CONSTRUCTION A CHALLENGE FOR THE EUROPEAN INDUSTRY

CONSTRUCTION

A CHALLENGE FOR THE EUROPEAN INDUSTRY

Defining priorities for R&D

S T U D Y

on behalf of the Commission of the European Communities, DG XII

Construction, a challenge for the European Industry

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Defining priorities for European R&D

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This study was initiated and financed by the Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development, DGXII We wish to thank all experts and other participants. Without their help this study would not have been possible. We would like to give special attention to: - ENBRI, the European Network of Building Research Institutes and their support with their

Symposium "Construction Research Needs in Europe", 31 October 1990 - The support of the working group of representatives of the construction industry and its inspiring

Chairman Dr. Michael Tubbs.

Voorburg, 15 August 1991 The authors : Karel Dekker Frens Pries Eric Jan Schmidt


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Mary-Ann Mooiman


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CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................... 4

1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 7 1.1 Developments and trends in construction ............................................................................. 7 1.2 Driving forces ........................................................................................................................ 7 1.3 Technology needs .................................................................................................................. 8

2 TECHNOLOGY GAPS ............................................................................... 9 2.1 Design technology gaps ........................................................................................................ 9 2.2 Materials technology gaps ................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Manufacturing and construction technology gaps .............................................................. 10

3 NEEDS FOR R&D .................................................................................... 13 3.1 Design technologies ............................................................................................................ 13 3.2 Materials technologies ........................................................................................................ 14 3.3 Manufacturing and construction technologies .................................................................... 15

4 INTEGRATED APPROACH ..................................................................... 17 4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 17 4.2 examples of an integrated approach .................................................................................... 17 PROJECT 1 Consumer oriented building ................................................................................. 17 PROJECT 2 Environmental oriented construction ................................................................... 19 PROJECT 3 Complex building and civil engineering structures - Use of New Technology

and Systems to Improve International Competitiveness ....................................... 21 PROJECT 4 Urban infrastructures: Integrated Urban systems for the movement of

Goods, Services and People .................................................................................. 23


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The aim of this study is to define priorities for research in the European Building, Construction and Civil Engineering sector. It is mainly based on input from the construction industry, associations of suppliers and the research community. Priorities have been defined in consultation with a selected group of European experts. The construction and civil engineering sector is one of the largest productive sectors in the European Community. Its total annual turnover is approximately 500 billion ECU, representing a 10% GDP of the European Community and it employs nearly 16 million people. Driving forces like the competition outside Europe, the increasing importance of environmental protection, the central role of the consumer and concern about better labour conditions will provoke the construction industry to make some radical changes. Although technology can help to respond to these developments there are certain technology gaps. R&D is needed of which certain parts are most appropriate for collaboration at a European level. To balance the R&D effort of the leading Japanese contractors, the only feasible route to compete is to have a strong R&D effort in construction on a European scale. This calls for an integrated approach in which, within the framework of one main overall objective, various different technologies would be integrated bringing together researchers, designers, producers & users, with the related industries. A systematic approach defining objectives will increase the possibility that research projects will be complementary and provide more synergy. A more targeted approach around a specific industry such as construction will better relate the needs of the whole industry and the implementation of R&D on a European scale. Integration should be applied to different stages in the construction process, the techniques and methods from different industries, and the integration of effort by focusing activities in a number of targeted areas. The most important technologies which need further development are divided in three separate fields: Design technologies, Materials technologies, and Manufacturing and Construction technologies Design technologies are strategically important for the European construction industry to improve its competitiveness. Design influences a major part of total life cycle costs for buildings and civil engineering structures and has long term consequences which considers the whole product life cycle. An optimization methodology is needed, with regard to cost, durability, serviceability, reliability, sustainability, maintainability, recyclability and disposal. This can be achieved through the development of product and process design simplification strategies which include factors such as reduced numbers of parts, standardization of components, use of fewer and more compatible materials, impro-vement of recyclability and the use of advanced jointing techniques. Implementation of simulation models useable for structural design and evaluation will enable the simulation of buildings and allow their performance to be predicted before they are built. Design approaches are needed which tailor the building to meet the particular occupational requirements of the users. Consumer Oriented Design is a key item. Development of new material technologies in cooperation with the "related industries" can be used to integrate mechanical integrity, durability, environmental friendly performance and the functions needed in building components. This field of technology in particular offers excellent and numerous opportunities for other industries to partici-pate in construction. In the field of manufacturing and construction technologies there is a need for flexible and open industrialization technology at the site such as new jointing/assembly tech-niques, mechatronics, automation and robots, total quality control (ISO 9000) and improvement of working conditions. Development of advanced (computer and information technology based) techniques for planning is needed, as well as Just in Time delivery with the use of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) and improved packaging technologies.


