VTechWorks Repository :: Browsing by Author "Songer, Anthony D."

Browsing by Author "Songer, Anthony D."

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Development of a Comprehensive Framework for the Efficiency Measurement of Road Maintenance Strategies using Data Envelopment Analysis
Ozbek, Mehmet Egemen (Virginia Tech, 2007-09-19)
For the last two decades, the road maintenance concept has been gaining tremendous attention. This has brought about new institutional changes, predominant of which is the challenge for maintenance managers to achieve maximum performance from the existing road system. Such challenge makes it imperative to implement comprehensive systems that measure road maintenance performance. However, the road maintenance performance measurement systems developed and implemented by researchers and state departments of transportation (DOTs) mainly focus on the effectiveness measures, e.g., the level-of-service. Such measurement systems do not sufficiently elaborate on the efficiency concept, e.g., the amount of resources utilized to achieve such level-of-service. Not knowing how "efficient" state DOTs are in being "effective" can lead to excessive and unrealistic maintenance budget expectations. This issue indicates the need for a performance measurement approach that can take the efficiency concept into account. Another important concept that is not investigated in the current road maintenance performance measurement systems is the effect of the environmental factors (e.g., climate, location, and etc.) and operational factors (e.g., traffic, load, design-construction adequacy, and etc.) on the performance of the road maintenance process. This issue, again, indicates the need for a performance measurement approach that can take such external and uncontrollable factors into account. The purpose of this research is to develop and implement a comprehensive framework that can measure the relative efficiency of different road maintenance strategies given the (i) multiple inputs and outputs that characterize the road maintenance process and (ii) uncontrollable factors (e.g., climate, traffic, etc.) that affect the performance of such process. It is challenging to measure the overall efficiency of a process when such process is a multiple input-multiple output process and when such process is affected by multiple factors. To address this challenge, an innovative approach to efficiency measurement, Data Envelopment Analysis, is used in this research. It is believed that this research, by taking the efficiency concept into account, will significantly improve the ways that are currently used to model and measure the performance of road maintenance. The findings of this research will contribute new knowledge to the asset management field in the road maintenance domain by providing a framework that is able to differentiate effective and efficient maintenance strategies from effective and inefficient ones.
The Development of Mathematical Models for Preliminary Prediction of Highway Construction Duration
Williams, Robert C. (Virginia Tech, 2008-11-04)
Knowledge of construction duration is pertinent to a number of project planning functions prior to detailed design development. Funding, financing, and resource allocation decisions take place early in project design development and are significantly influenced by the construction duration. Currently, there is not an understanding of the project factors having a statistically significant relationship with highway construction duration. Other industry sectors have successfully used statistical regression analysis to identify and model the project parameters related to construction duration. While the need is seen for such work in highway construction, there are very few studies which attempt to identify duration-influential parameters and their relationship with the highway construction duration. This research identifies the project factors, known early in design development, which influence highway construction duration. The factors identified are specific to their respective project types and are those factors which demonstrate a statistically-significant relationship with construction duration. This work also quantifies the relationship between the duration-influential factors and highway construction duration. The quantity, magnitude, and sign of the factor coefficient yields evidence regarding the importance of the project factor to highway construction duration. Finally, the research incorporates the duration-influential project factors and their relationship with highway construction duration into mathematical models which assist in the prediction of construction duration. Full and condensed models are presented for Full-Depth Section and Highway Improvement project types. This research uses statistical regression analysis to identify, quantify, and model these early-known, duration-influential project factors. The results of this research contribute to the body of knowledge of the sponsoring organization (Virginia Department of Transportation), the highway construction industry, and the general construction industry at large.
