Browsing by Author "Siriwardana, CSA"

Now showing 1 - 18 of 18

item: Conference-Abstract
An Activity analysis to investigate the root causes of worker productivity losses in Sri Lankan building construction projects
Karunarathna, DMTGMN; Siriwardana, CSA; Dharmawardana, MYR
Construction workers are the basic unit of the construction industry. The behaviour of construction workers varies with the time, which impacts on worker productivity. Therefore, obtaining the highest levels of performance is crucial in order to be competitive in the construction industry. The scarcity of skilled workers, increase of high rise building projects and changes in the economic and political conditions aggravated the need of seeking strategies to improve the performances of construction workers. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the productivity pitfalls, and root causes behind the worker performance losses when developing productivity improvement frameworks. Under this study, a detailed workforce assessment framework was developed for building construction projects using the Activity Analysis technique. A worker performance benchmarking was carried out for different trades to identify the differences in contract strategies of the workers. Further, root causes for worker productivity losses were identified and mapped those with the responsible parties.
item: Conference-Abstract
Application of Social Network Analysis (SNA) to identify communication network associated with Multi-Hazard Early Warning (MHEW) in Sri Lanka
Shehara, PLAI; Siriwardana, CSA; Amaratunga, A; Haigh, R
In Sri Lanka, there are many recurring natural hazards like floods and landslides, which often turn into crucial disasters. Therefore, there is a worldwide necessity to initiate measures to reduce disaster risk as emphasized on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. In this process, Multi-Hazard Early Warnings play a vital role in which clearly defines the communication networks and enhances effective communication mechanisms. To identify the behavior of the communication network, identification of stakeholders and visualization of the network is essential. Under this study, communication networks were modelled for five frequently occurring and most critical natural hazards namely; droughts, floods, landslides, tsunami and cyclones. The stakeholder identification was done by reviewing Emergency Operation Procedures assigned for the institutions under each hazard situation. Social Network Analysis approach was used as the basis for network visualization and modelling was done using Gephi open-source software. The analyzed results were ranked based on the categories of the centrality parameter, which highlights the key stakeholders in the network. Further, the developed models were compared with the Standard Operation Procedures developed for Tsunami. The key findings of the research study can be further developed to identify and bridge the communication gap in the Multi-Hazard Early Warning Mechanism.
item: Article-Full-text
Are environmental sustainability and happiness the keys to prosperity in Asian nations?
(Elsevier, 2020) Kaklauskas, A; Dias, WPS; Binkyte-Veliene, A; Abraham, A; Ubarte, I; Randi, OPC; Siriwardana, CSA; Lil, I; Milevicius, I; Podviezko, A; Puust, R
Various research prove that happy nations are prosperous in numerous areas containing GDP, productivity, social support and inclusion, health, lower corruption and environmental sustainability. The analysis in this multicriteria study covers the environmental sustainability, success and happiness trends in Asian nations during a 25-year time span. Strong and average correlations amongst the success, happiness and environmental sustainability, of Asian nations, in one regard, and, in another regard, the macroeconomics, well-being and human development, values-based, quality of life and environmental indicators were established across numerous statistical databases. Six multiple regression models of success and happiness in Asian nations were compiled with the assistance of IBM SPSS Statistics. The linear regression model of success in 40 Asian nations illustrates how nine independent variables explain 90.7 percent of the significances of results. The 19-Asian nation, multiple regression happiness model show how 16 independent variables account for 99.5% of the Happiness index weight dispersion.
