University of Twente Student Theses
A 4D modeling method to visualize how asbestos affects construction projects
Zijlstra, Siemen (2016) A 4D modeling method to visualize how asbestos affects construction projects.
|
PDF
1MB |
| Abstract: | The presence of asbestos poses threats to the safe and successful execution of construction project in existing buildings. To be able to effectively control asbestos practitioners need to evaluate the probability that asbestos-containing materials are affected during construction activities. Estimating this potential for disturbance requires practitioners to know the locations of asbestos in the building and if construction activities are planned with or near these asbestos-containing materials. Traditional documentation of asbestos does not provide the means to accurately estimate the potential for disturbance. A comprehensible visualization of the locations of asbestos-containing materials and its relation to construction plans would greatly support this task. 4D CAD technology seems to be a useful tool to generate a comprehensible visualization of asbestos and may potentially help practitioners to estimate the potential for disturbing asbestos during construction projects. 4D CAD literature does however not provide methods to integrate asbestos risk information into 4D models. This study aims to address this shortcoming in literature. The following research objective is formulated. To develop a method to effectively integrate asbestos risk information into a 4D model. In line with the methods proposed in theory a 4D modeling method was developed to integrate design data, schedule data and asbestos data. The method provides practitioners with a tool to visualize asbestos in a three-dimensional context. The modeling method yields a 4D system allows to generate much more understanding about the present asbestos than with textual information and schematic 2D drawings that are traditionally used to assess the existing situation. On top of the increased understanding about the existing situation the 4D model generates, the model also illustrates how the design and construction plans are affected by asbestos. To validate the method, a system was created following the method and implemented into a real construction project involving asbestos on Schiphol Airport. In this effort ethnographic action research was applied, a method that proposes to first observe project work routines to ensure that the solution integrates well into the project context. The method further prescribes to develop and implement solutions in project teams in iterative cycles. The application of the modeling method to the construction project revealed that the created system allowed to discover areas in the building where construction activities conflicted with the presence of asbestos and the risk of fiber release existed. This indicated that, using the system, practitioners are able to identify the potential for disturbance. Implementation sessions revealed that practitioners expected the system to be of great support for their decision-making tasks. The ability to detect the potential for disturbance was expected to aid the practitioners in identifying asbestos risks in the construction project. Furthermore, practitioners expected that the detailed asbestos information the system provides would contribute to more accurate assessment of these asbestos risks and help to devise appropriate measures to control the risks. Concluding, this study proposes a method to integrate asbestos risk information into a 4D model. The application of the method indicated that the method allows to generate a model that is able to support multiple project members in their risk management decision-making tasks. By doing so, this study appears to be the first attempt in theory to apply 4D technology for asbestos risk management. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | ET: Engineering Technology |
| Subject: | 56 civil engineering |
| Programme: | Construction Management and Engineering MSc (60337) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/69375 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
Show download statistics for this publication
Show download statistics for this publicationRepository Staff Only: item control page