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PROPOSED PROJECTS TO ADDRESS THE MAJOR TECHNOLOGY GAPS

PROJECT 1 CONSUMER ORIENTED BUILDING Consumer oriented building can give a great impulse to the European construction indu-stry and related industries. In competition with other consumer goods a real individual approach could effect a growth of more than 10% of the turnover in new and existing housing by providing more added value. The productivity could increase by fully automated manufacturing and assembly processes. (2-3% per year for Japan). This proposition offers various chances for a multi-sectoral approach.

PROJECT 2 ENVIRONMENTAL ORIENTED CONSTRUCTION The first objective of this project is to organize a design, manufacturing, maintenance, use, and demolition process that is strongly focussed on decreasing the impact of construction of buildings and civil engineering structures on the internal and external environment. The second objective is to develop new design and manufacturing technologies in concert with new materials and products for environmental friendly structures. A multi-sectoral approach would also be very beneficial to this project.

PROJECT 3 COMPLEX BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING STRUCTURES - USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS

The objective of the project would be to further develop technology and systems for large complex structures, ranging from an office complex up to an air terminal, hospital, oil rig or large tunnel system, which tend to be at the leading edge of construction technology. These are the structures which are subject to international competition and for which European companies must be successful. New technologies should be developed to specify the design of such structures in such a way that construction companies are able to offer their own technical solutions with assured performance, especially in open tenders.

PROJECT 4 URBAN INFRASTRUCTURES: INTEGRATED URBAN SYSTEMS FOR THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS, SERVICES AND PEOPLE

The fourth project has the potential to integrate all technologies which can be related to the functioning of a city. Integrated urban transport building can give a great impulse to the European construction industry and related industries in more than one way. New markets can be expected because of new product-market combinations (renovation of sewerage systems, underground structures, fully integrated construction, electronic systems for guidance and regulation of transport, management systems for underground networks). A multi-sectoral approach would positively make a rewarding contribution to the project. The research of KD/Consultants, and the opinions of the experts are reflected in this report which will go forward to help the Commission (DGXII) with the definition of priorities, to be included in Community funded R&D programmes. In addition, it can support the construction industry by creating solid proposals for R&D and to initiate and coordinate the collaboration with other related industries. The research team. Voorburg, August 1991.


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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS IN CONSTRUCTION

Construction sector Construction accounts for almost 50% of total investments (capital goods) and 7% of jobs. In most European countries the economic multiplier has recently been calculated to be a factor of 1.5, which means that an investment of 1 ECU in construction has an impact on the GNP of 1.50 ECU.

Productivity In the period from 1970 to 1985 the productivity of labour in the construction industry increased at an average of 0.9% compared to 2.3% for all the industries, 3.4% in manufacturing, 4.5% in energy production and 4.8% in agriculture. This lower rate of productivity in the construction sector in relation to other industrial sectors is causing a relative increase in construction costs.

Most firms are very small In the construction industry companies tend to be small. About 80 % of construction firms in EC countries have less than 10 employees. Most small firms are not involved in any form of R&D at all.

Increasing role of the material suppliers More than 50% of the total research in construction has been carried out by the building materials (and components) suppliers industry. Their added value as part of the total turn-over in construction is increasing currently above 50%.

1.2 DRIVING FORCES

Environment There is a very strong awareness of the current environmental risks: energy consumption, chemical or biological pollution from materials and building equipment, urban waste collection and processing, noise, depletion of natural resources, exploitation of tropical woods, emissions of CFC’s and CO2, etc. etc. The challenge for the construction industry is to use this environmental orientation in order to take the lead in the development of new technologies meeting the special benefits of the environmental oriented society.

Consumer oriented market An important aspect of the single market is the increasing importance of the role of the consumer. Improvement of the relation between (life cycle) costs and quality is subsequently a main objective to meet the needs of the individual client. There will be a struggle for consumer’s ECUs and sophisticated construction products have to compete with cars, electronic equipment and travelling.

Labour conditions The construction industry has, of all industries, the highest level of absenteeism and the most recipients of disablement insurance benefits. In most countries the construction sec-tor accounts for 10% of GNP and 50% of all accidents at work! A shortage of skilled workers can be foreseen. Working conditions will have to be improved radically.


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Competition from outside Europe This sector is being challenged by the Far East. It can be seen from statistics (1989 contracts, World Listing - ENR [1]) that of the: * 5 of top 10 contractors are Japanese * 21 of top 50 contractors are Japanese.

The Japanese construction industry is one of the pillars of spectacular development of technology in Japan and is rapidly expanding in foreign markets with the emphasis on de-veloped markets such as Australia, the USA and Europe. Many Japanese contractors have European offices (Shimizu & Kajima have 60 staff in London; Takenaka has 50 in Amsterdam). The establishment of offices in Australia during the 1980’s led to a successful expansion there. However, overseas expansion plans have been postponed given the increased importance, in the short term, of servicing the expanded domestic market. The development of Japanese technology is accompanied by a profound motivation and direction of the Japanese people.

