater Efficiency
6. Lower Cost of Operation
7. Better Quality of Work

4. Briefly explain the following Maintenance system adopted in

Construciton Industry for Construction Equipment Maintenance:
a) Break down Maintenance b) Preventive Maintenance c)
Predictive Maintenance d) Design out Maintenance?

A.a) Break down Maintenance:

Breakdown maintenance is maintenance performed on a piece of

equipment that has broken down, faulted, or otherwise cannot be
operated. The goal of breakdown-maintenance is to fix something that
has malfunctioned. To the contrary, preventive maintenance is
performed in order to keep something running.
Sometimes it is performed because of an unplanned event. For
example, if a critical piece of machinery breaks, the maintenance is
performed because of the imminent need for that machine to operate
again. However, breakdown-maintenance can be planned for in
advance, which is what we might call “good” breakdown-maintenance.
b) Preventive Maintenance: Preventive maintenance is the act of
performing regularly scheduled maintenance activities to help prevent
unexpected failures in the future. Put simply, it's about fixing things
before they break.
Through machine learning, operational data analytics and predictive
asset health monitoring, engineers can optimize maintenance and
reduce reliability risks to plant or business operations. Software
designed to support preventive maintenance (which is sometimes called
preventative maintenance) helps produce stable operations, ensure
compliance with warranties and resolve issues impacting production —
before they happen.
See how to make predictive monitoring
c) Predictive maintenance:
Predictive maintenance, also referred to as condition-based
maintenance, involves performance monitoring and equipment
condition monitoring during regular operations to reduce the chances of
a breakdown. Manufacturers began using predictive maintenance in the
nineties.
Predictive maintenance’s main goal is to predict equipment failures
based on certain parameters and factors. Once predicted, manufacturers
take needed steps to prevent this failure with corrective or scheduled
maintenance.
Predictive maintenance cannot exist without condition monitoring.
Machines conduct continuous monitoring in real working conditions to
ensure asset optimization. As with any maintenance strategy, predictive
maintenance aims to:

 Reduce breakdown occurrence and maximize asset uptime by

improving asset reliability
 Optimize operational costs by lowering maintenance work
 Improve maintenance budgets by reducing maintenance costs and
by maximizing production time

d) Design out Maintenance: In this presentation, the speakers will

make recommendations for various strategic design improvement areas
which can increase the lifespan of the equipment from maintenance
component failure and system breakdown view point. They will also
suggest a few basic steps in design such as:
DOM recommendations, as well as, present a few success case studies.
Other items included will be:
• To collect past maintenance historical records, create database of
similar systems.
• To study, analyze and establish frequency of occurrence and root
cause of failure.
• To perform engineering re-design / modify components to eliminate
the past specific issues.
• To engage necessary mechanical, electrical, metallurgical
and instrumentation engineers for improved design using new
automation technology.
• Consider using Kaizen or Ishikawa diagram approach.

5.Define Materials Management? What are the Objectives of a

Materials’ Management Department? Draw an organisation chart
for a Materials Management department highlighting the
important functional areas.

A. Materials Management: Materials management is a core supply

chain function and includes supply chain planning and supply chain
execution capabilities. Specifically, materials management is the
capability firms use to plan total material requirements. The material
requirements are communicated to procurement and other functions for
sourcing. Materials management is also responsible for determining the
amount of material to be deployed at each stocking location across the
supply chain, establishing material replenishment plans, determining
inventory levels to hold for each type of inventory (raw material,
WIP, finished goods), and communicating information regarding
material needs throughout the extended supply chain.
Typical roles in Materials Management include: Materials Manager,
Inventory Control Manager, Inventory Analyst, Material Planner,
Expediter and emerging hybrid roles like "buyer planner".
The primary business objective of Materials Management is assured
supply of material, optimum inventory levels and minimum deviation
between planned and actual results.

Objectives Of Material Management

The following are the five primary objectives of material management:

 Right Material
The first objective of material management is to ensure that suitable
materials are available for production. It involves identifying the materials
required for production and ensuring that they are of the correct quality,
specification, and quantity.

By ensuring that the right materials are available, companies can minimize
the risk of production delays and ensure customer satisfaction.

 Right Time

The second objective of material management is to ensure that the right

materials are available at the right time. It involves managing the
movement of materials within the warehouse, reducing lead times, and
improving the efficiency of delivery processes.

 Right Amount

The third objective of material management is to ensure that the right

amount of materials are available for production. It involves determining
the optimal inventory level to maintain and implementing processes to
manage the movement of materials within the warehouse.

By ensuring that the right amount of materials are available, companies can
minimize the risk of stock shortages, reduce the cost of storage and
handling, and increase efficiency.

 Right Price

The fourth objective of material management is to ensure that materials are

purchased at the right price. It involves negotiating with suppliers to obtain
the best possible prices and implementing cost-saving measures, such as
reducing waste, reducing lead times, and improving the efficiency of
delivery processes.

 Right Sources
The fifth objective of material management is to ensure that materials are
sourced from the right sources. It involves identifying reliable
suppliers, developing partnerships with suppliers, and ensuring that
materials are purchased from approved suppliers only.

By sourcing materials from the right sources, companies can reduce the risk
of defective materials, minimize the risk of production delays, and ensure
customer satisfaction.

An organization chart of a company is the visual representation of it’s

reporting structure. It defines the employee relationship hierarchy of an
organization and the alignment matrix of teams.
Org charts illustrates employee designations, reporting managers and
more. Visually, they are a bunch of boxes and lines: boxes
represent people, lines represent reporting relationships and operating
levels.
In this page, we will cover the different types of organizational charts,
their purpose, and software that can be used to create them.

6.What is meant by Selective Inventory Control? Explain ABC

analysis with suitable example as applied to Materials Stores
Department?

A. Selective Inventory Control is an essential part of Materials

Management. Selective inventory control is emphasized on variations
in methods of control from item to item based on a selective basis. We
can not apply uniform control since it’s expensive and gives diffused
effect. For this purpose, we can use some criterion such as lead time,
consumption, criticality, cost of the items, procurement difficulties etc.
Every industry works on certain inventory. Thus it forms an important
asset of the industry and thus needs to be properly managed. Inventory
control techniques helps to optimize the inventory by considering
various factors depending upon the type of technique. From industry at
small scale to large scale needs proper maintenance of inventory.
Inventory management includes deciding the inventory level, cost
involved and the time at which material should be ordered or stocked.
Thus it forms a crucial part of Industrial processes. Inventory
management is a systematic approach to sourcing, storing, and selling
inventory— both raw materials (components) and finished goods
(products). In business terms, inventory management means the right
stock, at the right levels, in the right place, at the right time, and at the
right cost as well as price.
ABC analysis is an inventory management technique that determines
the value of inventory items based on their importance to the business.
ABC ranks items on demand, cost and risk data, and inventory mangers
group items into classes based on those criteria. This helps business
leaders understand which products or services are most critical to the
financial success of their organization.