item: Conference-Abstract
Assessing the readiness for digital technologies adoption for enhancing productivity in the Sri Lankan construction industry
(Department of Civil Engineering, 2023-09-27) Chathuranga, IHN; Siriwardana, CSA; Mallikarachchi, C; Hettiarachchi, P; Herath, S; Fernando, L
The Construction Industry (CI) is a vital sector that continually seeks to enhance productivity and profitability, facing distinct challenges compared to other industries. Amidst global trends emphasising the integration of digital technologies for improved productivity, the CI's adoption of such innovation technologies lags in a global perspective. The study recognises that digital transformation is vital to significant productivity gains in the construction industry. However, in the Sri Lankan context, a comprehensive study has not yet been done to develop a tool to assess the Sri Lankan construction industry's readiness towards digitalisation. This research paper addresses this gap by developing a readiness model and a self-assessment tool to measure the organisational readiness of Sri Lankan construction industry to adopt digital technologies in a holistic approach. This study employs a multi-dimensional approach by amalgamating the Technology-Organisation-Environment framework and the Readiness for Workforce Strategic Change Management framework, effectively addressing the complexities of digital technology adoption within organisations. A rigorous literature survey identified 15 readiness indicators spanning Environment, Technology, Organisation, Leadership, and Workforce dimensions to evaluate the construction industry's readiness. The research employs a mixed-methods approach involving a literature survey, pilot questionnaire, comprehensive questionnaire, and robust data analysis techniques, including descriptive, factor, and Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation analyses. The outcomes reveal a nuanced understanding of critical indicators, categorised into two groups named ELPA (Environment, Leadership, Workforce Attitude, and Organisational Performance) and TOK (Technology, Organisation, and Technical Knowledge). The study's primary contributions include the development of an organisational readiness model and a selfassessment tool, facilitating self-evaluation by construction organisations. The developed readiness model integrates these dimensions through weighted indicators, providing a holistic assessment of readiness. The self-assessment tool operationalises the model, enabling practitioners to gauge readiness by assessing each indicator's relevance towards digitalisation. The model is underpinned by Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation, ensuring objectivity and addressing subjective judgments. The assessment tool is precious for its practical applicability, offering a user-friendly approach for organisations to identify their strengths and weaknesses towards digital technology adoption at the organisational level. Ultimately, this research sheds light on the readiness landscape of the Sri Lankan construction industry, paving the way for strategic interventions and informed decision-making towards digitalisation. By aligning strategic plans based on the results obtained from the developed readiness model, organisations can drive their digital transformation journey, harnessing the potential of digital technologies to boost construction industry performance, bridge productivity gaps, and contribute to the economic growth of Sri Lanka.
item: Conference-Abstract
Assessment of disaster resilience in hospitals: a case study based framework development for Sri Lankan context
(Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, 2024) Marasinghe, MMGC; Damruwan, HGH; Siriwardana, CSA; Dhanapala, S; Wijesekara, N; Wedamulla, A; Pasindu, HR; Damruwan, H; Weerasinghe, P; Fernando, L; Rajapakse, C
Hospitals are essential infrastructures that must maintain continuous operation during and after disasters to ensure the safety of patients and staff while providing medical services, even under surge conditions. Given the critical nature of these facilities, assessing their disaster preparedness is of utmost importance. This study addresses the limitations of the World Health Organization's Hospital Safety Index (HSI) when applied to Sri Lankan hospitals, leading to the development of the Structural Safety of Hospitals Assessment for Sri Lanka (SSH-SL). The study presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating hospital safety, divided into three primary modules: structural safety (utilizing SSH-SL), functional safety, and emergency and disaster management. Enhancements were made to the latter two modules to better align with the specific needs of the Sri Lankan context. The framework introduces a set of equations to calculate the safety index for each module, which then assigns safety levels and provides recommendations for improvement. This framework was applied to assess 15 government hospitals, revealing significant concerns across all three modules, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to enhance hospital resilience in Sri Lanka. The results from the assessment indicate that the structural safety levels of the 15 hospitals are generally at or above average level, suggesting that these facilities can operate during disaster conditions, though steps must be taken to ensure safety of both patients and staff. In terms of functional aspects, the majority of hospitals demonstrated a safety level of average or above, with two hospitals exhibiting below-average safety levels. Regarding Emergency and Disaster Management, 11 out of the 15 hospitals displayed high safety levels, whereas two hospitals had low safety levels. Immediate actions are necessary for hospitals with below-average safety levels, with a focus on implementing both short-term and long-term remedies. Additionally, limitations of the framework were identified during the hospital assessment process. The architectural safety submodule, under functional safety, was recognized as a critical submodule requiring modifications. Several assessment criteria specific to the Sri Lankan context were identified and subsequently incorporated into the existing submodule. Following these adjustments, a Delphi Study was conducted on the enhanced submodule, utilizing a panel of experts to gauge their consensus. Based on the survey results from the Delphi Study, weights were assigned to each assessment criterion within the submodule, leading to the derivation of a comprehensive safety score for the architectural safety of hospital buildings.
