1,721,528 research outputs found
An expert system for the strategic planning of construction projects
No full textThis paper describes the instigation and development of an expert system to aid in the strategic planning of construction projects. The paper consists of four parts - the origin of the project, the development of the concepts needed for the proposed system, the building of the system itself, and assessment of its performance.\ud
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The origin of the project is outlined starting with the Japanese commitment to 5th generation computing together with the increasing local reaction to theory based prescriptive research in the field. The subsequent development of activities via the Alvey Commission and the RICS in conjunction with Salford University are traced culminating in the proposal and execution of the first major expert system to be built for the UK construction industry, subsequently recognised as one of the most successful of the expert system projects commissioned under the Alvey programm
Decision Support System for Construction Prequalification
No full textThe paper describes a prototype decision support/expert system for contractor prequalification, CP-DSS. The system firstly evaluates contractors' capabilities according to the project specific criteria. It then identifies any risk that may be caused by contractors. Finally, contractors are appraised according to their likely performance, management capability, reputation, resources, progress, competitiveness and activeness
Research Methodology for Multiple Course Development
No full textA research methodology is described for the development of multiple undergraduate course programs. This involves the identification and weighting of stakeholders, soliciting, structuring and prioritising stakeholders views, resource estimation, development of options, validation and selection. A case study is provided which describes the development of the method at the Queensland University of Technology's School of Construction Management and Property
Early stage construction price forecasting: a review of performance (RICS Occasional Paper)
No full textThe aim of construction price forecasting is to provide an estimate of the market price of construction contracts. The estimates may be for individual or groups of past, present or future projects entering the contract market. They are made by a variety of interested parties ranging from government and other institutional agencies concerned with general price trends, to designers and construction contractors concerned with the price of specific contracts. This review relates to designers' price forecasts of specific current construction contracts.\ud
Designers' construction price forecasting, a function often undertaken by Quantity Surveyors in the UK, is essentially a commercial activity albeit part of a larger package of services normally provided by the Quantity Surveying profession. As such, the organisation providing the forecasting service has to consider the balance between the quality and cost of providing that service within the general business objectives of resource enhancement and creation of further business opportunities. Although the intention is to eventually investigate all these considerations with a view to systemising the forecasting decision process in some way, this paper is restricted to the aspect of quality of service and its determinants
Development research for interschool benchmarking
No full textResearch is described aimed at developing a benchmarking system for University Schools of Construction Management. This follows a standard empirical approach in soliciting views and requirements from a group of stakeholders comprising the Australasian Universities Building Education Association Heads of Schools. These views were analysed and consolidated into a set of 34 benchmarks and associated likely data sources. Following a pilot study investigating the data collection logistics involved, these were reduced down to a set of 20 tables capable of being produced by each participant over a reasonably short period. As a result, the stage has now been reached where the tables have been completed by several of the participants for consolidation into a benchmark publication
Heuristics and building price forecasting
No full textThe construction industry contains two types of estimators the contractors' estimator and the designers' price forecaster. Each has two models of the building in which to systemize his procedures - the production model and the design model. The use of these models is discussed in the light of the industry's particular problems of complexity and uncertainty together with the pressures of the market. It is argued that estimators and forecasters, in order to function effectively in these conditions, are forced to exercise a high degree of subjective judgment. Means of eliciting good heuristics involved in judgment making are considered by reference to the artificial intelligence and construction literature and a methodology is proposed based on these findings. The results of two early trials of the method with students are given, indicating the usefulness of the approach
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