The most important stock keeping units (SKUs), based on either sales
volume or profitability, are “Class A” items, the next-most important
are Class B and the least important are Class C. Some companies may
choose a classification system that breaks products into more than just
those three groups (A-F, for example).

ABC analysis in cost accounting, or activity-based costing, is loosely

related but different from ABC analysis for inventory management.
Accountants use activity-based costing in manufacturing to assign
indirect or overhead costs like utilities or salaries to products and
services.

7.How are materials in Stores received and accounted? What are

the functions of Stores-in-Charge at a Construction work site?
A. After a receiving department unpacks materials received on order
from a supplier, the materials are verified by consulting:
 Purchase order

 Delivery paperwork received from the transport agency or the

supplier
 Invoice or bill

The materials received report is used to record the verification results.

At least three copies are required:

 The original copy is sent to the storage department

 The second copy is sent to the accounts department

 The third copy is retained for the receiving department's records

However, another common practice involves creating five copies of the

materials received report.
In such cases, the fourth copy is sent to the production department,
while the storage department uses the fifth copy for its inspection
section.
Accounted includes physical control of materials and control over the
investment in materials. Effective physical control of materials
involves limiting the access to stored materials, segregating the duties
of employees who handle materials and materials reports, and
establishing an accurate recording system for materials purchases and
issues. Only authorized personnel should be permitted in material
storage areas, and procedures for moving materials into and out of
these areas should be well established. The following functions of
materials control should be segregated to minimize opportunities for
employee misappropriation: purchasing, receiving, storage, use, and
recording. To ensure the accurate recording of purchases and materials
issues, inventory records should document the determination of
inventory quantities on hand, and cost records should provide the data
needed to assign a cost to inventories to be used in the preparation of
financial statements
This post provides exhaustive information on the job description of a
construction site storekeeper to help you learn what they do.
It highlights the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities that commonly
make up the construction site storekeeper work description in most
companies.
It also presents the major requirements by recruiters/employers for
anyone seeking the construction site storekeeper role to meet to be
hired.

8. Write short notes on any two of the following in about 20 lines:

a)Owning and Operating cost of a Construction Equipment
b) Integrated approach to Materials Management.
c) Financing of Construction Equipment
d) Equipment Replacement Policy in an Organisation

A.a) Owning and Operating cost of a Construction Equipment:

Construction equipment owning & operating cost always needs to

check before purchase it. Construction Equipment running &
maintenance cost needs to be consider just to have the good decision
making that does create problem in future to you or your
organisation.
Owning Cost

Owning Cost means cost of purchasing the construction equipment

whether it’s new or used one. In this decision you money need to invest
for the long term and wait for the year to get the ROI of Equipment.
When you own the equipment then owning cost and operating cost both
you need to consider.

Operating Cost
Operating cost includes the operation related expenses. Ownership cost
is not there. When you need to wear the operating cost & when you go
for the ownership cost will let you know in below.

Operating cost includes the operator costing, helper costing, fuel

costing, maintenance cost other variable expense.

b) Integrated approach to Materials Management:

An integrated approach to materials management was presented. It was

shown that a radical improvement in materials management function
was obtained through business process re-engineering (BPR) by
analyzing the current process and deriving paradigm shifts. The BPR
methodology also involved preparing cost-time profile and determining
customer value structure.

Lower overall handling costs in manufacturing, distribution and

transportation. Enhance handling through streamlining and better
timing. Facilitate product control through better monitoring and
management. Improve inventory management and the accuracy of
information through real-time monitoring.

c) Financing of Construction Equipment:

Companies engaged in the business of construction, mining, material

handling, and material processing are the key drivers of the Indian
infrastructural growth story. However, these companies require
significant funding from time to time to maintain their daily operations.
A noteworthy amount is required to procure costly construction
equipment and heavy machinery.

We at Tata Capital understand the needs of real estate developers and

hence, provide construction equipment financing at affordable interest
rates. Our construction equipment loan can cater to your widespread
 requirements, including new asset finance, refinance, working capital
demands, top-up loans, letters of credit, and structured finance, among
others. Leasing construction equipment is seen as a better alternative to
buying, since it gives a chance to deploy construction equipment
without having to bear the burden of large cost or long-term
investments. Furthermore, leasing is one of the cheapest and best
options for construction companies to free up their line of credit.

d) Equipment Replacement Policy in an Organisation:

Equipments, plants, and machinery are very important for achieving
guest satisfaction.
A substantial part of the investment in the hotel industry is in its
physical plants.
At times it is more economical to replace equipments before it
completely breaks down.
Equipments / Items / Machinery / Plants replacement is categorized as:
 Equipments which gradually deteriorate due to wear and tear.
 Equipments which fail suddenly without any warning.
 MATERIALS EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
2020

1.Explain the importance of construction equipment management in

construction industry?

A. Modern Construction equipment plays a vital role in the construction

industry where business objectives are strictly time and margin driven. The
modern construction equipments are very swift and reliable with high-
quality control measures embedded into them as they have evolved over the
years. Proper utilization of these equipment helps in the economy, quality,
safety, speed and timely completion of the project. It optimizes the usage of
material, manpower, finance, and the shortage of skilled and efficient labor
and at the same time keeps a direct check over the quality measures that are
being used. Every construction company needs to invest in construction
equipment because it is an important part of any development project. Using
machinery to do work makes it faster, ensuring the timely completion of a
project. It also improves the quality of work done and makes work easier for
construction workers. Construction management ensures that each
stakeholder in the project is held accountable for their required portion. This
is important to ensure that what you are paying for is what you are getting.
Identifying any issues early allows your team to seek out remediation
without the need for costly delays. Construction equipment are the most
crucial and critical resource for a construction company. Construction
equipment are a prerequisite for timely completion of all construction
projects. As a matter of fact the equipment are one of the most capital
intensive long terms investments that a construction company makes.
Expenses related to construction equipment have a major impact on wether
the company’s balance sheet shows profits or losses and in what quantity.
Keeping the economic viability of the company in mind managing the
construction equipment and the related expenses becomes top priority
at construction equipment companies.
2.Write a short notes on following equipment’s:
a) Earth moving
b) Pile Driving
c) Concrete Placing

A. a) Earth moving:
As you know that the earth has two types of motions, namely rotation and
revolution. Rotation is the movement of the earth on its axis. The movement
of the earth around the sun in a fixed path or orbit is called Revolution. The
axis of the earth which is an imaginary line, makes an angle of 66½° with its
orbital plane.
b) Pile Driving: Pile driving installs long, slender support structures into the
ground. The process involves using a large machine to drive the piles into
the earth until they reach the required depth. Pile driving is often used to
construct foundation supports for buildings and other structures.
c) Concrete Placing: Placement of concrete is accomplished with buckets,
hoppers, manual or motor-propelled buggies, chutes and drop pipes,
conveyor belts, pumps, tremies, and paving equipment. Concrete can also be
placed by the shotcrete process, in which layers are applied pneumatically.

