Data based configuration decisions in hospital construction projects
Time: Tue 2022-04-26 10.00
Location: F3, Lindstedtsvägen 26 & 28, Stockholm
Video link: https://kth-se.zoom.us/j/68954393092
Language: English
Subject area: Civil and Architectural Engineering, Concrete Structures
Doctoral student: Pia Schönbeck , Betongbyggnad
Opponent: Professor Carmel Lindkvist, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norge
Supervisor: Professor Anders Ansell, Betongbyggnad; Adjunct Professor Malin Löfsjögård, Betongbyggnad
QC 20220328
Abstract
The purpose of hospital buildings is to enable the diagnosis, treatment and caring of patients. Hospital configurations are therefore complex and deficient functionality at the final delivery of construction projects are a known issue. Configuration management is essential to ensure that all required functions are fulfilled. Digital building model data can provide the necessary information to support management of hospital configurations. Data based decisions are dependent on a baseline that contains all required functions. Thereafter, connections between data regarding functions, solutions and production methods should be established. This knowledge provides opportunities for automated data analyses giving real time accurate configuration information, enabling the prevention of deviations from the client’s intent and streamlining processes. The studies in this compilation thesis investigate this subject from different perspectives. Literature reviews, case studies and quantitative analyses of digital building data were the methods used. The results show that the systematic management of data and information can ensure hospital configurations that fulfil required functions at handover. These studies provide a conceptual model showing how configuration information applies to the construction project processes. The proposed detailed decision model shows how data from building models can support hospital configuration decisions in construction projects. Studies show that hospital construction projects management of configuration changes information is deficient. Manually managed logs contained insufficient information about the changes, while the building model data unused by the investigated projects was significantly more reliable. A risk analysis shows that data based configuration decisions in construction projects can prevent hospital building deficiencies, or facilitate recovery if they have already occurred. Digital technologies can improve the accuracy of configuration information, on which automated and industrial production equipment are dependent. However, construction project research seldom addresses the potential synergy and sustainability effects of different technologies. All case studies performed show that the current configuration information management in hospital projects is incomplete. Consequences found were cost increase, delays, reduced client value and corrective rework. The overall conclusion is that data based decisions can improve the control over hospital configurations, ensuring healthcare functions, construction project outcomes and sustainability. This thesis identifies a new research field by showing the potential of data based configuration decisions.