Automated Components–Vehicle Allocation Planning for Precast Concrete Projects
Publication: Journal of Management in Engineering
Volume 38, Issue 6
Abstract
To move precast concrete (PC) components to the site through vehicles in a PC project, a construction manager must establish a PC components–vehicle allocation (CVA) plan everyday by integrating factory, transport, and site information and by reflecting various considerations for CVA. However, in practice, the manager establishes the plan manually, which often leads to an increase in transportation costs due to inefficient use of vehicles and plan errors. Thus, this study develops an automated method for CVA by deriving considerations for CVA via interviews and literature review and by formalizing a CVA process that satisfies the considerations. The process has the following five steps: determining component loading type, developing preliminary CVA, determining vehicle loading type, crashing CVA for reducing the number of vehicles, and setting site arrival time and type of vehicles. Charrette test results indicate that the automated method can generate CVA plans faster than practitioners and reduce the number of vehicles by taking the derived considerations into account comprehensively. This study contributes to the off-site construction management theory by formalizing the process knowledge about how to deal with different considerations in CVA. This can help alleviate social and environmental problems, such as increased transportation cost and carbon dioxides emission by supporting decision-making of construction managers in planning installation of PC components and allocating them to vehicles.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This work is supported by the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA) grant funded by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (Grant No. 22ORPS-B158109-03).
References
Ahn, S., M. Altaf, S. Han, and M. Al-Hussein. 2017. “Application of machine learning approach for logistics cost estimation in panelized construction.” In Proc., 2017 Modular and Offsite Construction (MOC) Summit and the 2nd Int. Sym. on the Industrialized Construction Technology, 216–223. Shanghai, China: Univ. Tongji.
Chang, C., F. Wu, and D. Liu. 2016. “Optimization model of load and transportation for prefabricated construction components.” In Proc., 2016 Int. Forum on Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, 1145–1148. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Atlantis Press.
Chen, S., K. Feng, W. Lu, Y. Wang, X. Chen, and S. Wang. 2019. “A discrete event simulation-based analysis of precast concrete supply chain strategies considering suppliers’ production and transportation capabilities.” In ICCREM 2019: Innovative construction project management and construction industrialization, 12–24. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Cho, K., S. Ahn, K. Park, and T. Kim. 2021. “Schedule delay leading indicators in precast concrete construction projects: Qualitative comparative analysis of Korean cases.” J. Manage. Eng. 37 (4): 04021024. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000915.
Clayton, M., J. Kunz, and M. Fischer. 1998. The charrette test method. Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ.
Ergen, E., and B. Akinci. 2008. “Formalization of the flow of component-related information in precast concrete supply chains.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage. 134 (2): 112–121. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2008)134:2(112).
Ergen, E., B. Akinci, and R. Sacks. 2007. “Tracking and locating components in a precast storage yard utilizing radio frequency identification technology and GPS.” Autom. Constr. 16 (3): 354–367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2006.07.004.
Fang, Y., and S. Ng. 2019. “Genetic algorithm for determining the construction logistics of precast components.” Eng. Constr. Archit. Manage. 26 (10): 2289–2306. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-09-2018-0386.
Godbole, S., N. Lam, M. Mafas, S. Fernando, E. Gad, and J. Hashemi. 2018. “Dynamic loading on a prefabricated modular unit of a building during road transportation.” J. Build. Eng. 18 (Jul): 260–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2018.03.017.
Hsu, P., P. Angeloudis, and M. Aurisicchio. 2018. “Optimal logistics planning for modular construction using two-stage stochastic programming.” Autom. Constr. 94 (Oct): 47–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2018.05.029.
Ji, Y., L. Qi, Y. Liu, X. Liu, H. X. Li, and Y. Li. 2018. “Assessing and prioritising delay factors of prefabricated concrete building projects in China.” Appl. Sci. 8 (11): 2324. https://doi.org/10.3390/app8112324.
Lee, Y., J. Kim, F. Flager, and M. Fischer. 2021a. “Generation of stacking plans for prefabricated exterior wall panels shipped vertically with A-frames.” Autom. Constr. 122 (Feb): 103507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2020.103507.