Not so well known is that R&D is also used in the Japanese construction industry. The five largest Japanese construction companies spend almost 1% of the turnover on R&D and smaller contractors spend 0,5% on R&D (e.g. Shimizu 95 MECU in 1987 and Kajima 115 MECU in 1990). The figures for the five largest Japanese contractors greatly exceed the total spending by the whole contracting industry in each of the larger European countries. In addition, MITI (Ministry of Technology in Japan) has a key role in the initiation and progress of major R&D projects such as construction robotics. At least 27 of Japan’s leading contractors have their own well-equiped research institutes.

But the difference between the two cultures is that these Japanese companies have single relationships with their clients who demand the latest technology from their contractors, whereas the European industry is generally in the competitive tender situation which provides an inadequate financial return to support significant R&D investment. Although a wide range of R&D is needed in Europe there are several factors which make it difficult for the European companies to increase R&D investment to levels comparable to the Japanese level.

1.3 TECHNOLOGY NEEDS The ‘driving forces’ will force construction to improve their products and processes. The means to achieve such improvements partly already exist in other industries (materials in-novation, new management methods, flexible production automation, robotics, industria-lization, the use of advanced information technologies, etc.). Sometimes the transfer of knowledge is sufficient. Although research is often needed to tailor the technology for the new application. The "market pull" orientation is of prime importance. Besides research for new developments, there is a need to provide new or improved existing standards and design-guides. Too frequently, there is inadequate R&D to provide sufficiently substantiated technical evidence to back innovation in such documents. Much of the back-up evidence is too lightweight, brought together from different sources with negligible financial support by professionals who cannot allocate the time or finances to undertake the depth of study needed. Technical advances in the construction industry necessarily result in technical demands on the manufacturing industries which support the construction industry whether chemical, vehicular, electronics or many others. A closer cross-linking with such industries will expedite technology transfer in both directions between the industries.

1 Engineering News Record, Listing of world contractors


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2 TECHNOLOGY GAPS Technologies are needed to meet the needs of the construction industry. There are technology gaps if the existing technologies are insufficient or not yet developed to meet identified needs. When new or improved technologies of relevance exist in other industries or sectors then there is a need for technology transfer from these sectors to construction and civil engineering. In this way the related industries can provide new opportunities for the construction industry, not only for new materials and products but also for the transfer of related design technologies, materials technologies and manufacturing processes. The "demand pull approach" should be the driving force. Technology has to provide benefits to users and not the converse. On the other hand, building and construction have to be seen in the context of enhancing human lifestyle and improving of the surrounding environment. The two charts which are included in the appendix of the report as fold-out sheets have been used to define the subjects. The charts served as a structure for the meetings with the industry. Chart 1 attempts to bring together the very diverse range of technical aspects needed to advance the industry, and primary factors to improve its competitiveness. At the bottom of the chart are highlighted major industries which need to interact with construction to accelerate its competitive technical growth. Chart 2 includes many of the items which require construction involvement in the three main groups of technology, namely design, materials and manufacturing and construction. The primary gaps in these three areas are highlighted in the following sections. In the following paragraphs technology gaps will be discussed under three headings: - design technology - materials technology - manufacturing and construction technology. The underlined items are subjects in chapter 3, describing the needs for R&D A summary of the requirements is given in the charts that appear on the last pages of this report.

2.1 DESIGN TECHNOLOGY GAPS This area addresses the capability of the construction sector to design buildings and struc-tures which are, at the same time, oriented to consumer needs, of high quality and relia-bility, easy to construct and maintain, highly competitive and environmentally and socially acceptable. Technology gaps related to the above capabilities are as follows: - There is little knowledge to specify users demands as performance requirements.

The development of standardized descriptions of performance specifications is the most straight forward way to unify the different specifications in the member states.

- Considerable effort is devoted at present to the development of design standards (CAD systems and "decision support systems" useable for small& medium sized enterprises). However, there is no integration, compatibility or connectivity be-tween information systems used by different practitioners in the construction industry.

Integration between conceptual design, manufacturing and construction processes could solve many problems and increase productivity.

- Quality control during the design process is needed, but will require a new structure for the design process.

- Simulation and calculation models (and data) useable for structural design and evaluation, should be integrated with product and production models and CAD


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systems. This will enable the simulation of buildings and allow their performance to be predicted before they are built. Design tools to develop robot technology and to instruct the robots with special regard to working conditions and ergonomics could cause a real break through in robotic applications.

- The concept of durability, as introduced by the Brundtland commission [2], is a

new concept in the building industry called "sustainability" The capacity of the structure to achieve certain performances together with the social desirability is important. Desirability is in the sense of consideration of social use against ecological damage and duration of the social needs for that structure. From this point of view durability of a structure is an aspect of sustainability. Only collaborative research can develop the necessary knowledge about "sustainability" of products and structures.

- Investment in buildings and structures are only a part of the total life cycle cost. A deep understanding of life cycle costing is needed to achieve a low cost of ownership. More emphasis should be put on design technologies for maintenance of building structures, installations and facility management.

- There is a challenge to make full use of new designs for comfort and safety (integration of services, smart houses, ventilation air, lighting, allergens etc.)