Effectiveness of Contemporary Public-Private Partnerships for Large Scale Infrastructure in the United States
Bosso, Doran Joseph (Virginia Tech, 2008-04-18)
Increasingly, states are relying on creative financing and asset management to maintain and improve the nation's transportation infrastructure since budgetary challenges constrain potential options. One method of tapping into alternative sources of capital is the public-private partnership (PPP or P3). A public-private partnership is a long-term contractual agreement in which the public sector authority assigns a traditionally public responsibility (such as operations and/or financing) to the private sector participant, in hopes of achieving mutual benefit. First employed in the contemporary era in the late 1980's by California and Virginia, the public-private partnership has continued to become a more popular delivery method. A thorough review of the literature on the subject reveals both academic and institutional material covering a wide variety of P3 topics. Garvin's (2007) P3 Equilibrium Framework supplemented the current body of knowledge by building upon past research to better analyze the performance of existing and proposed PPP's or serve as a resource when developing future projects. The Framework allows the user to assess a project or program and determine its potential for producing desirable results. This research utilizes case studies to gain further insight into P3 projects and programs, as well as the performance of the original P3 Equilibrium Framework. The cases include the evolution of legislation in California and Virginia, and four projects that resulted from these programs: the State Route 91 Express Lanes, Dulles Greenway, Pocahontas Parkway, and failed I-81 Improvement proposals. Application of the original framework to the case studies led to several refinements. The changes provide more comprehensive appraisal mechanisms and improve the applicability and consistency of the P3 Equilibrium Framework. In addition, the concept of "tension" is introduced, which in effect is a means of describing the stress between the interested parties of a P3 arrangement. Ultimately, the revised Framework helps to structure perspectives of P3 arrangements and is underpinned by the notion that these strategies must balance the interests of society, the state, industry, and the market for ultimate success.
Emotional Intelligence within the A/E/C Industry: A Step Toward Effective Collaboration
Walker, Brian Kenneth (Virginia Tech, 2003-05-28)
In the construction industry, the major project participants include the owner, the architect, the contractor and the subcontractors. Traditionally, each participant's activity in the construction process has been isolated to its particular organization's goals. In recent years, one of the leading trends of project deliveries has been a movement toward a more collaborative, teaming environment. Successful collaboration requires effective interaction among project participants. A fundamental understanding of barriers and challenges to effective interaction among a diverse project team is necessary towards creating truly collaborative project teams in construction. Emotional intelligence reflects an individual's emotional awareness and emotional regulation, both important factors of social interaction. An initial understanding of the project participant's emotional intelligence would provide meaningful direction for the construction industry in regards where improvements should be focused. As such, the present research study investigates the 21 components of the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) within the construction industry. This investigation creates an emotional intelligence yardstick by which to measure and compare future research. This study also explores several trends and relationships within this benchmarking in regards to demographics and General Contractor characteristics. In addition, this current research explores the General Contracting sector's perception of other A/E/C industry sectors. This research study adds to the already growing research that is focusing on the impact of social factors on the success of the A/E/C industry. The results of this study provide a meaningful initial understanding of the emotional intelligence levels of the General Contracting sector. This initial understanding provides academia and industry with several key findings and directions for future research.
A Graphical Representation Framework for Enhanced Visualization of Construction Control Processes
Hays, Benjamin James (Virginia Tech, 2002-10-04)
Graphical representation for construction control information--processes such as scheduling, budgeting and RFIs--follows no formalized method. Many graphics neglect relevant information necessary to highlight trends in or relationships between processes. The principles of data graphics offer visual capabilities beyond those currently employed by the construction industry to display appropriate information in a manner that enhances comprehension of control processes. This paper describes a method that incorporates four tasks; those of structuring and filtering data, editing for density and communicating efficiently; as necessary to creating effective data graphics. In addition to an evaluation technique, these tasks are outlined in a coherent framework. Several construction control processes are then described with respect to these four tasks. Focused application of the framework to the budgeting process produces four graphics that are subsequently evaluated by industry professionals. Conclusions detailed at the end of this document draw together lessons learned from the process of creating data graphics as well as from quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the visual cost report.