Lee, Y., J. Kim, A. Khanzode, and M. Fischer. 2021b. “Empirical study of identifying logistical problems in prefabricated interior wall panel construction.” J. Manage. Eng. 37 (3): 05021002. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000907.
Liu, D., X. Li, J. Chen, and R. Jin. 2020. “Real-time optimization of precast concrete component transportation and storage.” Adv. Civ. Eng. 2020 (Mar): 18. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5714910.
Luo, L., X. Jin, Q. Shen, Y. Wang, X. Liang, X. Li, and Z. Li. 2020. “Supply chain management for prefabricated building projects in Hong Kong.” J. Manage. Eng. 36 (2): 05020001. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000739.
Luo, L., G. Shen, G. Xu, Y. Liu, and Y. Wang. 2019. “Stakeholder-associated supply chain risks and their interactions in a prefabricated building project in Hong Kong.” J. Manage. Eng. 35 (2): 05018015. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000675.
Shewchuk, J., and C. Guo. 2012. “Panel stacking, panel sequencing, and stack locating in residential construction: Lean approach.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage. 138 (9): 1006–1016. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000520.
Tang, X., P. Xu, and S. Cui. 2019. “Applying the bi-level programming model based on time satisfaction to optimize transportation scheduling of prefabricated components.” In Proc., 2019 8th Int. Conf. on Industrial Technology and Management, 280–284. New York: IEEE.
Wang, Z., and H. Hu. 2017. “Improved precast production–scheduling model considering the whole supply chain.” J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 31 (4): 04017013. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000667.
Wang, Z., T. Wang, H. Hu, J. Gong, X. Ren, and Q. Xiao. 2020. “Blockchain-based framework for improving supply chain traceability and information sharing in precast construction.” Autom. Constr. 111 (Mar): 103063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2019.103063.
Xu, G., M. Li, L. Luo, C. Chen, and G. Huang. 2019. “Cloud-based fleet management for prefabrication transportation.” Enterp. Inf. Syst. 13 (1): 87–106. https://doi.org/10.1080/17517575.2018.1455109.
Yang, Y., M. Pan, W. Pan, and Z. Zhang. 2021. “Sources of uncertainties in offsite logistics of modular construction for high-rise building projects.” J. Manage. Eng. 37 (3): 04021011. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000905.
Yi, W., R. Phipps, and H. Wang. 2020. “Sustainable ship loading planning for prefabricated products in the construction industry.” Sustainability 12 (21): 8905–8912. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218905.
Yin, S., H. Tserng, J. Wang, and S. Tsai. 2009. “Developing a precast production management system using RFID technology.” Autom. Constr. 18 (5): 677–691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2009.02.004.
Zhang, H., and L. Yu. 2020. “Dynamic transportation planning for prefabricated component supply chain.” Eng. Constr. Archit. Manage. 27 (9): 2553–2576. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-12-2019-0674.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 21, 2022
Accepted: May 18, 2022
Published online: Aug 1, 2022
Published in print: Nov 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Jan 1, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Automation and robotics
- Business management
- Concrete
- Concrete construction
- Construction (by type)
- Construction engineering
- Construction management
- Construction sites
- Continuum mechanics
- Design (by type)
- Dynamic loads
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Engineering mechanics
- Highway transportation
- Infrastructure
- Load factors
- Managers
- Materials engineering
- Personnel (type)
- Personnel management
- Practice and Profession
- Precast concrete
- Solid mechanics
- Structural design
- Structural dynamics
- Systems engineering
- Transportation engineering
- Vehicle loads
- Vehicles
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
- Eunbeen Jeong, Junyoung Jang, Seulbi Lee, Seungjun Ahn, Tae Wan Kim, Quantitative Analysis of the Factors Influencing Field Installation Time for Precast Concrete Building Components: An Empirical Study, Journal of Management in Engineering, 10.1061/JMENEA.MEENG-5816, 40, 3, (2024).
- Wen Yi, Huiwen Wang, Lu Zhen, Yannick Liu, Automated Generation of Horizontal Precast Slab Stacking Plans, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 10.1061/JCEMD4.COENG-13424, 149, 12, (2023).