3.Write about material classification,codification and ABC analysis in

detail?

A. material classification:
Solid materials have been conveniently grouped into three basic
classifications: metals, ceramics, and polymers. This scheme is based
primarily on chemical makeup and atomic structure, and most materials fall
into one distinct grouping or another, although there are some intermediates.
In addition, there are the composites, combinations of two or more of the
above three basic material classes. A brief explanation of these material
types and representative characteristics is offered next. Another
classification is advanced materials—those used in hightechnology
applications—viz. semiconductors, biomaterials, smart materials, and
nanoengineered materials.
Codification:
In law, codification is the process of collecting and restating the law of
a jurisdiction in certain areas, usually by subject, forming a legal code, i.e.
a codex (book) of law.Codification is one of the defining features of civil
law jurisdictions.In common law systems, such as that of English law,
codification is the process of converting and consolidating judge-made
law or uncodified statutes enacted by the legislature into statute law.
ABC analysis:
ABC analysis is an inventory classification strategy that categorizes the
goods into three categories, A, B, and C, based on their revenue. 'A' in ABC
analysis signifies the most important goods, 'B' indicates moderately
necessary goods, and 'C' indicates the least essential inventory.

4.Brief out the integrated approach of materials management?

A.An integrated approach to materials management was presented. It was
shown that a radical improvement in materials management function was
obtained through business process re-engineering (BPR) by analyzing the
current process and deriving paradigm shifts. The BPR methodology also
involved preparing cost-time profile and determining customer value
structure. Handling & transportation, inspection, proper storage & issue of
materials to the internal customers, inventory management, vendor
management & finally disposal of obsolete, surplus & scrap materials etc.
taken together is termed as Integrated Materials Management. There should
be a proper co-ordination and co-operation among different functional heads
of materials department to optimise the operations of materials management.
The materials function to be effective, the objective must be to maximise
materials productivity. The major challenge that materials managers face is
maintaining a consistent flow of materials for production. There are many
factors that inhibit the accuracy of inventory which results in production
shortages, premium freight, and often inventory adjustments. The major
issues that all materials managers face are incorrect bills of materials,
inaccurate cycle counts, un-reported scrap, shipping errors, receiving errors,
and production reporting errors. Materials managers have striven to
determine how to manage these issues in the business sectors
of manufacturing since the beginning of the industrial revolution.

5.Explain in detail about

a) Vendor analysis
b) EOQ?

A. a) Vendor analysis:
A vendor analysis is an in-depth look at your suppliers and vendors. It helps
you understand how your chosen vendors operate, how they can benefit
your business, and what their potential roadblocks are. It’s an important step
in the procurement process because it helps you ensure you’re making the
right vendor choices for your company.
A vendor analysis is also known as a due diligence
process. This process helps you identify the best vendors for your company.
It identifies key areas such as vendor risk, capacity, operational risk, and
financial health. It also helps you understand your vendor’s capabilities and
how well they meet your needs.
A major component of vendor analysis is the
development of an overall rating system to compare different suppliers,
creating a consistent scorecard to compare vendor’s offerings. Vendor
analysis is the process that helps to choose the right suppliers. This is
important because unreliable suppliers can have a devastating impact on a
business’s success.
b) EOQ:
Economic order quantity (EOQ) is a calculation companies perform that
represents their ideal order size, allowing them to meet demand without
overspending. Inventory managers calculate EOQ to minimize holding costs
and excess inventory.
It doesn’t matter if your business sells jelly beans, appliances, furniture or
airplanes. Finding the economic order quantity for every product you
purchase is almost certain to impact the bottom line. Every business
that manages inventory can benefit from measuring and following the EOQ.

6.Explain about stores management in detail?

A.stores management: Store management requires specific skills to

successfully handle the demanding and often challenging job of managing a
retail or wholesale outlet. Effective management helps increase sales and
retain customers. Learning about the different elements of the role and how
technology can simplify many tasks can help a business run efficiently. In
this article, we define store management and explain how it helps businesses
maintain control and creates a positive work environment for
employees.Store management involves operating and monitoring all aspects
of a retail or wholesale store. This means working with employees, suppliers
and customers. Effectively managing a store can boost sales and improve
the customer experience. This role involves many retail elements, including
inventory, sales and marketing. Understanding each component of managing
a store can help a business run an efficient and successful store. Store
management is the activity of running and monitoring all operations in a
store. Its main responsibilities include working with employees, creating
work schedules, communicating with suppliers, and dealing with customer
complaints. Proper management will maintain effective control over your
business and positively impact your overall productivity. Thus, you need to
understand aspects of retail store management and its best practices to
optimize your inventory and enhance customer experience. Read on to
discover “What is store management?” and how to manage a retail store
successfully. According to Afford and Beatty, “Store management is that
aspect of material control concerned with the physical storage of goods”.
According to Maynard, “Store management is to receive materials, to
protect them while in storage from damage and unauthorized removal, to
issuethe materials in the right quantities, at the right time to the right place
and to provide these services promptly and at minimum cost”.
7.Elucidate the significance of inventory/ stock control in constructuion
management ?

A. Inventory or stock is the resourceful but idle assets lying with the
company at the end of the accounting period. It is one of the most
significant assets of a company on its balance sheet. So inventory valuation
is a very important factor in the accounting of a company. In fact, more than
55%-60% of the total expenditure of a project goes into the construction
materials. But issues regarding the tracking and locating of material
deliveries are always tricky and nerve-wracking at construction sites. The
traditional inventory tracking process easily causes labour intensive, error
prone, insufficient storage space, overordering, increased employment costs
and other problems.
For now, using inventory control software to manage material
deliveries is becoming a more popular and effective way of managing
logistics in the construction industry. Inventory control helps increase your
profit, minimises storage costs or losses, improves customer satisfaction,
improves order accuracy and balances multiple sales channels and locations.
[3] A well-managed inventory not only helps maximise the profitability of a
construction project but also ensures efficient practices for all parties.
Voyage Control is a cutting-edge 'Air Traffic Control' for inbound
logistics management. Proactively tracking material inventory is one of the
critical software features preventing avoidable delays and unnecessary costs
stemming from misplaced or lost items. We aim to use our inventory
management software to streamline timelines of deliveries and material
information, including detailed units of measurement of every delivered
material, the minimum and maximum inventory counts and bill of materials.
In other words, Voyage Control helps every client nail the material delivery.