- Technology should be subservient to the human being. The use of technology to improve the use of human resources during construction could be achieved by renewed design technologies .

2.2 MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY GAPS Material technologies include synthesis and processing, structural and composition analysis, and functional property improvement whether applied to engineering or advanced materials and is recognized as an industrial activity of major economic importance. Technology gaps are: - A lack of knowledge about the possibilities and the (short and long) term behaviour

of (new and recycled) materials, particularly regarding materials for special applications such as: composite materials for integrated functions (sound and thermal insulation, lighting control and fire security), new materials for reinforcement, finishes and other functions, materials (natural and synthetic) and products involving the use of mechatronics and robots.

Sophisticated adhesive and coating techniques can considerably improve construction productivity and products.

- Sophisticated and integrated technologies for (in situ) materials testing, new NDT technologies (accelerated testing, automated image analyzing, Magnetic Resonance Imaging) are not yet developed.

- Inadequate information on material standards (Product Property Values) useable by the practitioners to predict the total performance of structures and buildings.

- A lack of knowledge about the environmental impact of materials during construction, use, and demolition. (the coming "European Environmental Standard" (EES)

2.3 MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY GAPS Current research in this area -which includes both building and civil engineering- places considerable emphasis on process modelling, computer integrated techniques, production and handling of flexible materials, new manufacturing and processing systems as well as improvements to established construction techniques. Nevertheless, in construction, technological elements such as flexible manufacturing sy-stems (FMS) have developed more slowly than in other industrial sectors. The traditional process of design specified without the integration of manufacturing and construction technologies hampers innovation in construction such as the use of flexible small batch

2 United Nations commission for environmental care.


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production technologies. This is particularly important for the construction sector where there is a high proportion of small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s).


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Examples of technology gaps are: - A construction process and contractual arrangements with clear responsibilities for

the parties involved, and which allows manufacturers and contractors to (re)use proven technical solutions in a continuous process of product development .

- Human friendly (labour conditions) and flexible assembly techniques with the use of mechatronics (integration of mechanic and electronic equipment), automation and robots (open industrialization). Just in Time production is not yet implemented and can also be combined with the use of EDI.

- In situ testing and measurement technology. - Construction technologies to decrease the impact on the environment during con-

struction, use and demolition (demountable structures, recyclable products). - Technologies to reduce environmental damage (e.g. noise, in situ cleaning of

polluted industrial areas, etc.) - Systems for transport of goods, services and people (Urban Networks) are

separated and fragmented, there are opportunities for a more integrated approach, including wider implementation of no-dig technologies for services.

- Repairing technologies which avoid interrupting the usage of the building or civil engineering structure could avoid annoyance and save money. In addition; new repair technologies are needed for historical buildings.

The needs for R&D described in the next chapter are related to the aforementioned technology gaps.

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3 NEEDS FOR R&D

3.1 DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES Design technology is strategically important for the European construction industry to improve its competitiveness. Design influences a major part of total life cycle costs for buildings and civil engineering structures and have long term consequences which considers the whole product life cycle. An optimization methodology is needed, with regard to cost, durability, serviceability, reliability, sustainability, maintainability, recyclability and disposal. This can be achieved through the development of product and process design simplification strategies which include factors such as reduced numbers of parts, standardization of components, use of fewer and more compatible materials, improvement of recyclability and the use of advanced jointing techniques. The needs for R&D can be summarized in several items.

Performance approach It will be necessary to give special attention to an international consensus concerning the performance approach. (specifying the design in performance requirements and not as detailed technical specifications, so construction firms are free to use their own proven technologies and technical solutions). Research is urgently needed to develop and implement standardized descriptions of performance requirements, which will be usable in all member states.

Design standards and tools In certain sectors world-wide recognized codes of good design practice exist. It has been proposed that this approach extended to the construction sector. Validation and certification of these methods could be of great value to designers and especially for Small & Medium sized Enterprises (SME’s).

Quality control of the design process The design process - from the first initiative up to the design specification - could dramatically be improved by implementing a total quality control system, in accordance with ISO-9000. The traditional process does not allow such a level of quality control. Research should be conducted in order to develop a new structure for the design process which would be applicable in all member states.

Structural design and evaluation Finite Element Methods (FEM technology) and other analytical methods are used to solve structural problems in the engineering industry . Research is needed to integrate the FEM technology with object oriented product models and CAD/CAM systems. Research is also needed to simulate the structures and performance more completely before construction. Automation, Robot technology and simplified programming of site robots by using the information in such kind of computer models will be made possible.

Design for sustainability Research is needed to develop Sustainability Support Systems (SSS) providing infor-mation on component behaviour based on deterioration, failure and environmental impact analysis.

Design for low cost of ownership The client is interested in a design for low cost of ownership as long as the quality and features of the structure meet his requirements. Design standards and tools for life-cycle cost calculations concerning reliability and maintainability need further development.