item: Conference-Full-text
A Conceptual framework to understand the multi-hazard early warning mechanism in communication management
(IEEE, 2022-07) Shehara, PLAI; Siriwardana, CSA; Amaratunga, D; Haigh, R; Rathnayake, M; Adhikariwatte, V; Hemachandra, K
A conceptual model development is a primary mechanism for defining dependencies among parameters. Here, the integration of concepts linked with Multi-Hazard Early Warning mechanism is captured. This became more significant when implementing Disaster Risk Reduction strategies emphasized by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Such a warning mechanism is required to ensure that the public at risk is timely alerted and adequately informed. In proper understanding of this mechanism, the conceptual model development is a significant approach. Here, the activity level sequencing was determined with the analytical illustration of the activity concentration and stakeholder level. Recent studies were considered in conceptual model development. For further verification, the reviews obtained from the pilot expert survey were considered. The developed model was checked for applicability considering disaster situations such as Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, Cyclone Fani in 2019 and Meethotamulla garbage dump failure in 2017. Here, the activity level concentration variation is categorized based on stakeholder levels which define on the international to community level are captured along with time change. Based on the idealized conceptual framework, the policymakers and associated stakeholders can use this in integrating the guidelines and policy framework which are targeted at Disaster Risk Reduction.
item: Conference-Full-text
Development of a cost-optimized model for evacuation route planning for tsunamis
(IEEE, 2022-07) Kannangara, KKCL; Adhikariwatte, V; Siriwardana, CSA; Rathnayake, M; Adhikariwatte, V; Hemachandra, K
This paper addresses the problem of planning inland evacuation routes along a given coastal stretch. This study presents a methodology to determine the optimum interval for proving inland evacuation routes within a stretch of vulnerable coastal area. It is evident that the developing countries may face financial constraints while providing necessary infrastructure facilities to minimize the fatalities. The establishment of evacuation routes or structures involves expensive capital and maintenance costs. Policymakers need a scientific basis to evaluate the provision of infrastructure facilities as part of planning emergency response strategies. The proposed methodology looks at the trade-off between the cost of providing infrastructure for evacuation and the cost of exposure to the risk. A total cost model is derived as the sum of infrastructure cost and cost of people being exposed to the risk as a function of uniform spacing between inland evacuation routes. The optimum uniform spacing that minimizes the total cost is derived. Thus, the spacing between evacuation routes is obtained as a function of the value of time saved from exposure to the risk, population density in the area, hazard zone depth, walking speed of individuals, and cost of infrastructure. Thus, the derived model is applied to a case study in Thelwaththa Grama Niladhari Division (GND), located in the southern province of Sri Lanka, which was severely affected by the 2004 tsunami event.
item: Conference-Abstract
Development of an overall construction productivity assessment framework and an improvement model
(Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa, 2022-12) Premakumara, UAK; Siriwardana, CSA; Mallikarachchi, C
The construction sector is one of the most vital industries in a nation as it directly assesses the populace's necessities. Globally, the construction industry is among the top five trades, contributing significantly to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yet due to its complexity and high frequency of unanticipated occurrences, the sector relies on labour input more than any other major contributor to the national GDP. Further, the assessments on construction productivity were found to be regionalised, making them inapplicable to local or distinct settings. In response to the aforementioned factors, the current study has established a unique evaluation of the context of construction productivity based on a global systematic examination of 130 distinct studies, dividing the world into 9 distinguishable regions of, 1. Australia-New Zealand Region; 2. North American Region; and 3. Eastern Asian/Russian Region. 4. Middle East Region, 5. European Region, 6. Southeast Asian Region, 7. South Asian Region, 8. South American Region, and 9. African Region. Consequently, a set of productivity benchmarks has been constructed from the same literature to analyse 915 various characteristics that contribute to a lack of construction productivity in the worldwide context into the 50 most prominent aspects, as determined by the above systematic analysis. The scrutiny was conducted using a framework based on the concepts of Pareto Analysis and Frequency Analysis, where factors were assigned in accordance with the scope of each benchmark, based on Pareto Analysis, and the most prominent characteristics of each factor under the benchmark were enumerated using the frequency approach. Accordingly, the results have been tailored for the Sri Lankan context through a cross-sectional survey of 117 stakeholders, ranging from executive project managers to labourers, culminating in a ranking of the most prevalent criteria for the Sri Lankan context. Using Pareto and Fuzzy Analysis techniques, the study has successfully mitigated the most crucial component in evaluating construction productivity in a global construction context, namely the subjectivity of evaluation, while also taking into account the interdependence of benchmarks through the utilisation of dedicated Fuzzy Analyses and Interdependence Assessment Frameworks, respectively. As the study's final deliverable, the 20 most prevalent factors were considered, and a measuring methodology of productivity and improvement model for each was introduced based on case studies and literature available on each aspect (137 Studies), allowing users or practitioners to adapt and improve productivity at the corresponding venues, achieving the study's ultimate goal of developing a globally adaptive, overall construction productivity assessment framework and an improvement model for the Sri Lankan Construction Context.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Disaster management frameworks in Sri Lanka and compliance with global standards