8.Write a short notes on:

a) Repairs and maintenance of equipment
b) Legal aspects of purchasing materials
A. a) Repairs: Repair means responding to the breakdown of equipment
and undertaking work to correct the problem in order to return the
equipment to a working condition.
Before equipment can be repaired, you need to be aware that there is a
problem! Therefore, there should be a clearly understood system for
reporting faults and breakdowns and equipment users should be encouraged
to report faults and breakdowns as soon as possible. If there is no back-up
equipment, a breakdown will mean that the service the equipment was
providing will come to a halt.
maintenance of equipment: Equipment maintenance involves using
maintenance methods and procedures to keep organizational equipment in
good working condition. It includes both regular inspections and corrective
repairs of assets. The practice is performed in several settings, including
food service establishments, industrial plants, manufacturing facilities,
hotels, and more.

b) Legal aspects of purchasing materials: Legal Aspects in Procurement

and Contract Management is an online program developed specifically for
purchasing and supply management practitioners to familiarize you with the
legal aspects affecting the purchasing function. It will enhance your skills in
drafting various procurement contracts and in the administration of these
contracts. As a purchasing and supply management professional, you need
to have a working knowledge of contract law and contract administration.
You need to know your rights, responsibilities, and obligations to protect
your companies from risks arising transactions.
 MATERIALS EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
2019

1.Define Construction equipment? How are construction equipment

classified?Briefly explain the function of a back actor or back hoe
excavator very commonly used in all construction building sizes with
a neat sketch?

A.Construction equipment: It means all appliances/equipment and

things whatsoever nature for the use in or for the execution, completion,
operation, or maintenance of the work or temporary works (as hereinafter
defined) but does not include materials or other things intended to form
or to be incorporated into the WORK, or camping facilities. It means any
equipment or device designed and intended for use in construction or
material handling including but not limited to air compressors, air tracks,
pile drivers, pneumatic or hydraulic tools, bulldozers, tractors,
excavators, trenchers, cranes, derricks, loaders, backhoes, scrapers,
pavers, generators, off-highway haulers or trucks, ditchers, compactors
and rollers, pumps, concrete mixers, graders and other material handling
equipment.
Classification of Construction Equipment
The construction equipment is classified as follows:
1. Intermittent type
2. Continuous flow type
3. Mixed type
1.Intermittent type Construction Equipment:
These types of construction equipment have intermittent cycles of work.
They are operated on a series of work cycles and each cycle completes in
itself. Examples of the intermittent type of equipment are Power
shovels, draglines, scrapers, bulldozers, concrete mixers, etc.
2.Continuous type Construction Equipment:
This type of construction equipment has a continuous flow of work
turned out. Examples of continuous flow type equipment are belt
conveyors, pipelines, air compressors, etc.
3.Mixed type Construction Equipment:
This type of construction equipment has characteristics of both
intermittent as well as continuous type equipment. They are continuously
operated over a defined surface area and after the completion of a
particular task the equipment needs to be readjusted to another area to
resume production.
Examples of mixed-type construction equipment are motor graders,
bulldozers, scrapers, etc.
A backhoe, also known a rear actor or back actor, is a section of
excavating equipment or digger consisting of a digging bucket on the end
of a two-part articulated arm. They are typically mounted on the back of a
tractor or front loader. The section of the arm nearby to the vehicle is
known as the boom, and the section which carries the bucket is known as
the dipper or dipper stick (the terms “boom” and “dipper” having been
used previously on steam shovels). The boom is attached to the vehicle
through a pivot known as the kingpost, which allows the arm to slew left
and right, usually through a total of around 200 degrees. Modern
backhoes are powered by hydraulics.

2.a)What are the factors considered in the selection of construction

equipment for a given job?
b) You are assigned to procure a tower crane for construction of a
high rise building what factors would you consider in selecting the
tower crane?

A. a) Construction Equipment CE can improve the quality of production

and increase project efficiency, cost savings, profitability and safety at
any jobsite. Hence, selection of right CE is a very important step. Since,
there are different options to choose from, the selection of appropriate CE
becomes all the more difficult.
Here is a list of factors that affect the selection of CE and should always
be kept in mind...
1. Economic factors: Economic considerations such as the cost of owning
the equipment and operation and fuel costs are some of the most
important factors that play a deciding role in selecting the equipment.
Besides, consideration over resale value is also very important.
2. Factors specific to companies: The selection of Construction
Equipment also depend on the need of the company. If the company has a
lot of projects in hand for the coming few months or even years, then it
definitely makes sense for it to invest in the heavy CE. However, if there
is a one-off job or a short term job that needs to be completed, then the
company might opt for renting the equipment. Further, if the company is
doing really well and is ready to expand, then this also has a considerable
impact on CE selection decision. Also, the amount of outsourcing the
company does to execute its projects has an impact on CE selection
decision. If the projects are given on a contract-basis to the third party,
then the investment on equipment is kept low. Further, storage issues also
come into play. If the company has its own industrial garage where it can
store the equipment, then it may prefer to buy the CE.
b) Tower cranes are often seen at construction sites involving high rise
constructions. Ever since the real estate boom in the cities, tower cranes
have become an important part of high rise constructions. Several things
go into the decision making process of selecting tower cranes for a
project. Experts discuss in detail, the points that need to be considered
while selecting tower cranes.
Virtually all construction projects require the lifting, hauling or
transportation of heavy materials — which is why cranes play a gigantic
role in the development of your project.
Deciding which crane is right for your objectives can be an
overwhelming task, as the range of options available is limitless. There is
an enormous variety of cranes — each designed for a specific function or
use. One example is tower cranes — these are fixed to the ground in large
concrete footings or use weighted city bases when a concrete footer isn't
needed.
Tower cranes are commonly used in the construction of tall buildings and
are attached at various floors as the building rises. They are unique as
they have the ability to climb the building as it rises. Tower cranes can
add their own tower sections when equipped with a climber section. The
climber allows the crane to jack the tower up enough to add one section
of tower per move.
The climber section also gives the crane the ability to lower itself back
down the side of a building once the building is completed. Once it is at a
lower elevation a mobile crane can disassemble the crane and load it out
until its gone as if it was never there.
Selecting the right crane for the job definitely requires preliminary
preparation and planning but is an absolutely essential process, as it not
only ensures your construction site is safe for workers and the public, but
also can help you reduce costs and inefficiency, keeping your project on
track, budget and schedule.