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Design for comfort and safety This concerns the development of design standards and checklists concerning comfort and safety. Research issues include: - Design technology for earthquake resistant structures. - Development of ‘smart’ houses or home systems, the integration of services with

structural elements and the use of advanced services. - Design technology for productivity and health monitoring conditions within

buildings need the involvement of many specialists. Design approaches are needed which tailor the building to meet the particular occupational requirements of the users. Consumer Oriented Design is the key item.

Design for a better use of human resources This concerns the development of improved CAD and integration of CAD with mechatronics, robotics with special regard to the improvement of human working conditions and ergonomics, and the design for a better organization on the building site, multi-skilled specialized (permanent)crews, computer driven tower cranes etc. New approaches are needed (minimizing of site operations included), which should be based on organization, people and technology.

3.2 MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES Improvement of existing materials/products, and the development of new materi-als/products with an improved technological/economic performance level are very important for future construction. The optimization of product performance and manufac-turing costs is also important. Increased attention has to be paid to the possibilities of the related industries to meet the needs of the building industry. Research items are:

Specification based materials design Development of new material technologies in cooperation with the "related industries" to integrate mechanical integrity, durability, environmental friendly performance and the functions needed in building components. Examples are sound and thermal insulation, increased fire security, lighting control, and reduced climate sensitivity during construction. New materials are needed for the reinforcement of concrete, glasses and ceramics and special materials should be developed for mechatronics and robot applications. The use of new adhesives and sealants developed in the chemical industry can offer a new approach to jointing technologies. Further more, special attention should be given to coatings and performance of recycled materials.

Materials testing Research is needed to develop/improve accelerated test methods and non-destructive tes-ting. Research is also needed to develop quantitative empirical techniques for assessment of deterioration for new and existing structures. There is also a need for sophisticated and integrated non-destructive testing facilities with the use of advanced applications from other sectors and a strong need for cheap, easy to use, field applicable sensors and testing apparatus.

Materials standards The use of modern information, telecommunication and video technology in construction gives the possibility of developing a registration system for material standards, in particular regarding the legal requirements (including technical specifications; the appropriate test and determination methods).

European Environmental Standard (EES) Special attention should be addressed to the impact of materials and constructions on environment, (pollution, radiation, allergens, etc), development of an "European Environmental Standard" (EES)


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3.3 MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES A number of techniques have developed much more slowly in the construction industry than in other sectors. Attention has to be paid to flexible small batch cost effective (improvement of productivity!) manufacturing technology with a high quality level. In situ testing methods and tools using more inspection/control instruments for in situ construction or assessment could drastically change the practice of the building industry and offer many opportunities to SME's.

Open Construction Process Comparing the construction processes in the several countries leads to the conclusion that there is a need for an open process, with much more freedom for industrial practitioners to develop and implement new technologies and products. The responsibilities should be better divided and much more directed to the added value of the practitioners. This needs construction rules for modular coordination and specified functional tolerances. Research is needed to develop new approaches to such "open" construction processes.

Open Industrialization There is a need for flexible and open industrialization technology at the site such as new jointing/assembly techniques, mechatronics, automation and robots, regarding the total quality control (ISO 9000) and improvement of working conditions. Development of advanced (computer and information technology based) techniques for planning is needed, as well as Just in Time delivery with the use of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) and improved packaging technologies.

Environmentally oriented construction Other needs are the development of special construction and assembling technologies to decrease the impact on the environment during construction, use and demolition. (demountable structures, low-noise technologies, no-dig technologies, tunneling for public traffic, motorways, power infrastructure etc.)

Urban Networks In this field the needs are the development of integrated systems (and the reduction of the low failure mode of these systems) for movement of goods, and people, utilities (no-dig techniques) and communications.

Repairing technologies Finally, development of new and sophisticated repair techniques is needed which avoid interrupting the usage of the building or the infrastructure, both for (particularly historical) buildings and civil engineering structures.


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4 INTEGRATED APPROACH

4.1 INTRODUCTION The integrated approach is one in which, within the framework of one main overall objective, various different technologies would be integrated bringing together researchers, designers, producers & users, with the related industries. Defining objectives for such an integrated approach will increase the possibility that a number of research projects will be complementary and provide more synergy. A more targeted approach within a specific sector such as construction will better relate the needs of the whole industry and the implementation of R&D on a European scale. The added value of an integrated approach compared to traditional means of implementation is: - better technology adaptation to the construction industry by transfer from related

industries with application development work to ensure that benefits can be gained in construction.

- better possibilities for dissemination of new techniques, resulting in a better competitiveness of the industry as a whole.

- better possibilities for participation of SME's and transfer to technologically less developed areas in Europe.

- integration with related pre-normative research and underlaying concepts (such as the performance standard)

- better possibilities to relate research to the Legal European Requirements or EC co-des of practice .

Integration then, has three main features: the integration of the different stages in the construction process, the integration of techniques and methods from different industries, and the integration of effort by focusing activities in a number of targeted areas.

4.2 EXAMPLES OF AN INTEGRATED APPROACH In the following paragraphs four examples of such target projects are described to initiate the discussions about integrated themes for research related to construction.

