Construction management pull for 4D CAD

摘要

4D CAD work at present could be typified as "techno-construction-centric". This paper endeavours to provide a wider construction management perspective that will open up high value alternative areas for consideration. Construction is a dynamic, fragmented and combative industry. There is just not a stable platform for the adoption of sophisticated tools. In addition it is usual to speak of managing for time, cost and quality which is really quite misleading. The following performance dimensions are suggested: location (planning), function, aesthetics, cost, time, health and safety and environmental performance. This implies a broader, longer-term perspective beyond immediate project needs. Given the tacit-tacit emphasis of the industry, the mis-match with the explicit-explicit character of 4D CAD systems is stark. Instead of accuracy and detail, coarse robustness and connectedness are needed in systems that cover the important hard and soft dimensions The implication is that 4D CAD systems need to shift emphasis towards the tacit- explicit mode by accommodating the above wide range of hard and soft, long and short term performance dimensions (nD CAD). In parallel with this a push towards supporting explicit tacit knowledge conversion is needed with an emphasis on richer communications. The developments suggested will create a closer fit between the characteristics of the systems and the reality experienced by those in the industry. As such it will simply make more sense for such systems to be taken up through industry pull. Current 4D CAD Focus To date 4D CAD appears to be focused on integrating the technical design information respectively within the design and construction phases (eg Aalami and Fischer, 1998) This has great potential to unlock the synergies between the knowledge and experience of the designers and that of the constructors. These islands of know-how are typically isolated by education, tradition, orientation, contracts and processes. However, the thrust of the work seems to be limited to the technological issues, with a heavy emphasis on the construction phase. In short, 4D CAD work at present could be typified as "techno-construction-centtric". This paper endeavours to provide a wider construction management perspective that will open up high value alternative areas for consideration. In this way, it is hoped, the full benefits of the emerging technology can be developed. Unless otherwise stated a UK perspective is being taken.