Construction Project Management Quiz by zakaria qweder

Introduction to Construction Projects

• A construction project is a planned undertaking to build a facility or group of facilities.
• Key participants include the owner, architect/engineer, consultant, general contractor, and subcontractors.
• A successful project depends on understanding the project environment, roles, and responsibilities of all participants.
• Various project delivery approaches and contract types are suitable for different project contexts.

Construction Industry History

• Humans have built large structures throughout history, showcasing the ability to create and design for various purposes.
• Twentieth and twenty-first centuries saw rapid advancements in technology and materials.
• Large-scale constructions have significantly impacted human development.

Need for Management in Construction

• The construction industry is the largest industry globally.
• It's a service, not a manufacturing industry, as growth represents economic strength.
• Disruptions in projects, e.g., cost overruns, time extensions, and conflicts among parties are widespread issues.
• These problems stem from:
  • The unique uncertainty of construction projects.
  • The fragmented and competitive nature of the industry.
  • Growing challenges faced by the industry as a whole.
• Efficient project management is crucial for success.
  • Handling complexities in modern projects
  • Efficient use of resources (Manpower, Materials, Machinery, and Money)
  • Meeting project deadlines
  • Avoiding conflicts between project participants
  • Improving construction quality and safety
  • Achieving higher productivity
  • Documenting past experience to improve future projects

Construction Project Participants

• Owner/Client: The individual or organization funding and owning the project. Could be public or private.
• Architect/Engineer: Designs the building's/facilities' appearance. Often consults engineers for structural, electrical & related designs.
• Architect/Engineer (A/E): A firm with architects and/or engineers capable of doing complete project design
• Construction Manager: Manages the overall construction process, from administration to material & method selection.
• General Contractor (GC/Prime Contractor): Contracts with the owner to oversee construction of the entire project or a major part of it.
• Subcontractors: Businesses contracting with the GC for specific tasks or materials in the project.
• Project Manager: A person who coordinates all project facets, including planning, design, procurement, and construction.

Types of Construction

• Residential construction
• Non-residential building construction
• Non-building construction

Life Cycle Stages of Projects

• Concept Stage: Identifying needs and assessing various project alternatives. May take months to years, depending on factors like environmental assessments.
• Design Stage: Working out detailed designs, specifications, service preparation, tender documents, and contracts.
• Construction Stage: Actual construction, coordination, administration by the general contractor and supervising consultants. Commissioning and owner acceptance.
• Operation & Maintenance (O & M): Activities after project completion, including operation and maintenance.

Project Contract Strategy

• The contract strategy best fits the project needs when project managers are selected early on.
• Choosing the right organizational and contractual policies for smooth project execution is key.
• Key decisions include: setting project objectives, selecting a project delivery method, designing construction interactions, choosing a contract form, and administration practices.

Project Delivery Methods

• Traditional Approach: Design first, then construction. Typically involves different firms for design and construction.
• Design-Build: One firm takes responsibility for both design and construction.
• Turnkey: A party contracts to fully design, build, and finance a project, transferring it to the owner afterward.
• Professional Construction Management (PCM): The owner hires a PCM company to coordinate all stages, from design to final payment to contractors.

Construction Contract Forms / Types

• Competitive Bidding Contracts: Two main types: Lump Sum and Unit Price.
• Negotiated Cost-Plus Contracts: Deals where the owner shares project risk by reimbursing the contractor for actual costs + fee. Includes Cost + Fixed Percentage, Cost + Fixed Fee, Cost + Fee + Profit Sharing, and Cost + Sliding Fee.

Project Administration Practices: Contractual Relationships

• Agent Relationship (A): Contract where a party (e.g., architect or engineer) acts on behalf of the owner.
• Non-agent Relationship ($): Direct contract between the owner and the contractor to perform specified services.

Project Planning & Cost Estimation

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): A deliverable-oriented breakdown of the project into manageable components.
• Activity Relationships and Network Diagram: Establishing relationships between different projects so activities can happen in parallel, and identifying critical activities affecting scheduling.
• Total Float Calculation and Identifying Critical Activities: Determining float and critical path to schedule to meet completion date.
• Resource Histogram: A graphical representation of resources used along the project schedule.

Project Financing and Schedule Integration

• Project Cash Flow: Difference between project income and expenses; graphical representations of expenses over time (S-curve) show how income and expense profiles vary based on payment cycles and project stages.
• Time Period(s): Time units where income and expense changes are identified to help understand and account for project revenue and expenditures.
• Cost estimation, Expenses, and Bid Prices: An understanding of costs and prices of each item in the project is imperative in creating an informative budget.
• Project Financing Options: Methods for funding construction projects; include subcontractors credit, owner mobilization payments, front-end financing (bid unbalancing)

Earthmoving Operations, Materials, and Soil Characteristics

• Earthmoving process: Movement and processing (excavating, loading, hauling, placing) soil/rock.
• Equipment selection: Choosing the right equipment affects efficiency and profitability.
• Production of earthmoving equipment: Calculating production based on output per cycle and cycles per hour, including efficiency factors.
• Soil conditions: Factors such as trafficability, load ability, moisture content, and swell/shrinkage influence construction planning.
• Soil classification: Categorizing soils. Systems like Unified and AASHTO help in planning and design.
• Conversion of soil quantities: Conversion factors needed for conversions to different soil types (loose, compacted, bank).

Load Factors, Equipment, and Production

• Load/Shrinkage Factors: Using factors to convert between different volume measurements of earth materials (loose, compacted, bank).
• Excavating Equipment: Different types, including hydraulic excavators, draglines, and clamshells.
• Production estimating: Methods for calculating the production rate per hour of each type of equipment.

Trenching and Trenchless Technology

• Methods for digging trenches. Special trenching machines and plows are also in use.
• Trenchless technology (also called trenchless excavation) also used.
• Methods for installing utility lines below the ground as well.

Project Control (Earned Value)

• Earned Value Analysis (EVA): Monitoring project status by comparing planned work against actual work performed and cost.
• Key components for EVA include On-Progress, Work Scheduled, Work Completed, Actual cost.

Loaders, Trucks and Wagons, and Dozers

• Loaders: Wheel and track loaders; loading material from excavation sites or hoppers.
• Trucks and Wagons: Transportation of loads, calculation of required time, and number of vehicles.
• Dozers: Tractor with a blade; used in site work, excavation, and earthmoving.
• Cycle time, Load time: The various steps in these operations that need to be accounted for in overall estimating and scheduling.
• Performance Curves: Used for loaders, trucks, and dozers to calculate maximum speed, given the required pull/resistance.

Specifications

• Description of work: Clear, concise, and brief description of project requirements.
• Types of specifications: Manufacturer's, standard, and contract specifications.
• Materials & Measurements: Description, physical/chemical properties, workmanship.
• Guidelines for Writing Specifications: Structure and content tips for writing good specifications; factors to avoid.

Quantity Surveying

• Purpose of quantity Surveying: To assist in client budget, tendering, and measurement of accomplished work.
• Steps of Quantity Surveying: Taking off, squaring, abstracting, writing the bill of quantities.
• Principles of Measurement: Procedures for measuring quantities; considerations for each project item.
• Take-Off Sheets: Format for recording work measurements.