PROJECT 1 CONSUMER ORIENTED BUILDING

a. objectives and scope The objective is to organize a sophisticated design and very flexible building process, strongly directed to consumer needs: 1 Development of a consumer oriented design and build process that enables the

individual wishes of customers to be met, without increased costs and within shorter time scales.

2 Development of computer based sophisticated presentation techniques (3-D visualization), to enable more informed choices to be made.

3 Development of very flexible infill systems with full integration of services for both new and existing buildings.

4 Implementation of home systems and office automation for both new and existing buildings.

5 Development of emerging rapid design and build technologies using more industrial pre-fabricated modules.

6 Development of quality control systems, quality marks and guarantee funds. 7 New approaches to education, training and human resource management. 8 Development of high performance jointing techniques, regarding future flexibility

(demountability and modification).


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9 Implementation of improved management techniques (strategic management, product development and marketing)

10 Development of specific tailored products (housing for elderly, disabled people). The project is focused on new and existing housing and commercial buildings, industrial estates and other small-scaled constructions, where it is important to focus on the different needs of many customers.

b. state of the art The most advanced consumer oriented building is found among some of the large contractor firms in Japan. Sekisui uses a fully integrated and sophisticated design and ma-nufacturing technology, building over 70,000 luxury houses a year. The consumer is fully involved in the process of programming his own wishes, assisted by modern 3D-computer tools. Every two years a market investigation takes place. Sekisui can deliver within 3 months. The production is based on small batch "mass" production technology. Matsushita Electric Works is a CIM-organized kitchen manufacturer. The organization is identical to Sekisui and comparable to the automobile industry. They deliver and install within two weeks from order. The whole process takes place through bar codes and automation. They currently produce some 190.000 kitchens a year with a profit over 100%. In Europe there are no similar examples. Only for parts of the market (e.g. kitchens, bath-rooms and certain types of timber framed houses) have certain initiatives been taken. There are a few developments of flexible industrial assembly kits, focused on the indivi-dual needs of the consumer. However the industry could develop more consumer orientation. The implementation of Home Systems in the design and construction process would be another stage in the process. In the future various trends will play an important role, such as the ageing of the popula-tion, fewer working hours per week and earlier retirement, which may well increase the variety of the consumer demand for personalized houses and growing attention to indoor climate and telecommunication services.

c. anticipated benefits Consumer oriented building can give a great impulse to the European construction indu-stry and related industries. In competition with other consumer goods a real individual approach could effect a growth of more than 10% of the turnover in new and existing housing by providing more added value. The productivity could increase by fully automated manufacturing and assembly processes. (2-3% per year for Japan) The improvement in living conditions and working conditions are obvious. Controlled and industrialized processes encourage better training and motivation (human resource management) for the workers. Living conditions will be tailored to the individual approach.

d. groups involved Building material suppliers, construction companies, architects, technical designers, research institutes, consumers organizations. Related industries: instrumentation and control industry, information technology, mechanical engineering, electronic & electrical engineering, chemical engineering, bio-chemical engineering, ceramics, car industry, aircraft industry, ship building, transport logistics, package industry, medical science.

e. time schedule

Definition phase 12 months Implementation phase 48 months


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PROJECT 2 ENVIRONMENTAL ORIENTED CONSTRUCTION

a. objective and scope The first objective of this project is to organize a design, manufacturing, maintenance, use, and demolition process that is strongly focussed on decreasing the impact of construction of buildings and civil engineering structures on the internal and external environment. - Further reduction of energy consumption, during manufacturing, construction and

use. - Waste prevention during construction. - Re-use of materials and products and recycling of construction wastes. - Alternatives for the use of scarce natural resources. - Decreasing the emission of CFC (ozone layer) and CO2 (greenhouse effect) - Noise abatement during construction and repair. - Flexible and demountable structures with a longer functional life cycle. - Development of "healthy and productive buildings" tailored to the activities that

will be carried out in them. The second objective is to develop new design and manufacturing technologies in concert with new materials and products for environmental friendly structures such as: - New approaches for health care and noise reduction. - New approaches to waste treatment. - New civil engineering structures concerning protection of polluted industrial areas. - New technologies for the treatment of polluted soil. - New tunneling techniques to give environmentally kind transport links. - Underground power networks, with magnetic shielding technics to avoid health

problems. All sub-sectors of the construction sector (housing, non-residential and civil engineering) are involved in this project.

