Construction, Commissioning, and Startup Execution: Problematic Activities on Capital Projects
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 145, Issue 4
Abstract
The commissioning and startup (CSU) stage of industrial capital projects is made up of a large number of discrete activities. These activities are executed across the construction, precommissioning, commissioning, and startup (CCSU) project phases by a host of organizations and disciplines. CCSU activities are often fraught and have adverse consequences which may broadly impact overall project success. This research sought to discover which activities are commonly problematic across industrial sectors, and how these activities are characterized. A better understanding of commonly problematic activities (so-called Hot Spots) will give insight into how best to address problems when or before they arise. Contributions made by this research include a list of 20 of the most common problematic CCSU activities, characterizations of 7 attributes for each of the 20 Hot Spots, an analysis of themes recurring among the characterizations, and a model for implementation of research findings on projects. These contributions will provide perspective on common CCSU shortcomings and guidance on how to remedy them.
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Data Availability Statement
All data generated or analyzed during the study are included in the published paper. Information about the Journal’s data-sharing policy can be found here: http://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001263.
Acknowledgments
The research presented in this article was sponsored by the Construction Industry Institute (CII). The authors wish to express gratitude and appreciation to the members of the panel of industry practitioners, survey participants, interviewees, validation reviewers, and support staff at CII for their participation in this research effort.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 145 • Issue 4 • April 2019
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 27, 2018
Accepted: Sep 6, 2018
Published online: Jan 28, 2019
Published in print: Apr 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Jun 28, 2019
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