Jayasiri, GP; Hettiarachchi, SSL; Siriwardana, CSA
In the recent past Sri Lanka has experienced several significant natural disasters. At present, the DMC and all the line agencies focus on disaster management functions under the ministry of disaster management. The comprehensive disaster management program was prepared in 2014 and it is to be used up until 2018. Furthermore, it was proposed to identify mechanisms to integrate the Sendai Framework into the Sri Lankan national disaster management framework. However, during recent disasters, the DMC and the disaster management framework was under severe criticism from the public as well as the technical community. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate disaster management framework in Sri Lanka and its compliance with global standards. Initially an in-depth literature review was carried out to identify the terminology and existing local and international frameworks related to Disaster Management. Then the local frameworks were evaluated against seven criteria, which were identified after carefully analysing the requirements of the Sendai Framework. During this investigations several recent disaster incidents were referred as well. In addition, a case study was carried out to identify the status of some of the key components of coastal community resilience. Interviewing key professionals in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction in Sri Lanka and the focused group and panel discussions provided sufficient data for the analysis. Sri Lanka is in the process of aligning themselves with the Sendai Framework and Even though country lacks proper and efficient resilience mechanisms focused on the coastal communities, national efforts are underway to build up the coastal resilience. Training and public awareness campaigns, efficient funds, properly maintained hierarchy and concern to the coastal ecosystems are some of the enablers associated in building coastal resilience. Developing a multi-hazard map, improving the interagency cooperation, Use of social media to disseminate Early Warnings and focusing more on the development of a people-centered Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) are some of the recommendations given.
item: Conference-Full-text
Examining the community perception towards communication modes of issuing multi-hazard early warning (mhew) in Sri Lanka
(IEEE, 2020-07) Shehara, PLAI; Siriwardana, CSA; Amaratunga, D; Haigh, R; Weeraddana, C; Edussooriya, CUS; Abeysooriya, RP
Communication modes are considered important in the effective delivery of Multi-Hazard Early Warnings (MHEW) to the downstream community level. More significantly, in the global context, the lack of having proper communication modes and resistance of the community to adapt to novel technologically based communication modes have identified. Indian Ocean Tsunami which hit in 2004 is a crucial disaster incident where the lack of having effective communication modes for the warning dissemination emerged in many of the affected countries. To identify the community level perception on the existing communication modes in Sri Lanka, a field questionnaire survey was developed and conducted among 10 Grama Niladari divisions in the country and overall 323 community responses were obtained. As per the results obtained under the response analysis, traditional modes of communication were highlighted as the most effective communication mode both in urban and rural levels, among both males and females, and among each of the age category distribution. Further, the community perception level was indicated based on the mean perception score and sentimental perception score on the mobile-based communication platforms. This denoted that the community perception level is at a lower level over the warning dissemination through mobile-based platforms.
item: Conference-Full-text
Feasibility study on, enablers and barriers for the implementation of lean construction and the applicability of visual management practices through forms of digital communication in the Sri Lankan industry
(IEEE, 2021-07) Kariyawasam, DT; Siriwardana, CSA; Adhikariwatte, W; Rathnayake, M; Hemachandra, K
Even though the implementation of lean practices into the construction framework have many advantages, thus far, the use of lean in the Sri Lankan construction industry is seldom and infrequent. Though many success stories exist around the world on implementing Lean Construction (LC), why the concept is untapped in Sri Lankan context require a thorough and in-depth understanding on the Barriers for LC implementation. In this study, a comprehensive analysis is done on identifying and assessing the possible factors that affect the application of LC, and factors to overcome those barriers based on an extensive literature review followed by a statistical analysis of data from a questionnaire survey which targeted professionals in the industry. From the results obtained from the questionnaire a recommendation was made on integrating Visual Management (VM) practices through means of digital communication as a lean tool, and the feasibility of the application was appraised through a questionnaire survey where a favourable result was obtained. The outcome of this study could help companies to overcome barriers and focus their attention and resources on the significant issues, crucial to support the successful implementation of LC and develop a framework to integrate Visual Management practices into digital communication.