b. state of the art The construction industry is becoming more aware of environmental issues. Environ-mental friendliness is being used as a marketing tool for both products and companies. Environment or environmentally friendly can be described as a spectrum ranging from the macro (countries) to the micro (room, component, etc.) level. The spectrum works in both directions, the impact of a decision at the micro level concerning the design, specifi-cation, construction, or maintenance of a particular room or building can multiply and have effect on regional and global ecosystems. Issues and developments: - Energy savings in heating of more then 50% have already been achieved in the last

few years. - More attention for decreasing the energy content of materials and products - The first demonstration sites for minimizing waste disposal and separate treatment. - The first attempts have been made for use of recycled materials - The careful use of tropical wood - The beginning of diminishing the exhaust of CFC (ozone layer) - Noise abatement during construction is of increasing importance: because of

building activities taking place in urban areas. - Environmental impact assessment (obligatory for large scale civil engineering pro-

jects). The prediction of changes in environmental factors resulting from alternative plans, and the interpretation or assessment of the significance of these changes.

c. anticipated benefits

A further 20% reduction of energy consumption should really be possible. The reduction of waste during construction should decrease the total urban waste by at least 10%. The requirements for environmental care will come world wide. The European industry should be able to develop the needed technologies faster and could be the market leader in new product-market combinations. (noise protection, re-use, waste water purification, processing of polluted soil, etc.).


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Improvement of living conditions (indoor climate, noise abatement, outdoor climate) and working conditions is also obvious.

d. groups involved Material suppliers, construction companies, architects, technical designers, research insti-tutes. Related industries: instrumentation and control industry, information technologies, electronic engineering, chemical engineering, bio-chemical engineering, aircraft industry, transport logistics, packaging industry,.medical science.

e. time schedule



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PROJECT 3 COMPLEX BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING STRUCTURES - USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS

a. objectives and scope The objective of the project would be to further develop technology and systems for large complex structures, ranging from an office complex up to an air terminal, hospital, oil rig or large tunnel system, which tend to be at the leading edge of construction technology. These are the structures which are subject to international competition and for which European companies must be successful. New technologies should be developed to specify the design of such structures in such a way that construction companies are able to offer their own technical solutions with assured performance, especially in open tenders. There should be spin-off benefits for other areas of building and construction of lower complexity which can benefit from developments proven for large structures. Specific objectives will include:

1 Design Technologies 1.1 Techniques for design and specifications both on the demand side and the supply

side of large buildings and structures, which guarantee the combination of competition in the EC market and a full use of the innovative capacity of the European construction companies. Technical design and specification will be the responsibility of the contractor. To achieve this there will be a need for: - implementation of a register of construction products and components in each

country, complying with the legal requirements (link to underlaying pre-normative research).

- implementation of the use of product property values of the same products (PPV's) regarding the EC directives (BPD) for construction products (link to underlaying pre-normative research).

- product property values of the same products regarding the national require-ments of the member states.

1.2 Development of new design technologies such as object oriented product models related to CAD/CAM to simulate the structures and to assure high quality standards, lower cost of ownership, and development of safety procedures.

1.3 Development of new design technologies for very complex services.

2 Materials technologies 2.1 Particularly important in the research related to this project is the development of

new material technologies and materials for special applications in cooperation with the "related industries" earlier described on page 8. Advanced materials will often find their first application in such structures where strength/weight or environmental requirements are extreme.

2.2 Accelerated test methods and sophisticated and integrated non-destructive testing facilities with the use of advanced applications from other sectors are especially needed for the quality control of complex structures.

3 Manufacturing and construction Technologies 3.1 New techniques for fast-track construction. 3.2 Increased integration of services and structure (regarding the life-cycle of both

services and structure) with emphasis on using this to lower costs, provide additional features, improve productivity and reliability.

3.3 Integration of services (communications, environmental control, security, monitoring & control of equipment, use of EDI and Just in Time management, etc.) to give cost, performance and reliability advantages and user friendly facilities management systems.

3.4 Increased quality and productivity using approaches such as automation and prefabrication of major subsystems & components. Development of improved performance standards and test procedures for these subsystems & components in cooperation with other industries.


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The project might consist of a series of complementary sub-projects which address various developments to help achieve these objectives.

scope This project is concerned with large complex structures ranging from a major mega building to an air terminal, hospital, oil rig or large tunnel system. Especially these structures are subject to competition between international construction companies. Especially construction under the EC procurement directive. The EC's antitrust legislation does not allow favouring national enterprises in procurement. The construction procurement of the five largest members in the EC amount to 129 billion ECU's (28.6% of public procurements) There are proposals to open the more closed sectors (water supply, energy production, traffic, telecommunication etc). This all means more open markets and more international competition. These one-off, large and complex structures are significantly different to developments such as an industrial park or housing estate even where the latter are of similar total scale. The differences are: - Increased complexity (housing projects mostly consist of many similar and

relatively straight forward modules). - a higher proportion of the total cost is in "services" as opposed to structure.

Services tend to be of high complexity (e.g. computing, communications, security, air conditioning, etc).

- a wider range of the supply industry is involved, the level of technology is higher and often at the leading edge since performance and reliability requirement are normally very demanding.

- a higher level of integration is needed between design and structure & services and project management. (a problem with the traditional open tender approach where the design may be fully specified without the involvement of the construction company).

