Risk Factors Affecting Equipment Management in Construction Firms

Cuong Phu PHAM,Phong Thanh NGUYEN,Phuong Thanh PHAN,Quyen Le Hoang Thuy To NGUYEN,Loan Phuc LE,My Tien Ha DUONG 한국유통과학회 2020 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.7 No.11

Mechanization and automation constitute an essential stage in the production and operation of any company, as one of the determinants of increase in labor productivity and decrease in product price, while significantly contributing to shortening of the lead time. Businesses are, therefore, able to quickly put projects into operation, improving economic efficiency, quality, and aesthetics, which speeds up the national economic growth. For the construction industry to be the most effective, modern construction equipment is a necessity. It is one of the five main resources of a construction project. Thus, effective construction equipment management contributes to the success of a project and benefits the relevant construction companies economically. This paper presents the critical risk factors affecting equipment management and proposes suitable solutions. The questionnaire-based survey with experienced experts in the construction sector on the management of the likelihood and consequence of risk factors revealed thirty-two risks for equipment management in construction companies. These factors fell into six groups: (i) site organization-related risks; (ii) management-related risks; (iii) owner-related risks; (iv) supplier-related risks; (v) legal risks, and (vi) site condition-related and external risks. The results showed that management-related factors contributed to the most significant risks and problems for equipment management in construction companies.

Finite element analysis for functionally graded porous nano-plates resting on elastic foundation

Quoc-Hoa Pham,Phu-Cuong Nguyen,Van-Ke Tran,Trung Nguyen-Thoi 국제구조공학회 2021 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.41 No.2

This paper proposes an improved triangular element based on the strain approach and the Reissner-Mindlin theory to investigate the static, free vibration, and buckling response of functionally graded porous (FGP) nano-plates resting on the Parternak’s two-parameter elastic medium foundation. The internal pores of nano-plates are described by two distribution laws, including uneven porosity distribution and logarithmic-uneven porosity distribution. Using Hamilton’s principle, equilibrium equations of FGP nano-plates lying on a two-parameter foundation are obtained. The most remarkable feature of the improved triangular element is the degrees of freedom of elements approximated by Lagrange functions for the membrane strain and by the high-degree polynomial functions for the bending strain. The numerical results of the present work are compared with the available results in the literature to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. Effects of geometrical and material properties such as the power-law index n, the porosity coefficient ξ, the nonlocal coefficient μ, and the parameters of the elastic foundation on the static, free vibration, and buckling behavior of the FGP nano-plates are examined in detail.

Effects of size-dependence on static and free vibration of FGP nanobeams using finite element method based on nonlocal strain gradient theory

Quoc-Hoa Pham,Phu-Cuong Nguyen 국제구조공학회 2022 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.45 No.3

The main goal of this article is to develop the finite element formulation based on the nonlocal strain gradient and the refined higher-order deformation theory employing a new function f(z) to investigate the static bending and free vibration of functionally graded porous (FGP) nanobeams. The proposed model considers the simultaneous effects of two parameters: nonlocal and strain gradient coefficients. The nanobeam is made by FGP material that exists in un-even and logarithmic-uneven distribution. The governing equation of the nanobeam is established based on Hamilton's principle. The authors use a 2-node beam element, each node with 8 degrees of freedom (DOFs) approximated by the C 1 and C 2 continuous Hermit functions to obtain the elemental stiffness matrix and mass matrix. The accuracy of the proposed model is tested by comparison with the results of reputable published works. From here, the influences of the parameters: nonlocal elasticity, strain gradient, porosity, and boundary conditions are studied.

Exploring Critical Risk Factors of Office Building Projects

NGUYEN, Phong Thanh,PHAM, Cuong Phu,PHAN, Phuong Thanh,VU, Ngoc Bich,DUONG, My Tien Ha,NGUYEN, Quyen Le Hoang Thuy To Korea Distribution Science Association 2021 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.8 No.2

Risks and uncertainty are unavoidable problems in management of projects. Therefore, project managers should not only prevent risks, but also have to respond and manage them. Risk management has become a critical interest subject in the construction industry for both practitioners and researchers. This paper presents critical risk factors of office building projects in the construction phase in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey based on the likelihood and consequence level of risk factors. These factors fell into five groups: (i) financial risk factors; (ii) management risk factors; (iii) schedule risk factors; (iv) construction risk factors; and (v) environment risk factors. The research results showed that critical factors affecting office building projects are natural (i.e., prolonged rain, storms, climate effects) and human-made issues (i.e., soil instability, safety behaviors, owner's design change) and the schedule-related risk factors contributed to the most significant risks for office buildings projects in the construction phase in Ho Chi Minh City. They give construction management and project management practitioners a new perspective on risks and risk management of office buildings projects in Ho Chi Minh City and are proactive in the awareness, response, and management of risk factors comprehensively.

