Application of modular coordination concept in construction industry : case of material management process

Abstract

The construction industry plays a major role in country's economic growth. Providing efficient service and quality output are the major challenges that are often faced by the industry. Unnecessary cost and wastage always occur while handling construction projects. It was identified off- cuts from cutting materials and other design considerations are the main causes of waste generation. Modular Coordination (MC) is found to be an essential concept in minimum on-site modification and materials wastage. The objectives of this research were to investigate the existing practice of the use of MC, its benefits, implications and application in the material management process in terms of building industry. The objectives were comprehended by a comprehensive literature search, questionnaire survey and semi structured interviews among architects and contractors. Severity Index technique and Kendall's Concordance test methods were used to analyze the questionnaire. The results revealed that the application of MC is very poor in local construction industry and it is not up to the required standard. Glass and tiles are identified as the most suitable materials for applying MC. Though, there are different perceptions, the results suggested, MC facilitates sustainable benefits towards waste minimization and increases efficiency of productivity in the construction industry. Further, it would be more successful through a good collaboration among each party including manufacturers/suppliers