- increased pressure for quality and budget control, low running costs and early completion.

b. state of the art

Quality systems have been developed in different industries, and the construction sector is rapidly developing quality assurance systems for different parties in the construction pro-cess. Object oriented product models which have reached a firm status for integrating in-formation techniques in the construction process have been recently developed in the USA, The Netherlands and in Finland. Their application in designing complex structures should improve productivity and quality. New technological developments in this area are: - increased rate of production (area completed per period). Examples in Broadgate

(UK) and fast-track construction of the Town Hall in the Hague (NL) using advanced Just in Time management and other recent developments.

- improved cladding systems (including design and test procedures) - integration of services with examples such as building management systems

(environmental control etc.) beginning to use LAN's (Local Area Networks) and EDI (Electronic Data Interchange).

- increased level of services expenditure (over 50% of total cost in some hospital complexes).

- increased demand for all kinds of flexibility. (In hospital buildings adaptations are often needed within a year after completion).

c. anticipated benefits

Development of a system of open tendering, according to the EC directives, using the performance approach, and gearing the new technological applications for design, manufacturing and construction, will give the European construction industry a leading position in the open EC construction market for large structures.


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The "leading edge" nature of these structures plays a key role in moving forward technology and systems and maintaining competitiveness with major companies from the Far East and USA now competing in Europe.

d. groups involved The whole range of industrial players in construction, as well as a very wide range of supply industries are involved. Related industries: instrumentation and control industry, information technology, chemical engineering, ceramics, car industry, aircraft industry, ship building, transport logistics, packaging industry. Some of the complex structures also pose leading edge environmental challenges, eg oil rigs, major power stations, and the channel tunnel.

e. time schedule


PROJECT 4 URBAN INFRASTRUCTURES: INTEGRATED URBAN SYSTEMS FOR THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS, SERVICES AND PEOPLE

a. scope and objectives This theme covers the whole area of Urban Networks such as: urban wastes, water sup-ply, sanitation, electricity supply, gas supply, urban heating, road infrastructures, public transport, air quality control, communication. The idea is to define a project using the most advanced technologies for the total integra-tion of networks. The area covers a wide range of civil engineering aspects and involves interfaces between them and other technologies. Objectives are: 1. Demonstration projects for fully integrated design, construction and exploitation of

urban networks for water supply, electricity, gas, sewerage and telematics. 2. New techniques for optimization of public transport networks. 3. Design methods or new techniques for a more cost-effective repair of old and new

underground pipes/cables concerning no-dig technologies and repair with robots 4. Flexible jointing techniques for underground utility networks (sewerage, electricity,

gas etc). 5. New techniques for considerably increasing the capacity of motorways, roads or

railways with minimum or zero extra use of land. 6. Development of computer based management systems for underground networks

b. state of the art

Cities will become even more important, as the percentage of the European population moves increasingly into an urban environment in the near future. Until now, there is a separated approach for the construction and maintenance of different urban networks. Integration in this field is highly recommendable! The production and handling of urban waste is one of the biggest problems. The possibi-lities for storage are almost finished. Waste incineration can cause air pollution. Large parts of the sewerage system are in bad shape, and will cause considerable damage to the environment. Especially in the field of no-dig techniques, Japan and America are far ahead. For the transport of goods and people the use of transport systems on roads, rail, water-ways and airlines has increased. It is still possible to optimize the transport systems and increase dramatically their capacity without the traditional problems. There are Japanese examples of fully integrated constructions for every kind of under-ground infrastructure. The savings in the future and the flexibility of the system should be proved in a demonstration project.


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Europe has a high demand for drinking water. Pollution of surface water makes it almost impossible to use natural sources. There is a need for improved purification technologies and an integral and automated testing equipment of drinking water before and after purification. The technological development in mapping and control systems will enable them to be integrated in an automated guide system for public transport. For example computer gui-ded taxi buses directed to the individual demands of the clients and with an optimal link to the other transport systems such as metro and rail. Another development is a traffic regulation system by using built-in electronic devices in cars, and magnetic detection in the road surface. This means new possibilities for urban traffic control, integrated systems for measuring traffic, optimized traffic light control, and in the future, an information system for the car drivers.

c. anticipated benefits Integrated urban transport building can give a great impulse to the European construction industry and related industries in more than one way. New markets can be expected be-cause of new product-market combinations (renovation of sewerage systems, underground structures, fully integrated construction, electronic systems for guidance and regulation of transport, management systems for underground networks). The link with the environmental objectives is rather obvious (renovation of the sewerage systems, new optimization techniques concerning waste processing, drinking-water treat-ment, less noise and nuisance through wider use of tunneling techniques).

d. groups involved Material suppliers, construction companies (civil engineering), technical designers, research institutes, urban designers, city planners, traffic experts and city authorities. Related industries: instrumentation and control industry, information technology, mechanical engineering, electronic & electrical engineering, chemical engineering, bio-chemical engineering, ceramics, car industry, transport logistics, public transport.

e. time schedule Definition phase 24 months Implementation phase 60 months

CONSTRUCTION A CHALLENGE FOR THE EUROPEAN INDUSTRY

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