Introduction
The level of complexity in construction projects is quite high, especially in large construction projects where the magnitude of work is high. Among the issues that emerge in construction projects, which reduce efficiency, are physical accidents, health hazards, and the wastage of construction materials, among other issues. These are setbacks when it comes to production efficiency (The Modular Building Institute 1). This paper suggests that a higher deployment of technology (automation) and mechanization is necessary for improving production efficiency in construction projects. The paper explores how these factors that reduce production efficiency can be dealt with through automation.
Automation and the reduction of accidents in construction sites
More often than not, construction sites have an array of activities going on at the same time. Given the nature of workload in construction sites, people working in these sites are at a high risk of being injured by the falling objects because they cannot detect such objects (Zou, Zhang, and Wang 1-2). Navon and Kolton (733) argue that construction professionals pay less attention to the issue of safety in the construction sites because of concentrating on the progress of the project. Most fatalities and injuries on construction sites come from objects that fall from heights. Therefore, most researchers in the field of construction engineering are looking at the possibility of automating the safety procedures to reduce the exposure of people in the sites to accidents. One of the suggested technologies is the automation of fall prevention procedures. Such a safety model helps in identifying areas that pose a risk in construction projects. With the model, it is easy to identify the hazards in the construction sites. Besides identifying areas that pose a risk, the model also proposes the mechanisms that can be used to protect people from such risks. Such models are established and run on a continuous basis throughout the lifecycle of construction projects (Navon and Kolton 2006, 739-741). According to Navon and Kolton (2007, 226-27), it is important to incorporate automated safety models into project management cycles in the preliminary stages of the project; that is, the design stage. This helps in minimizing the faults and risks in the early stages of the project, thereby enhancing the stability of the projects.
According to Mikami et al. (1), most construction sites or industries pose great health risks, resulting in high rates of employee turnover and sick-offs. These reduce productivity. One of the modalities of reducing the health-related risks is the development of mechanical systems that can help in detecting the dangerous levels of wastes that are released during construction. For instance, there should be systems that provide warnings when the dust levels are too high. In addition, mechanization can help prevent employees from getting into contact with the hazards through the development of machines that handle the tasks for such tasks.
Material wastage minimization through automation and mechanization
According to van Gassel and Maas (44), the ability of companies in the construction industry to minimize resource wastage depends on the pace at which they can adopt computer-aided technologies in their construction projects. One of the modalities of reducing resource wastage is through the use of automated systems like robots to deliver materials. One thing that increases the costs of construction projects is the rampant wastage of construction materials. The costs of construction projects can be far much lower if such wastages are put in check (Zhai et al. 747). According to Mikami et al. (1), the wastage of materials in the construction industry can be dealt with through the deployment of effective structural stability technology in the development of construction materials. This is patterned by the construction operations, like the automation of most of the material handling processes in the actual phases of production to reduce the chances of damage and overuse of materials by the laborers.
Wakisaka et al. (111) observe that large construction projects, like the construction of high-rise buildings, can be more labor-intensive when there is an immense use of manual labor. Moreover, there is a high chance of material wastage in such projects. However, the researchers ascertained the essence of using a parallel material delivery system and a system of managing materials using computer-aided design technology. Under a single material delivery system, several cranes are attached to ensure that there is speedy delivery of materials. This ensures that there is quickness and efficiency in construction. It also reduces the cost of manpower and the possible wastage of materials by the laborers (Wakisaka et al. 112). van Gassel (1019) observes that the most desired technique in construction is the mechanizing of Removable Modular buildings to embrace the construction of new and permanent structures. Embracing higher standards of mechanization in most of the components of the RMB enhances the standards of construction.
Effective management of urban construction
The complexity that is exhibited in the construction projects that take place in the urban areas requires the deployment of the best project management techniques to cut down the costs of such projects. Therefore, the deployment of information technology enhances the quality of practices in such construction processes (EIO 5). Effective management of urban projects depends on the ease with which the supply chain process is structured. Automated management of risk and value in urban construction projects enhances the ability of project managers to influence the manufacturers to adjust the materials to fit the specific building standards and codes in the urban areas (Gudnason and Scherer 398).
There is a need to have a comprehensive strategy when it comes to the management of urban construction projects. In this case, urban planners must be involved in the assessment of construction plans to ensure that all key considerations are taken into account by the construction companies. Among these are the hydraulic grade lines, the flood paths, and the velocities of different places in town. Local construction plans must look into these infrastructural issues as they all determine the sustainability of the urban construction projects. For example, the lack of consideration of the flood paths in the construction plans can result in the soaking up of buildings in case of flooding and heavy rains (Calabrese 203).
Urban construction projects entail a lot of demolitions and the disposal of materials. Therefore, the enhancement of mechanical recovery techniques is one of the best ways of reducing the costs of disposing of materials. The debris can be mechanically recycled and redeployed in the construction sector (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1-2). Moreover, there is the issue of ensuring that the risks that are associated with the projects are known and taken into the consideration by the project managers, thereby reducing the possible effects of such dangers (Hou 11).
According to Calkins (390), urban construction projects are quite complex due to the complexity of the infrastructure platform in the urban areas. Urban areas have huge and dense populations, a factor that points to the need for a higher level of consideration of risk management in project construction (Maas and van Gassel 435-436).
Conclusion
The argument presented in this paper denotes that there are numerous ways in which productivity efficiency can be attained in construction projects through the deployment of information and mechanical technologies. Such technologies reduce the cost of labor. They also save on the cost of material, as well as increasing quality in construction projects.
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