How Virtual Design and Construction can be used to improve project delivery.

Abstract

A shift towards a more digitalized construction industry have led to an increased focus on tools as Building Information Modelling (BIM), integrated environments, new planning tools and more efficient meeting layouts. The interest for Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) is rapidly increasing as construction firms aim to deliver higher quality to shorter scheduled projects. Virtual Design and Construction are considered as a framework of tools and techniques bound to a collaborative system for improved project completion supported through digitalized solutions. This thesis has been written in collaboration with Norconsult and AF Gruppen and aims to map how Virtual Design and Construction can identify latency and reduce delays in project throughput. In conjunction with the assignment, Project Bispevika, delivered by AF Gruppen has been used as the primary case due to its integration of VDC tools and techniques. Initially, a literature study has been conducted to form the theoretical foundation of this assignment. In this thesis, mainly qualitative research methods through observations and interviews has been applied to dig deeper into challenges in the design-construction process. Mainly, the VDC aspects Production and Process Management (PPM) and Integrated Concurrent Engineering (ICE) has been evaluated as these are the less researched parts of VDC and not as commonly used in the construction industry. Observations and interviews has highlighted the varying degree to which VDC is implemented in organizations, exemplified through Project Bispevika. The thesis is using Project Bispevika as case study. The thesis takes a deeper dive into how metrices are used to continuously improve meeting, planning and coordination. The project is divided into two sub-projects: Bispevika B2 and Bispevika B6a including 1 and 9 constructions respectively. Last Planner System, metrices, BIM level 2 model, ICE sessions, Big Rooms and integrated environment are some of the VDC practices implemented in the project. Results from the case study, backed by interview participants from several design and construction organizations indicates that the focus on using the VDC framework is improving project delivery. Meetings are optimized, planning are more efficient, latency is reduced, and root causes are not only identified, but categorized and documented for benchmarking in later projects. Metrices is used to identify areas with potential for improvement, where products, organization and processes are continuously improved. This research shows that Virtual Design and Construction in this case study are creating better foundation for collaboration. The framework also helps detect latency with potential for improvements and benchmarking. This thesis is underlining some of the potential root causes to latency, where further research should be made on reducing latency from the root causes detected.