item: Conference-Abstract
A Framework to dvelop multi-hazard maps to identify the natural hazards which affect the safety of Sri Lankan hospitals
Hasalanka, HHH; Siriwardana, CSA; Kularatne, WDM; Wijesekara, NWANY; Kodituwakku, KALC
Hospitals are known as one of the most important types of infrastructure systems as they are expected to provide health care services continuously, irrespective of the hazardous conditions. Therefore, a framework should be developed to evaluate the existing level of safety of hospitals. As the initial step, the hazards which can affect need to be identified and the level of exposure should be determined. Among these hazards, geological and hydro-meteorological hazards which falling under natural hazards, play a major role towards the safety measures in hospitals. It is because the number of affected people and the affected buildings are higher under geological and hydro-meteorological hazards. Therefore, it is essential to develop exposure maps under these natural hazards. As the first step, hazard maps of Tsunami, floods, landslides, etc. could be obtained. After that, a layer hospitals could be created and then the exposure map could be obtained by locating the hospital layer on the hazard maps. This would illustrates the hazards affecting each hospital in Sri Lanka. This paper discusses the process of developing a framework of the development of exposure maps of Sri Lankan hospitals by superimposing the hospital layer in Sri Lanka on the hazard maps, using a mapping software “ArcGIS” with case studies.
item: Conference-Abstract
An investigation of factors affecting the marginalized communities in disasters from an intersection perspective: a systematic literature review
(Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, 2021-11) Rinaz, RM; Siriwardana, CSA; Hettiarachchi, P
Disasters have different effects on different people. Natural and man-made disasters have ravaged Sri Lanka on several occasions, disproportionately affecting the socially excluded and marginalized people who represent the lower positions of the society. When it comes to the treatment of marginalized people in disasters, the primary rule is that everyone, regardless of their differences, should have the same privileges and rights in the pre to post disaster phases. Building disaster-resilient communities has become a top priority for crisis management organizations around the world in recent years, as resilient communities are more likely to incur less losses and recover more swiftly in the case of a disaster. To improve a society's resilience, however, one must first create a baseline, or a starting point from which to compare communities. However, there has been fewer studies of the literature on the extent of social exclusion experienced by Sri Lanka's marginalized or the excluded population during the disasters. This research uses a Systematic Literature Review to synthesize the context of marginalization experienced during disasters in Sri Lanka, drawing on examples and models from other countries. Data was acquired utilizing two databases, as well as scanning the grey literature. The PRISMA model was used for the screening process of the literature. Studies conducted on marginalization, marginalization during disasters, published in English, were selected by the reviewer. Furthermore, the VOS viewer data mining tool was used for developing a network map of keywords of the selected literatures to identify the most investigated areas around the concept of marginalization during disasters. Of 2072 articles published between 2016 and 2021, 37 articles have been included and reviewed in this study. In order to identify a socially excluded marginalized community during disasters, six significant vulnerable parameters were eventually identified. The review describes how marginalization accelerates as a result of various overlapping vulnerabilities, and how these marginalized groups are underrepresented in the disaster cycle and decision- making processes as a result of disaster planning, impact, response, and recovery.
item: Conference-Full-text
A study to investigate the factors affecting construction worker performance
(IEEE, 2021-07) Anojan, T; Siriwardana, CSA; Adhikariwatte, W; Rathnayake, M; Hemachandra, K
Worker performance is highly significant in the construction industry since it affects the productivity, safety, and quality level of the project. Construction activities are considered labour-intensive as they heavily rely on human effort. This study aims to evaluate and rate the impact of the factors affecting construction worker performance in the Sri Lankan construction industry. The factors identified through the literature review were categorized into different 11 groups by their nature. The most suitable factors were selected and grouped by using a specific structured approach. Structured questionnaires comprising all the selected factors were used to gather the relevant data from directors, managers, technical officers, engineers, and other professionals. All the gathered data were analysed and were ranked using the Relative Important Index (RII). Improvement strategies were also proposed, and a framework had been developed for improving worker performance. The results of this study will be worthwhile information to improve the performance of the project as part of the research was involved in investigating the interaction relationship of the key factors affecting worker performance to improve the labour productivity in the Sri Lankan construction industry.
