SCO-enabled process reengineering of construction logistics and supply chain management

Abstract

Due to the fragmented nature of construction process and heterogeneous stakeholders involved, the information that is key to current construction logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) is often far from concurrent when it is needed. Process reengineering using emerging smart technologies is considered a way to progressively improve the fragmentation of construction LSCM and to achieve an integrated project delivery process. By augmenting traditional construction objects into smart construction objects (SCOs), the primary aim of this research is to propose SCOs, together with building information modeling (BIM) and Internet of Things (IoTs), as an enabler for process reengineering in construction LSCM so as to achieve real-time information traceability and visibility, and consequently, more informed decision-makings during the course. This SCO-enabled process reengineering is piloted in a selected case study of prefabrication construction in Hong Kong. It demonstrated that awareness, communicativeness, and autonomy of SCOs are of great potential to contribute to tightening the lean process and increasing information concurrence.