3.What are the different types of maintenance adopted for plant and
machinery at a construction site? Briefly explain any one method
with an example?
A. For smooth functioning of a plant it is deemed necessary that all the
machines should be in working condition and should be safe to operate.
To cater this objective necessity of Plant Maintenance arises.
Plant Maintenance deals with Time based and Condition based
maintenance.
One unavoidable aspect of running a business is dealing with regular
maintenance of your assets, equipment, and property. Unfortunately, your
frequently-used equipment will occasionally malfunction, fail, or slow
down over time due to natural wear and tear (but you can take steps to
lengthen the life span of your business’s most essential assets, as we’ll
discuss later on).
This article targets the different types of maintenance you’ll face as a
business owner or manager, namely proactive maintenance strategies and
responsive maintenance strategies. Within these groupings, we’ll cover
several specific types of maintenance, including preventive, predictive,
planned, condition-based, reactive, emergency, and corrective
maintenance. We’ll talk more about what these different types of
maintenance entail, what they cost, and how they’ll contribute to your
business’s success in the long run.
Preventive maintenance – includes regular and periodic (time-based)
schedules. Corrective maintenance – occurs when an issue is noticed.
Predetermined maintenance – follows a factory schedule. Condition-
based maintenance – occurs when a situation or condition indicates
maintenance is needed.

4.what are the various financing operations available for a

construction company willing to purchase transporting equipment
(Tipper) for a project? Briefly explain the difference between
leasing and hire purchase.
A. In the long term, sources of revenue include sales, grants, and tax
revenues. Borrowed funds must be eventually paid back from these
other sources. In the short term, a wider variety of financing options
exist, including borrowing, grants, corporate investment funds, payment
delays and others.
Construction contracting has huge income potential. Government
infrastructure projects are most lucrative especially when the contractor
lands many projects. Getting those projects off the ground, however, is
a different story. That is because, like all businesses, construction
contractors take a huge risk by funding their projects using cash from
their reserves.
Financing is the key. Taking out construction loans for business keeps
the cash within the company as well as preserves cash flow by
stretching out payment terms. The construction financing industry also
happens to be very diverse in its offerings.
Contractors can take out any of these 7 types of financing to fund their
new projects and keep up with contractual obligations.
Hire Purchase

Hire purchase is defined as the transaction wherein the products are

bought and sold on several terms like the payment will be made in
installments, the goods bought will readily be given to the buyer, the
ownership of the product remains with the seller until the last
installment is paid, and every installment is treated as a hire rate till the
payment of the last installment. Hire purchase is undertaken when the
buyer cannot afford to pay the entire amount of a product. A percentage
of an amount is kept as a deposit, and the monthly rent is paid for the
product hired.

Leasing

A lease is defined as a legal/ contractual agreement wherein the lessee

pays the lessor to use a particular product. Assets like houses,
properties, buildings, etc., come under the contractual agreement of
leasing. Apart from the buildings, mechanical equipments are also
leased. Leasing can basically be defined as the contract between a
lessee and a lessor wherein the lessee agrees to rent a product, property,
or equipment owned by the lessor.

5.Define Materials Management?What are the functions of a

Materials Manager in charge of procuring materials on building
construction project site?
A. Material management is the process of planning, organising,
directing and controlling the flow of materials within an organisation.
In the manufacturing field, material managers perform a vital role in
purchasing, obtaining and maintaining raw materials to use in
production processes. Having a basic understanding of this concept and
the specific role of a material manager can help you prepare for a
career in this field. In this article, we outline what material
management is, how it works, what material managers do and its five
core objectives.
The Materials Manager will oversee the
planning, procurement, storage, control, and distribution of materials
and products according to company needs and customer requirements.
Materials managers oversee a company's inventory and purchasing
operations. They collaborate with engineers and designers to determine
the materials needed to complete manufacturing or construction
projects according to specifications, research vendors for those
materials, then order them. The purpose of a materials manager is to
oversee the planning and coordination of a company’s inventory and
purchasing departments. They are tasked with researching best prices,
monitoring inventory levels, distributing supplies, and negotiating
contracts. Also known as purchasing managers.

6. What is meant by selective inventory control? Explain ABC

analysis with suitable example as applied to stores materials?

A. Selective Inventory Control is an essential part of Materials

Management. Selective inventory control is emphasized on variations
in methods of control from item to item based on a selective basis. We
can not apply uniform control since it’s expensive and gives diffused
effect. For this purpose, we can use some criterion such as lead time,
consumption, criticality, cost of the items, procurement difficulties etc.
The following classification can be used for the selective treatment of
various types of materials.
Moreover, selective inventory control allows you to prioritize. In other
words, this system permits you to spend your limited inventory
management resources on the items that will generate the most revenue
for your practice. Plus, it creates tight controls to minimize losses on
the most valuable items in you inventory.
ABC method of inventory control
involves a system that controls inventory and is used for materials and
throughout the distribution management. It is also known as selective
inventory control or SIC.
ABC analysis is a method in which inventory is divided into three
categories, i.e. A, B, and C in descending value. The items in the A
category have the highest value, B category items are of lower value
than A, and C category items have the lowest value.
Inventory control and management are critical for a business. They
help to keep their costs under control. The ABC analysis helps the
business to control inventory by letting the management focus on the
highest value goods (the A-items) and not on the many low-value
goods (the C-items).

7. How materials are received and accounted in a typical

construction site stores?Briefly explain the process of obtaining
rejected materials in store and returned to the supplying company
or vendor.

A. Construction Materials management can be defined as "the function

responsible for the coordination of planning, sourcing, purchasing,
moving, storing and controlling materials in an optimum manner so as
a pre-decided service can be provided at a minimum cost". By another
definition, "materials management can be said to be that process of
management which coordinates, supervises and executes the tasks
associated with the flow of materials to, through, and out of an
organization in an integrated fashion". Lee and Dobler define materials
management as, "a confederacy of traditional materials activities bound
by common idea - the idea of an integrated management approach to
planning, acquisition, conversion, flow and distribution of production
materials from the raw material state to the finished product state."
From the above definitions, it is clear that the scope of materials
management is vast. It has, directly or indirectly, impact on the
activities of many related departments in the organization. Rejected
Materials or Workmanship.- All materials or workmanship or both
which have been rejected by the COR by reasons of failure to conform
to the requirements of the Contract Documents shall be removed and
replaced with new, acceptable materials by the contractor at
contractor's own expense. Replacement of Rejected Materials
Tenderer/contractor shall have to replace rejected Material with
approved one. Rejected Materials: Remove rejected materials
immediately from the site at Contractor's expense. Rejected Materials
whose defects have been corrected may not be incorporated into the
Work until the Engineer has approved their use. Rejected Materials in
which the defects have been subsequently corrected, shall have the
status of new Material. The Bank Guarantee for full value of Rejected
Material(s) shall be strictly as per above proforma and shall be through
a Scheduled Bank operating in India, including the Indian Branch of a
foreign bank recognized as a Scheduled Bank in India. Rejected
Materials and Defective WorkMaterials or work which, in the opinion
of the Engineer, do not comply with the Specification, shall be
classified as rejected materials or defective work, and shall be cut out
and removed from the Works and replaced as directed by the Engineer.
Rejected Materials whose defects have been corrected may not be
incorporated into the Work until the Owner’s Representative has
approved their use. Holding of Rejected Materials (Proposed §
106.20(b)(2)) (Comment 49) One comment objected to proposed §
106.20(b)(2), which would require separation of raw materials, in-
process materials, and final product infant formula after rejection for
use in infant formula and before disposition. The Agency may require
additional testing or retesting to determine whether the Materials or
 manufactured products meet Specifications.Materials or manufactured
products not meeting the Specifications at the time they are to be used
are unacceptable and must be removed immediately from the Project
Site, unless otherwise directed by the Engineer.00165.01 Rejected
Materials - The Engineer may reject any Materials that appear to be
defective (see 00150.25) or that contain asbestos.

