Quality management platform inspired during COVID-19 pandemic for use by subcontractors in private housing projects
Abstract
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan, many construction sites must limit the number of people on the jobsite or conduct work independently to avoid the spread of COVID-19. The quality of construction may be in doubt with unclear job handover, especially when workers have COVID-19 infection that should be isolated immediately. On top of that, first-level subcontractor self-inspections are crucial parts of construction process management, and neglecting inspection processes can lead to construction errors and poor quality. To improve current quality inspection methods for private projects, a literature analysis was conducted to identify construction quality management issues that are faced in private housing projects. In-depth interviews with small and medium-sized subcontractors of private housing projects were performed to understand the quality management methods that they use in practice. Next, improvement measures for quality management were formulated and a simplified checklist for private project subcontractors, based on the practical feedback obtained, was created. Finally, the AppSheet platform was used to develop an inspection application for construction, and a subcontractor was invited to confirm its feasibility. The paperless design avoids redundant human contact, and the results of this study greatly facilitate construction practice, particularly during the pandemic. The main contribution of this study is its investigation of the procedures that are used by private project subcontractors to inspect their work for quality management; its results can serve as a reference for academics in evaluating construction quality management levels and improving the management of work by subcontractors to promote safety and health.
Keyword : private housing project, subcontractor management, construction quality management, construction inspection checklist, mobile device application
How to Cite
Chou, J.-S., Chen, Y.-H., Liu, C.-Y., & Chong, W. O. (2023). Quality management platform inspired during COVID-19 pandemic for use by subcontractors in private housing projects. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 29(5), 398–417. https://doi.org/10.3846/jcem.2023.18687
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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Tsai, W.-Y. (2017). Android construction project daily report action [Master dissertation]. National Yunlin University of Science and Technology. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/msy9sd
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Whang, S. W., Donyavi, S., Flanagan, R., & Kim, S. (2022). Balanced approach for tendering practice at the pre-contract stage: The UK practitioner’s perspective. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 28(5), 338–348. https://doi.org/10.3846/jcem.2022.16580
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Zhang, S.-H., Pang, X.-S., & Hu, S.-M. (2006). Overview of foreign public works supervision system. Public Construction Commission, Executive Yuan, Taiwan, R.O.C. https://ws.pcc.gov.tw/001/upload/old/oldupload/upload/article/9511.pdf
Zheng, Z. Y. (2008). Research on construction quality verification system of private construction industry – taking “Building Production History” as an example [Master dissertation]. National Central University. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/wv4935
Al-Adhami, M., Wu, S., & Ma, L. (2019). Extended reality approach for construction quality control. In CIB World Building Congress 2019, Hong Kong SAR, China. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10084750/1/paper.pdf
Al-Janabi, A. M., Abdel-Monem, M. S., & El-Dash, K. M. (2020). Factors causing rework and their impact on projects’ performance in Egypt. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 26(7), 666–689. https://doi.org/10.3846/jcem.2020.12916
Amici, C., Rotilio, M., De Berardinis, P., & Cucchiella, F. (2022). Framework for computerizing the processes of a job and automating the operational management on site – A case study of demolition and reconstruction construction site. Buildings, 12(6), 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12060800
Arantes, A., & Ferreira, L. M. D. F. (2021). A methodology for the development of delay mitigation measures in construction projects. Production Planning & Control, 32(3), 228–241. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2020.1725169
Ariyanti, G. (2021). Perancangan sistem absensi siswa menggunakan aplikasi appsheet pada MDTA attawakkal. Jurnal Teknik Informatika, 6(2), 367–372. https://doi.org/10.54367/jtiust.v6i2.1553
Doloi, H., Sawhney, A., Iyer, K. C., & Rentala, S. (2012). Analysing factors affecting delays in Indian construction projects. International Journal of Project Management, 30(4), 479–489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2011.10.004
Guo, X.-S. (2006). Research on the evaluation index of public works planning and design quality [Master dissertation]. National Cheng Kung University. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/tgwsn3
He, Y.-X., & Li, S.-X. (2018). Survey report on construction quality assessment system of Singapore (CONQUAS). Public Construction Commission, Executive Yuan, Taiwan, R.O.C. https://report.nat.gov.tw/ReportFront/PageSystem/reportFileDownload/C10702286/001
Hernández, J. L., Martín Lerones, P., Bonsma, P., Van Delft, A., Deighton, R., & Braun, J.-D. (2018). An IFC interoperability framework for self-inspection process in buildings. Buildings, 8(2), 32–40. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings8020032
Jones, M. A., & Taylor, V. A. (2018). Marketer requests for positive post-purchase satisfaction evaluations: Consumer depth interview findings. Retailing and Consumer Services, 41, 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2017.12.013
Kistiyanti, I. (2021). Pembuatan aplikasi monitoring harian berbasis Android menggunakan software appsheet sebagai media pendukung pada Pt pln (Persero) ulp weleri. Universitas Gadjah Mada. http://etd.repository.ugm.ac.id/penelitian/detail/201562
Leeuw, J. A. D., Woltjer, H., & Kool, R. B. (2020). Identification of factors influencing the adoption of health information technology by nurses who are digitally lagging: in-depth interview study. Medical Internet Research, 22(8), e15630. https://doi.org/10.2196/15630