item: Conference-Abstract
A study to investigate the factors affecting construction worker performance
(Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, 2021-11) Anojan, T; Siriwardana, CSA; Hettiarachchi, P
Worker performance is highly significant in the construction industry since it affects the project's productivity, safety, and quality level. Construction activities are considered labour-intensive as they heavily rely on human effort. This study aims to evaluate and rate the impact of the factors affecting construction worker performance in the Sri Lankan construction industry. After the construction worker performance background study, 25 research papers were chosen based on the number of citations, number of factors and categories, and applicability, yielding more than 200 factors. A structured approach was then used to narrow down the factors. The appearance and relevance of each criterion were used to narrow down the list to 123 factors. A factor was chosen if it appeared in more than one paper. The number of factors was then reduced by considering their ranking in the research paper and the frequency which they featured in research articles. i.e., For factor selection, a ranking below 40 was chosen. Eighty-seven factors were selected from this process. Certain factors were merged because of their similarities, resulted in 67 factors of 13 categories. A questionnaire was developed for a pilot survey to reduce the factors further. Fortytwo (42) responses were collected from various construction industry professionals, including directors, managers, engineers, engineering assistants, technical officers, quantity surveyors, etc. The Relative Importance Index technique was used to analyse the responses independently, and based on the total results, 44 factors were chosen for the final questionnaire survey. According to the responses, the final questionnaire was designed with the corrections. A total of 108 responses were obtained, 47 via site visits and 61 from an online survey. There were 29 firms and 13 professions represented in the responses. The online survey was conducted using the Lime survey platform. All the gathered data were analysed and were ranked using the Relative Important Index (RII). Based on overall ranking and category ranking, labour and management factors play a significant role in worker performance. Experience of workers, manpower skills, and training and skill improvement are the most critical relating to labour factors, while leadership skills and site management are the most vital within the management factors. Supervisor experience also affects the worker performance. Lack of experience reduces performance. Technical factors such as rework, application of technology, and construction methods also impact the performance. So, the utilisation of new methods and techniques can improve worker performance and productivity; however, they should be very convenient for the workers. Design and drawings issues should be considered for better performance of the workers. Since the material and equipment factors are next to the labour and management factors, better equipment and material management can improve the performance. A framework for the improvement has been developed based on these findings. Improvement strategies were also proposed, and a framework was developed for improving worker performance. The results of this study will be valuable information to enhance the performance of the project as part of the research was involved in investigating the interaction relationship of the critical factors affecting worker performance to improve the labour productivity in the Sri Lankan construction industry.
item: Conference-Abstract
Testing the applicability of innovative technologies in improving construction safetyin Sri Lanka
(Department of Civil Engineering, 2023-09-27) Fayad, T; Siriwardana, CSA; Mallikarachchi, C; Hettiarachchi, P; Herath, S; Fernando, L
Safety concerns within the Sri Lankan construction industry are heightened by troubling statistics, as accidents and fatalities frequently arise from site negligence and are amplified by the absence of technology-driven hazard identification tools. Despite advancements, the implementation of such innovative technologies remains suboptimal. Hence, this research study addresses this gap by exploring how innovative technologies can bolster safety in the Sri Lankan construction industry. Considering the extensive research conducted over the past decade, our research was exclusively concentrated on technologies like Building Information Modelling (BIM), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and gaming technologies. The research methodology involved conducting a literature review, a desk-based study, and distributing two questionnaires to both civil engineering undergraduate students and professionals. The desk-based study was an extensive literature review, covering facilitators and barriers to innovative technology adoption in construction, potential applications, and implementation benefits. The two questionnaire surveys were strategically designed to enrich insights progressively. The first survey was conducted to assess the readiness and potential for adoption, while the second was designed specifically for professionals to explore the findings in greater detail. This approach ensures a well-rounded perspective, from knowledge assessment to applicability and barrier evaluation. In the first survey, a total of 69 participants joined, comprising 31 professionals and 38 civil engineering undergraduate students. The second survey was directed towards 32 professionals within the Sri Lankan construction industry. As per the results, all five technologies were identified as potential enhancers of hazard identification, safety management, and planning. Furthermore, participants acknowledged that these technologies contribute to improved safety (92%), heightened productivity (85%), and cost efficiency (78%). However, barriers to implementation include stakeholder unawareness (73.9%), financial constraints (69.6%), and limited accessibility (52.2%). Therefore, the recommended measures encompass raising awareness, encouraging teamwork, creating standards for the sector, offering financial incentives, improving technical assistance, and removing barriers with focused tactics. By adhering to these recommendations, the construction industry can expedite the effective integration of innovative technologies, ultimately bolstering its risk management and safety procedures.