Critical Factors of Subcontractor Evaluation and Selection: A Case Study in Vietnam

VO, Khoa Dang,PHAM, Cuong Phu,PHAN, Phuong Thanh,VU, Ngoc Bich,DUONG, My Tien Ha,LE, Loan Phuc,NGUYEN, Quyen Le Hoang Thuy To Korea Distribution Science Association 2021 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.8 No.3

A contractor or a main contractor is a company with full capacity to construct all project's works for the owner. A subcontractor is an organization that works with the main contractor to execute and complete work packages for the project. Selecting an effective subcontractor will help the efficiency and success of any projects in the construction industry. Therefore, this study identified subcontractor evaluation factors in Vietnam by collecting questionnaire survey data from engineers and staffs in the construction industry project environment. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was then performed to identify the critical factors when evaluating and selecting the subcontractor in construction projects. Moreover, when considering the impact level in terms of the average value, the research results showed that the most critical concern was the subcontractor's reputation. Furthermore, the top five factors affecting the sub-contractor evaluation and selection are (i) reputation, (ii) price, (iii) construction techniques, (iv) ability to implement projects according to commitments, and (v) subcontractor competence (the team of workers, technician staff, engineers with full capacity according to regulations). These research results provide an overall perspective that will help main contractors develop suitable subcontractors' evaluation and selection factors in their projects in the construction industry.

Factors Influencing Cost Overruns in Construction Projects of International Contractors in Vietnam

VU, Thong Quoc,PHAM, Cuong Phu,NGUYEN, Thu Anh,NGUYEN, Phong Thanh,PHAN, Phuong Thanh,NGUYEN, Quyen Le Hoang Thuy To Korea Distribution Science Association 2020 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.7 No.9

A construction project is a designed product made up of labors, materials, and installations in the project positioned on the ground and may include the underground and ground section, and the section in water or on the water surface. It is a civil, industrial, transport, agricultural and rural development, infrastructure, or some other. A key phase in the life cycle of these construction projects is the implementation when building products are made directly with workers, equipment, materials, and managers. If there is a lack of management experience, information, and problem-solving solutions to tackle the risks faced by contractors, especially foreign ones, will fail in controlling the project's cost. This study was conducted with investigations, discussions, and evaluation of the factors that lead to cost overruns in the construction projects of international contractors in Vietnam. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that those factors that influence cost overruns these construction projects fall into five general groups, including factors related to (i) the owners, (ii) the foreign contractors, (iii) the subcontractors and suppliers, (iv) state management, and (v) the project itself. Besides, the study proposes solutions to limit cost overruns in construction projects and improve the profitability of international contractors in Vietnam.

Factors Affecting the Work Motivation of the Construction Project Manager

PHAN, Phuong Thanh,PHAM, Cuong Phu,TRAN, Nhu Thi Quynh,LE, Hang Thi Thu,NGUYEN, Hanh Thi Hong,NGUYEN, Quyen Le Hoang Thuy To Korea Distribution Science Association 2020 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.7 No.12

Project manager plays a very important role in the success of any project. The primary duty of the project manager is to combine the outcomes or results of the various processes and activities of project management into a systematic project management strategy or plan for the project. In the construction industry, a lack of motivation is an urgent problem for many project managers in construction and engineering projects. Lack of motivation affects the quality and productivity of jobs, reducing profits and growth for companies, businesses, contractors or organizations that rely on human resources. The reasons for this lack of motivation are diverse ranging from salary to culture to life and working environment, among others. Through surveys and data analysis using Cronbach's Alpha reliability and EFA (Exploratory Factor Analysis), our research scaled the factors affecting work motivation of project managers in the construction industry in Vietnam. The research results identified six major groups of relevant factors including (i) salary and benefits, (ii) work environment, (iii) promotion opportunities, (iv) organizational culture, (v) interest in the job, and (vi) relationship with the organization. From there, this paper contributed useful information as well as measures for businesses, companies, contractors or organizations in the construction industry.