Ljungblad, S., Man, Y., Baytaş, M. A., Gamboa, M., Obaid, M., & Fjeld, M. (2021). What matters in professional drone pilots’ practice? An interview study to understand the complexity of their work and inform human-drone interaction research. In Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Yokohama, Japan. https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445737
Liao, X.-C. (2016). Engineering project quality management information system design and development [Master dissertation]. National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/82s5c6
Lin, X. (2005). Review of quality control system for public works [Master dissertation]. National Cheng Kung University. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/g8ms58
Na, S., Zheng, X.-X., & Jiang, J. (2014). Comparison of quality supervision systems of public works across the Taiwan Strait. Professional Engineer Journal, 68, 51–62. https://www.airitilibrary.com/Publication/alDetailedMesh?DocID=18156460-201412-201505050014-201505050014-51-62&PublishTypeID=P001
Nguyen, L. D., Koufakou, A., & Mitchell, C. (2015). A smart mobile app for site inspection and documentation. In International Construction Specialty Conference of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (ICSC), Anaheim, CA, USA. https://doi.org/10.14288/1.0076358
Niu, Y. L., Deng, X. P., Zhang, L. M., & Duan, X. C. (2019). Understanding critical variables contributing to competitive advantages of international high-speed railway contractors. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 25(2), 184–202. https://doi.org/10.3846/jcem.2019.8427
O’Connor, J. T., & Koo, H. J. (2021). Proactive design quality assessment tool for building projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 147(2), 04020174. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0001980
Ochoa, S. F., Bravo, G., Pino, J. A., & Rodríguez-Covili, J. (2011). Coordinating loosely-coupled work in construction inspection activities. Group Decision and Negotiation, 20(1), 39–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10726-010-9203-9
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2021). 2021 annual report. https://www.osha.gov.tw/2725/29643/30091/38867/
Petrović, N., Radenković, M., & Nejković, V. (2020a). Data-driven mobile applications based on AppSheet as support in COVID-19 crisis. In IcETRAN 2020, Ethno Village Stanisici, Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. https://www.etran.rs/2020/ZBORNIK_RADOVA/Radovi_prikazani_na_konferenciji/116_RTI3.2.pdf
Petrović, N., Roblek, V., & Nejković, V. (2020b). Mobile applications and services for next-generation energy management in smart cities. Sustainable Development, 1, 2–10. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346841281_Mobile_Applications_and_Services_for_Next-Generation_Energy_Management_in_Smart_Cities
Pyo, S. H., & Baek, J.-W. (2019). A study on the construction and operation of theme collections through book curation: in-depth interview with public librarians. The Korean Society for Library, 53(4), 189–211. https://doi.org/10.4275/KSLIS.2019.53.4.189
Qiu, Y.-G. (2011). Research on implementing self-inspection strategy of public works construction [Master dissertation]. National Central University. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/f297wz
Rolfsen, C. N., & Lassen, A. K. (2020). On-site inspections: The shift from forms to digital capture. Organization, Technology and Management in Construction: an International Journal, 12(1), 2064–2071. https://doi.org/10.2478/otmcj-2020-0003
Shin, J., & Choi, B. (2022). Design and implementation of quality information management system for modular construction factory. Buildings, 12(5), 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12050654
Shoar, S., & Banaitis, A. (2019). Application of fuzzy fault tree analysis to identify factor influencing construction labor productivity: A high-rise building case study. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 25(1), 41–52. https://doi.org/10.3846/jcem.2019.7785
Tsai, W.-Y. (2017). Android construction project daily report action [Master dissertation]. National Yunlin University of Science and Technology. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/msy9sd
Xie, Z.-D., & Ren, T.-C. (2016). Learn from Japan’s “intermediate inspection system” to strengthen construction management. Taiwan Journal-Construction News Record, 399, 18–26. https://doi.org/10.30144/CNR
Xue, G.-P. (2001). Research on the quality management of construction company’s building of collective housing [Master dissertation]. National Central University. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/gx8ke2
Wijesekara, D., Peiris, P., Fernando, D., Palliyaguru, T., & Fonseka, W. (2020). Developing an electronic record keeping system at a paediatric clinic in Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 49(2), 116–124. http://doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v49i2.8958
Whang, S. W., Donyavi, S., Flanagan, R., & Kim, S. (2022). Balanced approach for tendering practice at the pre-contract stage: The UK practitioner’s perspective. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 28(5), 338–348. https://doi.org/10.3846/jcem.2022.16580
Wu, W.-M. (2019). Discussion on quality management of civil residential project construction [Master dissertation]. National Yunlin University of Science and Technology. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/h53p23
Zhang, J.-X. (2021). Discuss the effectiveness of the implementation of the three-level quality management system for public works construction from the perspective of engineering practice [Master dissertation]. National Taiwan University. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/eqemey
Zhang, S.-H., Pang, X.-S., & Hu, S.-M. (2006). Overview of foreign public works supervision system. Public Construction Commission, Executive Yuan, Taiwan, R.O.C. https://ws.pcc.gov.tw/001/upload/old/oldupload/upload/article/9511.pdf
Zheng, Z. Y. (2008). Research on construction quality verification system of private construction industry – taking “Building Production History” as an example [Master dissertation]. National Central University. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/wv4935