Information Technology Change in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Industry: An Investigation of Individuals' Resistance
Davis, Kirsten A. (Virginia Tech, 2004-04-23)
This research project investigates individuals' resistance to change brought about by new information technology implementation in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. By understanding how individual participants resist and adapt to change, their resistance can be better accommodated by the organization in the adoption of new information technology within the AEC industry. This enables researchers and practitioners to understand how new technologies should be introduced within organizations. A social architecture factor model associated with impeding/promoting use of information technologies was created based on a literature review of change management theory on resistance to change and attitude-behavior connections. In Phase I of the research, the personality traits and behavioral characteristics individuals included in the original model were reduced to a smaller number of variables indicative of resistance to information technology change. A revised social architecture factor model was created after this reduction. The variable reduction and revised model were based on data collected from a 50-person sample of the AEC population. At the conclusion of Phase I, a Resistance to Change Index (RTCI) was created, enabling estimations of the intensity of resistance an individual is likely to exhibit using the personality traits and behavioral characteristics kept in the revised social architecture factor model. Phase II of the research investigated relationships between the RTCI and demographics of the individual using a 156-person sample of the AEC population. This phase of the research determined whether different demographic groups within the AEC population exhibited differences in their RTCI. The data analysis found several demographic groups that were different in their likelihood of resistance, including profession, gender, computer understanding and experience, and awareness of past or future changes occurring in their company. Age and education level were expected to have relationships with RTCI, based on industry stereotypes. The data analysis found that these stereotypes have no scientific basis. Two other stereotypes, gender and computer understanding and experience, were supported by the data analysis, however.
Investigating the Use of PMASP-Based Project Specific Websites as a Project Management Tool in the A/E/C Industry
Firman, Jennifer Lynn (Virginia Tech, 2002-12-06)
The A/E/C industry faces the inability to meet client demands of projects completed on time and on schedule due to the minimal collaboration between parties, communication problems, and mistakes. The present project management system in the industry is paper-based, and requires the owners of information to distribute the knowledge at their discretion. This system has inherent delays in information transmission, which lead to miscommunications, mistakes, and costly rework, which in turn, cause increases in the project schedule and budget. There is a need to fundamentally change the project management philosophy of the industry. Rather than each party maintaining a project management system, there needs to be a single, integrated project-based system. One type of integrated project management systems is project-specific websites. This research focuses specifically on the project-specific websites for project management (PSWS) offered by construction-based project management application service providers (PMASPs). While there are substantial improvements in the project process including cost and time savings by using a PSWS, the industry is reluctant to adopt the new technology. There are numerous barriers to the implementation of PSWS. A large barrier is determining how to implement and use PMASP-Based PSWS. Through a literature review, a project management questionnaire, investigations of the leading construction-based project management application service providers (PMASPs), and implementation case studies, a chapter on implementation considerations and lessons was developed. The Implementation Considerations and Lessons chapter serves to provide companies a basis for PSWS implementation and use. The chapter contains three parts: background, implementation, and sustainability. The background section identifies the benefits of using PSWS, examines the ability of five construction-based project management application service providers to meet the project management need of the parties, and identifies the barriers to implementation users should expect. The second part of the chapter details the steps needed to successfully implement and use the system. The final part describes the sustainability challenges that occur after implementation.