8.Write short notes on any two of the following?

a)Site Layout
b) Methods of placing concrete.
c) Owning and operating charges for construction equipment
d) integrated approach to materials management
e) Legal aspects of purchasing

A. a)Site Layout: Site layout plans are prepared

by contractors as part of their mobilisation activities before work on
site commences.
These are a crucial part of construction management, as sites can be
very complex places involving the co-ordination and movement of
large quantities of materials as well as high-value products, plant and
people. Effectively and accurately laying out a site can help ensure that
the works are undertaken efficiently and safely. Careful sizing and
positioning of site facilities can help reduce travel times, congestion,
waiting times, and so on, and help to make the site a more
effective workplace with better worker morale.
Site layout planning involves four basic
processes:
 Identifying the site facilities that will be required.

 Determining the sizes, and other constraints for those facilities (such

as access requirements, security, services and so on).

 Establishing the inter-relationships between those facilities.

 Optimising the layout of the facilities on the site.

As sites will change in nature during the course of the works, there may
be a number of different site layout plans for different phases, and there
may be more detailed plans showing particularly complex areas or
sequences or describing specific functions.
The use of building information modelling (BIM) can help describe
the construction site in three dimensions and through different phases,
effectively creating a virtual construction model.

b) Methods of placing concrete: the deposition, distribution, and

consolidation of freshly mixed concrete in the place where it is to
harden (often inappropriately referred to as pouring).- ACI Concrete
Terminology

To provide durable concrete, it should be free of segregation and the

mortar should be in close contact with the coarse aggregate,
reinforcement, and any adjacent faces to which it is to be bonded.
Concrete should be deposited, as nearly as practicable, in its final
position. Placement of concrete is accomplished with buckets, hoppers,
manual or motor-propelled buggies, chutes and drop pipes, conveyor
belts, pumps, tremies, and paving equipment. Concrete can also be
placed by the shotcrete process, in which layers are applied
pneumatically. The shotcrete process is especially beneficial where
forming is inconvenient or impractical, access or location provides
difficulties, or normal casting techniques cannot be employed.

c) Owning and operating charges for construction equipment:

Construction equipment owning & operating cost always needs to
check before purchase it. Construction Equipment running &
maintenance cost needs to be consider just to have the good decision
making that does create problem in future to you or your organisation.
Many of the factors are affecting the operating & owning cost. You
need to take this with example whatever kind of equipment is taking.
Owning Cost & operating cost both are the different things.
Owning Cost
Owning Cost means cost of purchasing the construction equipment
whether it’s new or used one. In this decision you money need to invest
for the long term and wait for the year to get the ROI of Equipment.
When you own the equipment then owning cost and operating cost both
you need to consider.
Operating Cost
Operating cost includes the operation related expenses. Ownership cost
is not there. When you need to wear the operating cost & when you go
for the ownership cost will let you know in below.
Operating cost includes the operator costing, helper costing, fuel
costing, maintenance cost other variable expense.
Owning Cost & Operating Cost Formula to check the Decision
Owning costs = purchase price of machine + financing + taxes –
disposal price (what you get for that machine when you resell it).
Operating costs = labour + fuel + maintenance + replacement costs of
tires, tracks and other components + overhead.

So above formula give you some basic idea of owning and operating
of Heavy Equipment.
d) integrated approach to materials management:
An integrated approach to materials management was presented. It was
shown that a radical improvement in materials management function
was obtained through business process re-engineering (BPR) by
analyzing the current process and deriving paradigm shifts. The BPR
methodology also involved preparing cost-time profile and determining
customer value structure. Thus, the management of these materials so
as to reduce the costs associated is what we refer to as Materials
Management. An integrated approach to Materials Management defines
it as " the function responsible for the coordination of planning,
sourcing, purchasing, moving, storing and controlling materials in an
optimum manner so as to provide a predetermined service to the
customer at a minimum cost " (Ramakrishna, 2005; Gopalakrishnan &
Sundaresan, 2006). International Federation of Purchasing and
Materials Management (IFPMM) defined it as a total concept having its
definite organization to plan and control all types of materials, its
supply, and its flow from raw stage to finished stage so as to deliver the
product to customer as per his requirements in time.
e) Legal aspects of purchasing:
In commercial practice the word contract is sometimes used only for
agreements which either involve exceptionally large sums of money or
cover exceptionally long periods of time or are embodied in more
formal documents than usual. In law however a contract is any legally
binding agreement, breach of which can be grounds for action in the
civil courts. This is a specialist course aimed at giving delegates a
sound working knowledge of the law relating to purchasing. As well as
covering legislation, the course is designed to show the application of
the law to practical situations regularly met by organisations
purchasing goods and services. Practical advice and examples are
provided on how to set up more robust contracts and manage the
process of contract formation.

Sale of goods legislation is covered in detail with an emphasis on how

the buyer can ensure that their statutory protection is not diluted by the
seller’s Terms of Sale. The course also covers more recent legislation
such as the Bribery and Modern Slavery Acts and TUPE.

The course also offers an insight into the legal implications

of buying from overseas.
 MATERIALS EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
2019 (2)

1.a) Discuss regarding hire purchase vs owning of construction

equipment with the help of an aribitary data.
b) Discuss the factors to be considered in determination of
economic life of an construction equipment.

