TY  - CONF
TI  - Simulation of Construction Processes: Traditional Practices Versus Lean Principles
C1  - Berkeley, California, USA
C3  - 7th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction
SP  - 39
EP  - 50
PY  - 1999
AU  - Al-Sudairi, Abdulsalam A.
AU  - Diekmann, James E.
AU  - Songer, Anthony D.
AU  - Brown, Hyman M.
AD  - Graduate Student, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, alsudair@rtt.colorado.edu
AD  - Professor, Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado- Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, diekmann@spot.colorado.edu.
AD  - Assistant Professor, Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309
AD  - Senior Instructor, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309
AB  - Lean manufacturing theory is founded on several key principles: specify value by product, rethink your operating methods, focus on actual objects from beginning to completion, release resources for delivery just when needed and strive for perfection. Transferring these principles from manufacturing to the construction domain is of ongoing interest for construction researchers. However, modifying real construction processes is expensive, time consuming and difficult. This paper reports interim results of a study to evaluate lean principles when applied to construction using computer simulation. 

Data for a structural steel erection process was modeled in ExtendÒ to form the experimental tool for evaluating lean principles. In all cases, the simulated principles improved project performance. Performance improved dramatically when all principles are simultaneously applied. 

However, the erection process became volatile and fragile when it was subjected to changes and uncertainties from outside of the process. Maintaining a zero buffer at the erection site made the process extremely fragile. This study demonstrates the need for a broad systems view when one is considering lean modifications to a construction process.
KW  - Lean principles
KW  - lean construction
KW  - process simulation
KW  - buffer size
KW  - volatility.
PB  - 
T2  - 7th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction
DA  - 1999/07/26
CY  - Berkeley, California, USA
L1  - http://iglc.net/Papers/Details/59/pdf
L2  - http://iglc.net/Papers/Details/59
N1  - Export Date: 25 April 2024
DB  - IGLC.net
DP  - IGLC
LA  - English
ER  -