An Investigation of Change to Key Provisions in the AIA A201 and its Impact on Perceptions of the Value-added Benefit of the Design Professional during Construction
Thompson, Roxene Marie (Virginia Tech, 2006-02-07)
The general conditions of contract play a very important role in the dynamics of the construction phase. The general conditions of contract outline the roles, rights, and obligations of the contracting parties during the construction phase of a project. The American Institute of Architects General Conditions of Contract for Construction (AIA A201) is considered the most widely used standard form of contracts in the U.S. construction industry. Standard contracts, like AIA A201, are being periodically revised and are becoming more cumbersome over time. The purpose and expectations of the revisions of the contract are not always clearly defined in literature or in practice. Changes to the general conditions have been made, which do not advance the performance goals for a successful project, but rather react to negative experiences. Oftentimes, there are conflicts between the parties' interpretation of the general conditions and between the required administrative practices obligatory by the general conditions during the construction phase, thus impacting the contractual relationships between owners, architect/design professionals, and general contractors. The increasing complexity and size of projects, the multiple-contract interfaces, and the changing times have transformed construction practices and contractual relationships. No longer simply following the lead of the AIA, owners seem to be questioning the value of the design professional, and the tone and path of the AIA A201. The three-phase methodology of this dissertation research set out to advance the understanding of change in the AIA A201 and the impact change has had on the value-added benefit of the design professional during the construction phase and contract administration on a project. The results of this research revealed the following primary conclusions: changes to various provisions pertaining to the key provisions have resulted in the Architect assuming less responsibility during the construction phase of a project; changes to the AIA A201 provision concerning the key provisions have not increased the value of the Architect's performance of contract administration services during the construction phase of a project; with regard to the key provisions, Owners or Owners' representatives perceive the value of the Architect's contract administration services during construction have decreased in recent years. In Phase I, this research identified the key contract provisions, which influence the function of the design professional performed in contract administration during construction. This investigation identified that change exists in key provisions over time and that change may have an influence on the function performed by the design professional during construction and contract administration. Subsequently, in Phase II, this research investigated the effect that change has had on the function performed by the design professional. The respective substantive changes to each provision that may have had a material effect on the function of the design professional were identified and these key provisions were thus studied further. Then, whether or not changes made to key provisions of AIA A201 have had a material effect on the function performed by the architect/design professional during the construction phase and contract administration was examined in Phase III. Ultimately, the research led to an enhanced knowledge of the owner-perceived value-added benefit by the design professional during the construction phase of a project. The practical use of the AIA A201 and its future editions has an influence on improved performance and better working relationships, which ultimately leads to improved constructed projects. The conclusions to this research study have demonstrated that changes made to key provisions of AIA A201 from 1951 to 1997 have diminished the role of the architect. Changes to key provisions have had a material effect on the construction phase, contract administration, and the function performed by the architect/design professional during the construction phase of a project. Before one can make effective changes to improve contractual and working relationships, the change must be identified for the purpose of supporting the industry's efforts to reduce adversarial relations, balance risk, and control schedule and cost, impact the contractual relationships and the value-added benefit of the contractual parties. This dissertation research successfully provided an understanding of the process used and the impact of change in the general conditions of contracts. As such, the knowledge gained from this research illuminated the necessary considerations of change and its impacts on the future development of contracts and their revisions in efforts to create better documents, not to just create bigger documents.
An Investigation of the Expanding Role of the Critical Path Method by ENR'S Top 400 Contractors
Kelleher, Andrew Hodgson (Virginia Tech, 2003-12-11)
The Critical Path Method (CPM) is a widely used tool throughout the construction industry. Since its creation, the use and application of the Critical Path Method has grown tremendously. Up to date, three studies have been performed on how Engineering News Record's (ENR) Top 400 Contractor use CPM. The first study was performed by Edward Davis in 1974 and the second was performed by Amir Tavakoli and Roger Riachi in 1990. This paper is a summary of the third survey, which took place in 2003. The results from the three studies indicate that CPM use by the Top 400 Contractors is growing and the areas of use are expanding. The number one use of CPM throughout the years is detailed planning before the start of construction. Periodic control during construction is another large area of CPM use and has been a large area of growth due to the advances in technology, which make updating a schedule during construction easier and faster than was possible with a mainframe computer in the past. Another area of CPM growth is estimating and bidding for several reasons: use in this area has jumped from 19% to 54% in the past 30 years. An area of concern lately in CPM is the use of precedence diagramming instead of arrow diagramming. Despite the debate, the responding companies found precedence diagrams easier to read, provide more flexibility, and allow for easier use of "smart" relationships (i.e. start-start).