A. a) Hire Purchase is one of the most commonly used modes

of financing for acquiring various assets. It aids by spreading the huge
cost of an asset over a longer period of time. Thus, it frees a lot of
capital to be directed to other important purposes. A hire
purchase (HP), also known as an installment plan, is an arrangement
whereby a customer agrees to a contract to acquire an asset by paying
an initial installment (e.g., 40% of the total) and repaying the balance
of the price of the asset plus interest over a period of time. Other
analogous practices are described as closed-end leasing or rent to own.
In other words installment means to let a thing without giving total
price while payment will be given in a given time period. The buyer
will pay monthly agreement installment.
Ownership cost is defined as the total
cost related to the construction equipment in order to own it. This cost
is irrespective of whether the equipment is employed or not. Ownership
cost is a combination of different costs like initial cost, interest cost,
salvage value, insurance cost, storage cost and taxes. Ownership cost is
defined as the total cost related to the construction equipment in order
to own it. This cost is irrespective of whether the equipment is
employed or not.
Ownership cost is a combination of different costs like initial cost,
interest cost, salvage value, insurance cost, storage cost and taxes. Each
cost is briefly explained one by one in this article.

b) Financial considerations regarding the economic life of an asset

include the cost at the time of purchase, the amount of time the asset
can be used in production, the time at which it will need to be
replaced, and the cost of maintenance or replacement. Changes in
industry standards or regulations may also be involved.
New regulations may render current equipment obsolete or raise the
required industry standards for an asset beyond the specifications of a
business's existing assets. Further, the economic life on one asset may
be tied to the useful life of another. In cases where two separate assets
are required to complete a task, the loss of one asset may render the
second asset useless until the first asset is repaired or replaced.

2.Explain in detail the factors to be considered in planning and

selection of any construction equipment?

A. In very general terms, skills are attributes and competencies used by

individuals to perform tasks and activities. In the context of work, these
can be referred to as ‘job skills’, or more generally in
the context of construction, ‘construction skills’.
As construction is a broad and wide-ranging industry, there are an
enormous variety of different skills, both physical and mental, required
of those who work within it. Specific construction skills can
include; bricklaying, carpentry, concreting, plumbing, electrical and so
on. In addition to the practical skills needed to perform these
particular trades, site workers require physical skills such
as strength and dexterity, as well as being skilled in terms of avoiding
injury and hazards.
Other construction skills include project
management, office management, commercial management,
accountancy, engineering, mathematics, planning, drawing, modelling,
and so on.
The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is a
card certification scheme for construction workers. The
cards certify that the holder has the appropriate training, experience and
qualifications for their work (in particular in relation to health and
safety). Many contractors require that site workers hold a
valid CSCS card. Checks may be made before allowing workers entry
to a construction site, and if they do not have the appropriate card for
their work, they are not allowed access.
There is currently considerable concern that the UK faces
a construction skills shortage caused by an ageing workforce, a lack
of apprenticeships, the poor image of the industry
amongst school leavers and the return to economic growth after
the credit crunch. According to CITB, more than
182,000 construction jobs will need to be created in the next few years.
Many construction workers are retiring, and the rate of retirement looks
set to increase as 22% of the workforce are over 50, and 15% are in
their 60s. The problem is exacerbated by the lack of young people
entering the industry - only about 10% of those working
in construction are aged between 19 and 24, with just 1-2% aged
between 16 and 18.
The industry is losing out to competing sectors where work is more
stable, conditions more comfortable and pay more competitive. For
more information, see tackling the construction skills shortage.
A PDP is a form of self-evaluation and self-reflection that is typically
used in higher education and the workplace. However, it can also be a
beneficial exercise in your personal life. For example, you may want to
learn a new language before travelling overseas, and a PDP can help
you achieve this goal.
A personal development plan, which is also known as a PDP, is an
action plan that you can use to identify:
 Your individual goals and what you want to achieve.
 Your strengths and weaknesses.
 The areas you need to improve and develop to meet your goals.

 What you need to do to achieve your goals.

 Anything that could hinder your progress.

3.Explain
a) Classification and codification of materials
b) Standardization of materials

A. a) Classification and codification of materials:

Classification and codification of materials are steps in maintaining
stores in a systematic way. Materials are classified in such way that
storing, issuing and identifying of materials become easy. Generally,
materials are classified on the basis of their nature.
Classification ‘refers to the systematic division, grouping or
categorization of materials or store items with reference to
some common characteristic. Classification of materials can be made
on different bases namely nature, manufacturing
process, value, purpose etc
Classification is the systematic division, grouping, or categorization of
materials or items based on some common characteristic.
Classification of materials can be performed on different bases (e.g.,
nature, manufacturing process, value, and purpose).
To identify materials that are purchased and stored for commercial
purposes, they should be properly classified.
After classifying and grouping the various items in an organization's
stores, it is useful to codify them.
Codification is the process of assigning a number or symbol to each
store item, along with a name, in order to make it easy and convenient
to identify.The codification of store items thus leads to time-saving and
labor efficiencies.

b) Standardization of materials:
Standardization of materials is the subset of codification – the process
of signifying each item through a number whose digits further represent
the group, the subgroup, type and dimensions of a particular item. The
first two digits would generally indicate the major groups, such as if
it’s a raw material, oil stationary, etc, and the next two digits would
indicate subgroups, such as type of raw material, etc. The next three
digits can represent the dimensional characteristics of the item, and the
last digit of any minor variations.
Rationalized standardization has culminated into many organizations
reducing their number of items and in turn, working on a systemic
grouping of items similar in nature, thus avoiding confusion caused due
to detailed description of items, because standardization of names is
backed by codification that introduces standardization and
simplification. Not only does it avoid duplication of items, but also
results into the minimization of the number of items and accuracy in
record-keeping.
Standardization also allows for easy identification of items in stores
and hence, reduces much on clerical efforts. Items coded as per the
sources also enable keeping the items in bulk while ordering.
Therefore, standardization of materials is very crucial right from
design, production, engineering through to inspection, maintenance and
materials.

4.Explain in detail the scope,objective and functions of materials

management in construction industry.

A. Scope: It was referring to the various functions of materials

management of the materials management coordination of various
departments of manufacturing enterprises. Once the material
procurement and brought by the organization, its value continues to
increase other costs of materials required for the sorting, carrying
materials in inventory, maintenance and management costs must be
allocated to the cost of materials before entering into a product or
converted to other form. In order to save the cost of all the materials
management company has taken a clear method to determine the
amount of material is ordered, the number is stored as inventory and in-
process inventory. In order to reduce the cost of materials and other
costs, there must be effective and efficient management of materials
technology, it must be dynamically adjusted with changes in demand
and production.
Objective:As a material manager, your objectives will include:

 Efficient materials planning

 Purchasing and receiving inventory
 Storing and inventory control
 Materials supply and distribution
 Good supplier and customer relationship

Good coordination between employees and departments is

necessary to meet these objectives. Improved efficiency among
the department
Functions: The functions of material management are as follows:

1. Material Planning and Programming: - this consists of

determining the total material requirement for any project by
considering all factors. It also consists of laying down standards
for the materials, substitutes, sources of supply etc.
2. Material Purpose: - this consists of locating and developing
sources of supply, market research for purchasing, calling of
tenders, selection of suppliers, negotiations, contracting and
issuing of purchase orders.
3. Store Keeping: - This involves receiving and custody of
purchased materials. The materials should be stored in such a way
that handling and damage caused is minimum.
4. Inventory Control: - This is a system of locating, storing and
recording of goods so that they can be made available to the
actual site at minimum total expenditure.
 5. Quality Control and Inspection: - Quality control is the control
of quality during manufacturing. Inspection consists of comparing
the actual products against previously laid down standards and
specifications.
6. Material Handling: - From the receipt of goods, inspection in
the storage and issue for use, materials should be handled in such
a way so as to cause minimum damage.
7. Disposal of Surplus, Obsolete and Scrap stock: - if surplus,
obsolete and scrap stock is held in possession, this involves
inventory carrying, storage and security costs. Hence, this should
be disposed of as soon as possible.

