Thesis Abstract

Site personnel or construction workers will spend most of the construction time within construction sites. If construction workers are able to move easily and quickly within the site, it helps to save time and increases productivity as well as safety. Optimizing the cost, safety and productivity of a project often relies on the optimal planning of the construction site layout. The purpose of this paper is to access current practices for site layout planning and highlight the need for a rule-based approach to evaluating construction site layouts. The results presented in this paper can provide construction firms with a better understanding of a good site layout planning. The site layout includes the following plants and equipments location, accessories, temporary services, access, water lines, buildings with proper dimensioning, security, shelter for workmen and materials, canteens etc.

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTION

1.1         BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Most construction sites that run in to trouble do so for reasons related to management factors. Rather than because of technical problems. The site based on management can have significant improvement in the costs of time saving during the construction process without involving a mass of additional work.

The role of a site manager is to control and maintain work performance and their actions to rectify situations where performance is unsatisfactory.

The site management involves many tasks such as site investigation before construction process starts minerals delivery and procurement management, keeping better site records, keeping good site communication and high level information flow, monitoring performance regularly, establishing a well co-ordinated system among different parts and performing a good site layout planning.

Extensive time loss and cost overrun could result in large projects where the number of manpower, sub-contractor and equipment involved are high. If there is no effective and systematic approach to site planning.

A detail planning of the site layout and location of temporary facilities can enable the management to make considerable improvement by minimizing travelling time, waiting time and increasing workers morale by showing better and safer work environment.

Site layout planning in particular has been the most neglected aspect in the construction industry and the attitude of the engineers has been that it will be done as the process progresses. It is important to realize that, site planning will be the conditions that the site personnel will live with throughout the period of construction.

Thus, careful preplanning is imperative; also as the labour cost of a large project are approximately 50 to 50 percent of the total project cost.

In 1987, the construction industry institute reported in its “constructability concept file” that temporary facilities are important elements that can either enhance or adversely affects construction productivity. Since the early 1960’s, the problem has been extensively analyzed in the industrial engineering, operational research communities. However, it has not been satisfactorily analyzed in the construction domain and this research will strictly look into the factors that affect the construction site layout planning.

Most construction sites that run in to trouble do so for reasons related to management factors. Rather than because of technical problems. The site based on management can have significant improvement in the costs of time saving during the construction process without involving a mass of additional work.

The role of a site manager is to control and maintain work performance and their actions to rectify situations where performance is unsatisfactory.

The site management involves many tasks such as site investigation before construction process starts minerals delivery and procurement management, keeping better site records, keeping good site communication and high level information flow, monitoring performance regularly, establishing a well co-ordinated system among different parts and performing a good site layout planning.

Extensive time loss and cost overrun could result in large projects where the number of manpower, sub-contractor and equipment involved are high. If there is no effective and systematic approach to site planning.

A detail planning of the site layout and location of temporary facilities can enable the management to make considerable improvement by minimizing travelling time, waiting time and increasing workers morale by showing better and safer work environment.

Site layout planning in particular has been the most neglected aspect in the construction industry and the attitude of the engineers has been that it will be done as the process progresses. It is important to realize that, site planning will be the conditions that the site personnel will live with throughout the period of construction.

Thus, careful preplanning is imperative; also as the labour cost of a large project are approximately 50 to 50 percent of the total project cost.

In 1987, the construction industry institute reported in its “constructability concept file” that temporary facilities are important elements that can either enhance or adversely affects construction productivity. Since the early 1960’s, the problem has been extensively analyzed in the industrial engineering, operational research communities. However, it has not been satisfactorily analyzed in the construction domain and this research will strictly look into the factors that affect the construction site layout planning.

1.2         AREA OF STUDY

This research on factors affecting construction site layout planning was conducted in Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Engineering Campus.

1.3         OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

The objective of this project is to evaluate factors affecting construction sites layout in Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Engineering Campus, recommend and suggest measures and procedures that should be undertaken to curb the menace.

1.4         SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this research is restricted to the factors affecting construction site layout planning that leads to low productivity, materials, location, space allowed, site nut and warehouses.

1.5         STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Since construction is on-going in Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Engineering Campus, there is a need for adequate site planning in order for accurate and fast completion of the project.

1.6         LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

During the execution of this project, some difficulties were encountered and they include:

             Lack of finance

             Limited time for the research