Organizational and Risk Characteristics of Emerging Public-Private Partnership Models
Shingore, Priyanka (Virginia Tech, 2009-01-05)
State transportation authorities’ reliance on traditional financing mechanisms such as gas taxes and federal support has waned of late as these mechanisms have proved insufficient to keep pace with the escalating demand for transportation infrastructure in the United States. As a result, public-private partnerships (P3) are increasingly viewed as a part of the solution to this problem. A partnership between the public and private sector allows both entities to “mutually benefit” from the private sector’s equity/debt financing structure and ability to bring innovation and efficiency to the table. Companies have formed consortia either to lease the existing toll roads through what is termed as a Brownfield project model or deliver design-build-finance-operate projects categorized as a Greenfield model. A case-study based approach helps to identify the organizational structure, nature of the key participants and risk characteristics of these Greenfield-Brownfield P3 models. The four cases identified for study include, the Pocahontas Parkway in Virginia, SR-125 in California representing the Greenfield model and the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll road under the Brownfield model. An analytical template comprised of a project finance structure, risk matrix for each of the four cases and Porter’ s segmentation matrix for the selected private sector project participants is used to characterize the structure of the P3 arrangement in the cases. The project finance structure illustrates the formation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to delineate the role played by different participants. Risk matrices developed for all the four cases helps to identify the allocation of risks among the state and the SPV or the concessionaire. Porter’ s segmentation matrix helps to identify the activities of the key players or sponsor companies in various sectors including infrastructure, across the world. The SR-125- Greenfield- model seems to have evolved from Pocahontas Parkway as the private sector solely finances the project and assumes the high revenue risk and responsibility to operate and maintain the facility. The Brownfield model faces a political backlash in the U.S., and this risk has become fundamental to the model. Based on their core competencies, companies decide in which of the two models they are suited to participate. Their individual expertise adds value when they collaborate to deliver a public-private partnership. Finally, further evolution of the Greenfield and Brownfield models depends upon the developments in the U.S. P3 market.
Parametric Model for Assessing Factors that Influence Highway Bridge Service Life
Liu, Jianqiu (Virginia Tech, 2009-02-02)
Infrastructure management must move from a perspective that may singularly emphasize facility condition assessment to a broader view that involves nonphysical factors, which may substantially impact facility performance and shorten its service life. Socioeconomic, technological, regulatory, and user value changes can substantially increase the service expectations of existing facilities. Based on a theoretical framework drawn from prior work, this research develops a new approach to model infrastructure performance and assess factors that influence the remaining service life of highway bridges. Key parameters that impact the serviceability of highway bridges are identified and incorporated into a system dynamics model. This platform supports parametric scenario analysis and is applied in several cases to test how various factors influence bridge service life and performance. This decision support system provides a new approach for modeling serviceability over time and gives decision-makers an indication of: (a) the gap between society's service expectations and the service level provided and (b) the remaining service life of a highway bridge.
Resistance to IT Change in the AEC Industry: An Individual Assessment Tool
Davis, Kirsten A.; Songer, Anthony D. (2008)
Numerous IT adoption studies within the AEC industry identify issues with individuals resisting IT changes. Current change models often only look at organizations and tasks and frequently neglect the individuals involved. The limitations in existing change models and the criticality of people issues in the successful implementation of change necessitates the investigation of individual resistance to IT change. Change management theory and attitude-behavior connections provide a framework to study variables associated with impeding/promoting the use of technologies. Data collected from a 50-person sample of the AEC population allowed reductions of the attitudes, fears, and beliefs variables. Reducing the variables indicative of resistance to information technology change facilitated the creation of a detailed social architecture factor model. Subsequently, a Resistance to Change Index (RTCI) was created, enabling estimations of the intensity of resistance an individual is likely to exhibit using the personality traits and behavioral characteristics identified in the revised social architecture factor model. The RTCI assists practitioners in developing new technology implementation plans. The RTCI also enables researchers to understand how individual participants resist and adapt to change allowing the development of enhanced organizational adoption models for new technology implementation within the building industry.
