Model of Trade-Off between Overlapping and Rework of Design Activities
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 140, Issue 2
Abstract
An effective and well-known technique for earlier completion of construction projects is to overlap the project activities that normally would be performed in sequence. Overlapping, often called fast-tracking, is inherently risky because it increases uncertainties and can result in more changes and rework. In order to gain maximum advantages from early project completion, a trade-off between benefits and losses of activity overlapping is required. In this paper, a new model has been developed to (1) explain in detail the mechanism and characteristics of design activity overlapping and (2) formulate and discuss design activity overlapping time-cost trade-off. A qualitative research methodology including interviews and focus groups with experts was used to generate and refine the model. This model contributes to the body of knowledge of construction management by demonstrating (1) how to analyze multipath networks through introducing the multi-predecessor effect and (2) how to analyze concurrent overlapping through introducing the cascade effect. The results of this paper can generate insights for further research to solve the overlapping time-cost trade-off and determine the optimum overlapping degree.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Berthaut, F., Greze, L., Pellerin, R., Perrier, N., and Hajji, A. (2011a). “Optimal resource-constraint project scheduling with overlapping modes.” CIRRELT-2011-09, Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur les reseaux d'entreprise, la logistique et le transport (CIRRELT), Montreal, QC, Canada.
Berthaut, F., Pellerin, R., Perrier, N., and Hajji, A. (2011b). “Time-cost trade-offs in resource-constraint project scheduling problems with overlapping modes.” CIRRELT-2011-10, Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur les reseaux d'entreprise, la logistique et le transport (CIRRELT), Montreal, QC, Canada.
Blacud, N. A., Bogus, S. M., Diekmann, J. E., and Molenaar, K. R. (2009). “Sensitivity of construction activities under design uncertainty.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 199–206.
Bogus, S. M., Molenaar, K. R., and Diekmann, J. E. (2005). “Concurrent engineering approach to reducing design delivery time.” J. Constr. Eng. Manag., 1179–1185.
Bogus, S. M., Molenaar, K. R., and Diekmann, J. E. (2006). “Strategies for overlapping dependent design activities.” Constr. Manage. Econ., 24(8), 829–837.
Cho, S., and Eppinger, S. D. (2005). “A simulation-based process model for managing complex design projects.” IEEE Trans. Eng. Manag., 52(3), 316–328.
Creswell, J. W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Dehghan, R., and Ruwanpura, J. Y. (2011). “The mechanism of design activity overlapping in construction projects and the time-cost trade-off function.” 12th East Asia-Pacific Conf. on Structural Engineering and Construction (EASEC-12), Dept. of Building and Construction, City Univ. of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Dehghan, R., Ruwanpura, J. Y., and Khoramshahi, F. (2010). “Activity overlapping assessment in construction, oil and gas projects.” ASCE Construction Research Congress (CRC 2010), ASCE, Reston, VA.
Eppinger, S. D. (1997). “A planning method for integration of large-scale engineering systems.” Int. Conf. on Engineering Design, Tampere, Finland, 199–204.
Gerk, J. E. V., and Qassim, R. Y. (2008). “Project acceleration via activity crashing, overlapping, and substitution.” IEEE Trans. Eng. Manag., 55(4), 590–601.
Gray, D. E. (2009). Doing research in the real world, TJ International, Padstow, UK.
Ha, A. Y., and Porteus, E. L. (1995). “Optimal timing of reviews in concurrent design for manufacturability.” Manage. Sci., 41(9), 1431–1447.
Krishnan, V. (1996). “Managing the simultaneous execution of coupled phases in concurrent product development.” IEEE Trans. Eng. Manag., 43(2), 210–217.
Krishnan, V., Eppinger, S. D., and Whitney, D. E. (1995). “Accelerating product development by the exchange of preliminary product design information.” J. Mech. Des., 117(4), 491–498.
Krishnan, V., Eppinger, S. D., and Whitney, D. E. (1997). “A model based framework to overlap product development activities” Manage. Sci., 43(4), 437–451.
Leedy, P. D., and Ormrod, J. E. (2005). Practical research: Planning and design, 8th Ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Loch, C. H., and Terwiesch, C. (1998). “Communication and uncertainty in concurrent engineering.” Manage. Sci., 44(8), 1032–1048.
Montgomery, D. C., and Runger, G. C. (2003). Applied statistics and probability for engineers, Wiley, New York, 35–73.
Nicoletti, S., and Nicolo, F. (1998). “A concurrent engineering decision model: Management of the project activities information flows.” Int. J. Prod. Econ., 54(2), 115–127.
Pena-Mora, F., and Li, M. (2001). “Dynamic planning and control methodology for design/build fast track construction projects.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 1–17.
Phillips, L. D. (1982). “Requisite decision modelling: A case study.” J. Oper. Res. Soc., 33(4), 303–311.
Phillips, L. D. (1984). “A theory of requisite decision models.” Acta Psychol., 56(1–3), 29–48.
Prasad, B. (1996). Concurrent engineering fundamentals: Integrated product and process organization, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Project Management Institute (PMI). (2008). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK), 4th Ed, Newtown Square, PA.
Roemer, T. A., and Ahmadi, R. (2004). “Concurrent crashing and overlapping in product development.” Oper. Res., 52(4), 606–622.
Roemer, T. A., Ahmadi, R., and Wang, R. H. (2000). “Time–cost trade-off in overlapped product development.” Oper. Res., 48(6), 858–865.
Terwiesch, C., Loch, C. H., and De Meyer, A. (2002). “Exchanging preliminary information in concurrent engineering: Alternative coordination strategies.” Org. Sci., 13(4), 402–419.
Tesch, R. (1994). “The contribution of a qualitative method: Phenomenological research.” An introduction to educational research, M. Langenbach, C. Vaughn, and L. Aagaard, eds., Allyn & Bacon, Needham Heights, MA, 143–157.
Van de Ven, A. H., and Delbecq, A. L. (1974). “A task contingent model of work unit structure.” Admin. Sci. Q., 19(2), 183–197.
Yin, R. K. (1994). Case study research: Design and methods, Sage, London.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 140 • Issue 2 • February 2014
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 30, 2012
Accepted: Aug 14, 2013
Published online: Sep 27, 2013
Published in print: Feb 1, 2014
Discussion open until: Feb 27, 2014
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.