An SCO-enabled logistics and supply-chain management system in construction

Abstract

Logistic and supply chain management (LSCM) is of paramount importance to a construction project but is often problematic. Many researchers see LSCM per se as a web of decisions to be made, and attribute problems to a lack of process and information concurrence. This is exacerbated by fragmentation, discontinuity, and heterogeneity in construction LSCM. The bi-directional information flow remains unachieved in the existing sensing-based systems for construction LSCM. Without panoramically interconnected to other smart abilities such as the automatic action-taking ability, most existing sensing-based systems are insufficient to realize their full potentials in facilitating construction LSCM. Building on previous studies on smart construction objects (SCOs), this paper aims to develop an SCO-enabled system that can enhance concurrence of process and information, with a view to informing better decision-making in construction LSCM. It does so by first analyzing the problems in prevailing LSCM practices using business process reengineering. Based on this analysis, the architecture for an SCO-enabled LSCM system is proposed and developed into a prototype. Then the system is calibrated and validated in the rich context of offshore prefabrication housing production in Hong Kong. It is found that SCOs, with their properties of awareness, communicativeness, and autonomy built into a smart management system, can supplement the existing LSCM process with more concurrent decision-making information. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge in two areas. It adds to the theoretical debate on decision-making by arguing the importance of information and process concurrence and trying to explicate it in the context of construction LSCM. In addition, the SCO-enabled LSCM system can be implemented in real-life practice to alleviate the many problems existing in construction LSCM.