5.Discuss the silent features of:

a) Road construction
b) Concrete placing equipment

A. a) Road construction: Highway engineering is an engineering

discipline branching from civil engineering that involves the planning,
design, construction, operation, and maintenance of roads, bridges, and
tunnels to ensure safe and effective transportation of people and goods.
Road construction is a laborious operation that might take several years
to complete, depending on the length of the finalised roadway. It takes
meticulous planning, many evaluations, and a variety of evaluations,
including analyses of the environment and the structure, and it includes
multiple construction teams and plant equipment. Once construction
has started on a road, numerous steps must be completed before the
road is ready for vehicle traffic. Road construction is the establishment
of an engineered, unbroken right-of-way or roadbed that overcomes
geographical barriers and has levels low enough to allow for car or foot
traffic, and is needed to follow legal or official norms.
b) Concrete placing equipment: You have just produced a high-
quality concrete batch and you are absolutely certain that you know the
exact water-cementitious ratio of the mix. It is properly mixed and
being discharged from the mixer, ready for transport to be placed in
formwork. This moment is critical – do you know where this batch is
going? How’s it getting there?
Let’s assume the following:
The concrete is discharged from the mixer onto a conveyor belt
The conveyor belt transports the fresh concrete to a bucket
An overhead crane lifts and transports the bucket to the form
Albeit simplified, this scenario is useful in highlighting three important
pieces of equipment used in the typical precast concrete production
facility – conveyor belts, concrete buckets and overhead cranes – and
you should be familiar with their characteristics and maintencance
requirements.

6.As materials manager in charge of a site,explain how do you plan

for procurement and inventory of materials.

A. The materials management department coordinates logistical

processes including inventory management, as well as warehousing and
transportation of deliveries, products and equipment by ship, rail or
HGV to ensure an adequate supply of goods and services.

The economic efficiency of all these activities is a keyfactor here and is

continually monitored. Inventory counts and the analysis of stock etc.
ensure that various types of stock are monitored.

The procurement department is a strategic partner for all transactions

involving third party suppliers. The department achieves this by
developing and implementing efficient and effective procurement and
logistics strategies, identifying and using the potential for synergy, as
well as managing suppliers. Procurement constantly creates
opportunities to optimize costs, which significantly contributes to the
competitiveness of the K+S Group. Employees working in
Procurement also prepare requests for quotations, carry out
negotiations, place orders.

The term inventory refers to the raw materials used in production as

well as the goods produced that are available for sale. A company's
inventory represents one of the most important assets it has because
the turnover of inventory represents one of the primary sources of
revenue generation and subsequent earnings for the company's
shareholders. There are three types of inventory, including raw
materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods. It is categorized as a
current asset on a company's balance sheet.

7.Explain the problems faced by a materials manager regarding

supply of materials by vendors and during construction phase and
how will overcome the same.

A. One of the major sources of troubles for construction projects is

poor material management since any weakness of any of its processes
directly affects construction progress. Material handling at site can
consume up to 40 percent of labor force time. This makes having
professional material management system in place an essential element
of efficient project management of construction projects.
Project manager and team should pay attention to the implementation
of the procurement, supply and logistics plans which enable
coordinated materials transport, handling and storing on construction
sites. This starts at early stages of the project when developing the
engineering design packages and preparing materials, systems and
services specifications and scope of supply documentation.
Disorganized project materials management negatively impacts the
project performance golden triangle (schedule, budget and quality).
Below are the main challenging areas that lead to most of materials
management problems at work site in construction projects:
 1. Insufficient project planning at early stages
2. Incoherent project communication and organization
3. Engineering delays, errors, omissions and changes
4. Procurement processes and vendors related issues
5. Unexpected logistics and transport challenges
6. Site materials storage and handling problems
7. Mishandling of waste and surplus management
The first three areas are common sources of agony in all project
management activities; however, they are discussed here from the point
of view of their effect on materials management at construction phase.

8.Explain the following:

a) ABC analysis
b) Mechanization of construction
c) Estimation of material requirement

A. a) ABC analysis:
In materials management, ABC analysis is an inventory categorisation
technique. ABC analysis divides an inventory into three categories—
"A items" with very tight control and accurate records, "B items" with
less tightly controlled and good records, and "C items" with the
simplest controls possible and minimal records.
The ABC analysis provides a mechanism for identifying items that will
have a significant impact on overall inventory cost, [1] while also
providing a mechanism for identifying different categories of stock that
will require different management and controls.
The ABC analysis suggests that inventories of an organization are not
of equal value.[2] Thus, the inventory is grouped into three categories
(A, B, and C) in order of their estimated importance.
'A' items are very important for an organization. Because of the high
value of these 'A' items, frequent value analysis is required. In addition
to that, an organization needs to choose an appropriate order pattern
(e.g. 'just-in-time') to avoid excess capacity. 'B' items are important, but
of course less important than 'A' items and more important than 'C'
items. Therefore, 'B' items are intergroup items. 'C' items are
marginally important.
b) Mechanization of construction: Implementing construction work
that creates buildings is a very complicated and laborious task and
requires the use of various types of machines and equipment.
Technologies for building construction are still being developed and
implemented to limit people’s hard work and improve work efficiency
and quality in innovative construction solutions. New opportunities for
improving work on the construction site include computerisation of
technological processes and construction management for projects and
processes.
Mechanisation is the process of changing from working largely or
exclusively by hand to doing that work with machinery. A project
comprises various activities of diverse nature.
Many attributes increased mechanization in India to the shortage of
unskilled construction laborers. Delays in construction are costly, and
have prompted developers to embrace mechanization. But, this is not
the only reason. Though mechanization cuts cost and time, developing
nations tend to use primitive technology while the developed countries
use more advanced technology. India has always lagged behind the
developed countries in using advanced technology in construction
because developers do not have enough capital to spare to acquire
sophisticated machinery.
c) Estimation of material requirement: Material requirements
planning (MRP) is a system for calculating the materials and
components needed to manufacture a product. It consists of three
primary steps: taking inventory of the materials and components on
hand, identifying which additional ones are needed and then scheduling
their production or purchase. A Material Requirements Planning
(MRP) system accelerates the manufacturing production process by
determining what raw materials, components and subassemblies are
needed, and when to assemble the finished goods, based on demand
and bill of materials (BOM).

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