A Resource-constrained CPM (RCPM) Scheduling and Control Technique with Multiple Calendars
Kim, Kyunghwan (Virginia Tech, 2003-06-12)
This research presents a Resource-constrained Critical Path Method (RCPM) technique that capitalizes on and improves the existing Critical Path Method (CPM) and Resource-Constrained Scheduling (RCS) techniques. A traditional CPM schedule is not realistic since it assumes unlimited resources, some of which are highly limited in practice. Although traditional RCS techniques can consider resource limitations, they do not provide correct floats and the critical path as the CPM does. The difference between the theoretical remaining total float and the real remaining total float is referred to as "Phantom Float" in this study. Another disadvantage of the traditional RCS techniques is that work sequence in the schedule could be considerably changed with a schedule update resulting in high costs to reorganize it. These problems are caused by the fact that, in addition to technological relationships, a resource-constrained schedule contains resource dependencies between activities that are neglected in traditional RCS techniques. This study proposes a step-by-step RCPM algorithm to consider those resource-constrained relationships. Hence, the method can identify real floats and correct critical paths, considering both technological and resource-dependent relationships. RCPM also provides a certain level of stability with a schedule update due to the newly identified resource relationships. Based on the RCPM algorithm, a prototype RCPM system has been developed using Visual C++, Visual Basic, and Ra (Primavera Project Planner API). The system is integrated with P3, so that it reads project information directly from a P3 project, performs necessary RCPM procedures, and updates the P3 project to contain identified resource relationships. To make the system more practical, functions to handle multiple project calendars and progressed schedules have been included as well.
A Statistical Analysis and Model of the Residual Value of Different Types of Heavy Construction Equipment
Lucko, Gunnar (Virginia Tech, 2003-12-03)
Residual value is defined as the price for which a used piece of equipment can be sold in the market at a particular time. It is an important element of the owning costs of equipment and needs to be estimated by equipment managers for making investment decisions. The purpose of this study is to gain insights into the residual value of selected groups of heavy construction equipment and to develop a mathematical model for its prediction. Auction sales data were collected from two online databases. Manufacturer publications and an online source provided size parameters and manufacturers suggested retail prices matching the auction records. Macroeconomic indicator values were collected from a variety of sources, including government agencies. The data were brought into the same electronic format and were matched by model name and calendar date, respectively. Data from auctions in the U.S. and in Canada were considered for this study. Equipment from four principal manufacturers of up to 15 years of age at the time of sale was included. A total of 35,542 entries were grouped into 11 different equipment types and 28 categories by size as measured by horse power, standard operating weight, or bucket volume. Equipment types considered were track and wheel excavators, wheel and track loaders, backhoe loaders, integrated toolcarriers, rigid frame and articulated trucks, track dozers, motor graders, and wheel tractor scrapers. Multiple linear regression analyses of the 28 datasets were carried out after outliers had been deleted. Explanatory variables for the regression model were age in years, the indicator variables manufacturer, condition rating, and geographic region, and selected macroeconomic indicators. The response variable was residual value percent, defined as auction price divided by manufacturers suggested retail price. Different first, second, and third-order polynomial models and exponential and logarithmic models of age were examined. A second-order polynomial was selected from these functional forms based on the adjusted coefficient of determination. Coefficients for the 28 models and related statistics were tabulated. A spreadsheet tool incorporating the final regression model and its coefficients was developed. It allows performing the residual value prediction in an interactive and intuitive manner.