item: Conference-Full-text
A tool to assess construction worker productivity
(IEEE, 2018-05) Karunarathna, DMTGNM; Siriwardana, CSA; Chathuranga, D
Labour is one of the most crucial requirements in the construction industry. The current Sri Lankan construction industry is having a hard time finding skilled workers to match their higher demand. Hence, they tend to explore other options such as employing foreign workers. As a result, the cost of labour is increased creating other social and economic issues. Therefore, in order to be profitable, it is essential to optimize the worker productivity. With the aim of improving worker productivity all the factors that affect the productivity needed to be identified and categorized. In this study all the critical factors affecting worker productivity identified through thorough literature review. Using several rounds of surveys factor ranking was done to identify the most critical factors affecting the worker productivity. Using the identified and ranked factors a tool (“Enhancer”) was developed. “Enhancer” assists the project managers, engineers to assess the most critical factors affecting workers’ productivity for a particular construction site and, automatically obtain recommendations and suggestions for low performing factors. Furthermore, the “Enhancer” tool provides an easy process to train the labours and maintain latest construction methods and documents.
item: Conference-Abstract
Urban flood assessment targeting flood risk mitigation: A case study focusing on changing environments
(Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, 2024) Jayawardane, JMPM; Rajapakse, RLHL; Siriwardana, CSA; Pasindu, HR; Damruwan, H; Weerasinghe, P; Fernando, L; Rajapakse, C
Among natural disasters, flooding has become a frequently significant catastrophic event causing considerable damage in urban environments in a global context. The anthropogenic changes in urban areas, along with climate change, have intensified urban floods (UFs). Metro Colombo area, Sri Lanka, is highly susceptible to UFs due to its geographical location, congested urban expansions, drainage deficiencies, lowered retention abilities, etc. Within the study, a qualitative, in-depth flood risk assessment is conducted based on a hazard assessment, vulnerability assessment, and exposure assessment for administrative units of Divisional Secretariat Divisions (DSDs). Under each assessment, six or seven influential elements were selected and assessed based on the remote sensing satellite imagery data and census data as published by the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka (DCS). Extracted data was used to develop criteria maps for influential elements, utilizing ArcGIS Pro, spatial data processing software. Utilizing the generated maps, hazard indices, vulnerability indices, and exposure indices were calculated, and by merging them, risk indices for DSDs were calculated. In a subsequent study, the influential nature of changing land use patterns due to the effects of urbanization and changing climatic conditions was analysed for aggravating UFs. Reduced infiltration, disturbance to man-made drainage or natural runoff pathways, refilling of retention and detention areas, etc., have directly influenced the intensification of effects in urban flood events. Within this section of the study, land use changes were assessed from 2003 to 2023, using remote sensing satellite imagery, and a relationship between change in runoff coefficient and flood occurrences was generated. Subsequently, a projected climate assessment was undertaken for two (2) shared socio-economic pathways (SSP 1-2.6 and SSP 5-8.5) to execute a quantitative comparison of the exceedance probabilities of several threshold precipitation limits A pilot study was undertaken for “Madiwela South Diversion” using HE -RAS software to identify the inundation areas and depths for “with and without” measure scenarios The method successfully presented a satisfactory hazard map with four main flood hazard levels, and 11.36% of the total research area was reported as “high hazard” from the generated risk map, Colombo DSD indicated the highest risk index of 0.54, following Kesbewa, Kaduwela, and Thimbirigasyaya, with risk indices of 0.34, 0.29, and 0.28, respectively. These calculated risk index values can be utilized to reduce future flood risk by prioritizing high-risk-rated administrative divisions in executing flood mitigation measures. Through the assessment for evaluating the effect of land-use change, results revealed that standardized runoff coefficient and flood frequency are highly correlated, having an 82% correlation coefficient at a 0.90 significant level, indicating that the change in the runoff coefficient is highly related to flood occurrence. Further, Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) was proposed in the study as a sustainable attempt at flood mitigation.