Productivity, economic and environmental impact analysis for construction components manufacturing

Abstract

This research mainly investigates the economic analysis of the prefabricated construction components. Cost of the prefabricated components mainly depends on the types of the materials used and manufacturing technique (casting, 3D printing, etc.). Types and proportion of the materials used in the manufacturing defines the material cost of component. These factors are also responsible for the mechanical strength and durability of the components. For this purpose, mechanical characteristics and durability are considered first before cost analysis of the prefabricated components. In addition to the mechanical or hardened properties, rheological properties are primarily investigated to have adequate fresh properties for casting and 3D printing. Sustainable geopolymers materials with Ordinary Portland cement are considered as main binding material for the specimen preparation. Response surface Methodology (RSM) has been practiced for Design of Experiment and analysis of the mechanical properties. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) will be performed to analyze the impact of each individual variable considered in experimentation. Moreover, empirical models will be developed to predict the responses measures (mechanical characteristics) within the selected range of variables. After the productivity analysis, cost analysis and cost estimation model will be developed for the prefabricated components. For the precise estimation of component cost, feature based cost estimation technique supported with Fuzzy logic model will be used. This model will help in estimating the loss factors of the materials during the casting or 3D printing process. Moreover, model will consider the lean practices to eliminate the waste and unnecessary processing at the design stage of product to have a precise cost estimation model. This cost estimation model will also be validated with the industrial case study and expert opinion. Tangible perks of the cost estimation system include early estimation of the components, reduced lead time, efficient response to the customer requirements and reduced shop floor trials in the industry. Environmental impact of the casted or printed components will also be estimated which also depends on the materials and transportation. Environmental impact based on life cycle analysis of the components will be estimated from cradle to gate considering the component’s material composition and transportation. This study not only helps the practitioners in order to estimate mechanical strength and other characteristics through empirical modeling but also aid the cost estimators to estimate the cost at the design stage of the prefabricated components.