A Study on Road Users' Overall Perceptions of Highway Maintenance Service Quality and the Variables that Define the Highway Maintenance Service Quality Domain
Burde, Adrian (Virginia Tech, 2008-10-20)
The concept of involving the public in the development of transportation solutions was built in the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, the legislation that authorized the construction of the Interstate Highway System. Better plans, transparent process, and public support are some of the benefits that road managers can obtain by educating and involving the general public. During the last two decades the volume of research performed related to the topic of customer-driven highway maintenance suggests an increasing level of interest in the field. Most research concentrates on gathering information from road users to assess the performance level of highways. However, public opinion can also be collected for measuring the quality of the service delivered by maintenance units. Assessing product and service delivery performance is important for determining the overall performance of highway maintenance programs. The present study examines the relationship between road users' overall perceptions of the quality of highway maintenance services and the variables that define the highway maintenance service quality domain. The results of the study indicate that two service dimensions, Safety and Reliability, explain about half of the variance in overall perceptions of highway maintenance service quality. The procedures developed for the study provide an initial step for further improvement of the highway maintenance service quality measurement.
The Use of Short-Interval GPS Data for Construction Operations Analysis
Hildreth, John C. (Virginia Tech, 2003-01-29)
The global positioning system (GPS) makes use of extremely accurate measures of the time to determine position. The times required for electronic signals to travel at the speed of light from at least four orbiting satellites to a receiver on earth is measured precisely and used to calculate the distances from the satellites to the receiver. The calculated distances are used to determine the position of the receiver through triangulation. This research takes an approach opposite the original GPS research, focusing on the use of position to determine the time at which events occur. Specifically, this work addresses the question: Can the information pertaining to position and speed contained in a GPS record be used to autonomously identify the times at which critical events occur within a production cycle? The research question was answered by determining the hardware needs for collecting the desired data in a useable format an developing a unique data collection tool to meet those needs. The tool was field evaluated and the data collected was used to determine the software needs for automated reduction of the data to the times at which key events occurred. The software tools were developed in the form of Time Identification Modules (TIMs). The TIMs were used to reduce data collected from a load and haul earthmoving operation to duration measures for the load, haul, dump, and return activities. The value of the developed system was demonstrated by investigating correlations between performance times in construction operations and by using field data to verify the results obtained from productivity estimating tools. Use of the system was shown to improve knowledge and provide additional insight into operations analysis studies.
VITASCOPE: Extensible and Scalable 3D Visualization of Simulated Construction Operations
Kamat, Vineet Rajendra (Virginia Tech, 2003-04-14)
In the domain of operations design and analysis, the ability to see a 3D animation of processes that have been simulated allows for three very important things: 1) The developer of a simulation model can ascertain that there are no errors in the coding (Verification); 2) The experts, field personnel, and decision makers can discover differences between the way they understand the operation and the way the model developer understands it (Validation); and 3) A model can be communicated effectively which, coupled with verification and validation, makes it "credible" and thus used in making decisions. In the case of simulated construction operations, the existent body of knowledge and understanding did not generally permit modeled processes to be accurately visualized in 3D. The purpose of this research was to remedy this situation and find methods of describing animated 3D worlds that show how construction operations modeled using Discrete-Event Simulation were/can be carried out, using simple text statements and references to 3D CAD drawings. The fundamental question the work addressed was how to achieve accurate, dynamic, smooth, and continuous 3D animation of arbitrarily-complex simulated construction processes, based on meager pieces of operational information that can only be communicated when discrete events occur in simulation runs. The end result of this effort is VITASCOPE, an acronym for VIsualizaTion of Simulated Construction OPErations. VITASCOPE is a simple, parametric-text animation description language that is meant to be written out by end-user programmable software such as discrete-event simulation tools. Sequential instructions written in this language allow a computer to create a 3D virtual world that is accurate in time, space, and appearance; and that shows people, machines, and materials interacting as they build constructed facilities.

Browsing by Author "Songer, Anthony D."

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