Jiayue Zhao, Yunzhong Cao and Yuanzhi Xiang
The safety management of construction machines is of primary importance. Considering that traditional construction machine safety monitoring and evaluation methods cannot adapt to…
Abstract
Purpose
The safety management of construction machines is of primary importance. Considering that traditional construction machine safety monitoring and evaluation methods cannot adapt to the complex construction environment, and the monitoring methods based on sensor equipment cost too much. This paper aims to introduce computer vision and deep learning technologies to propose the YOLOv5-FastPose (YFP) model to realize the pose estimation of construction machines by improving the AlphaPose human pose model.
Design/methodology/approach
This model introduced the object detection module YOLOv5m to improve the recognition accuracy for detecting construction machines. Meanwhile, to better capture the pose characteristics, the FastPose network optimized feature extraction was introduced into the Single-Machine Pose Estimation Module (SMPE) of AlphaPose. This study used Alberta Construction Image Dataset (ACID) and Construction Equipment Poses Dataset (CEPD) to establish the dataset of object detection and pose estimation of construction machines through data augmentation technology and Labelme image annotation software for training and testing the YFP model.
Findings
The experimental results show that the improved model YFP achieves an average normalization error (NE) of 12.94 × 10–3, an average Percentage of Correct Keypoints (PCK) of 98.48% and an average Area Under the PCK Curve (AUC) of 37.50 × 10–3. Compared with existing methods, this model has higher accuracy in the pose estimation of the construction machine.
Originality/value
This study extends and optimizes the human pose estimation model AlphaPose to make it suitable for construction machines, improving the performance of pose estimation for construction machines.
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Yun Zhong Hu, Botao Zhong, Hanbin Luo and Hai Meng Hu
The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility that an ontological approach can be applied to formalize the construction regulation constraint knowledge in a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility that an ontological approach can be applied to formalize the construction regulation constraint knowledge in a computer-interpretable way, for construction quality checking, during construction stage.
Design/methodology/approach
The ontological and semantic web technologies are used to model the construction quality constraints knowledge into Axioms/OWL and SWRL rules. Protégé platform is selected to illustrate how the construction quality checking, based on the Axioms/OWL and SWRL rules, is achieved.
Findings
The ontology and semantic web technologies can be an alternative way for modeling the construction regulation constraints in a computer-interpretable way, and can be implemented for the regulation-based construction quality checking.
Research limitations/implications
The approach is illustrated only with given specific technical constraints examples, the generality and practicality of the approach need further investigation.
Originality/value
The paper introduces an ontological and semantic approach to model and formalize the construction regulation constraints for construction quality checking, and proves the feasibility by the case studies. The proposed approach enables the regulations can be understood and retrieved semantically by computers, which facilitates the using of regulation codes.
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Pinsheng Duan and Jianliang Zhou
Near misses are important references for the construction industry to move toward zero injuries, and are of great significance in reducing accidents and improving safety…
Abstract
Purpose
Near misses are important references for the construction industry to move toward zero injuries, and are of great significance in reducing accidents and improving safety education. To fully improve the construction industry's understanding and standardize the management process of near-miss events, this paper describes a systematic review of the research front and intellectual basis of near-miss events based on scientometric technique and CiteSpace.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors reviewed and summarized the research wave and definitions of near-miss events in construction. The science mapping approach is used to conduct quantitative analyses of 120 relevant articles published between 2009 and 2019. Three research themes are identified via author analysis, keyword analysis and co-citation analysis: the construction of near-miss management systems, near-miss events research and characteristic research.
Findings
It is found that improving the data collection method to maximize the quality of near-miss reports, optimizing and verifying the event analysis model considering the characteristics of near-miss events in construction, establishing a more comprehensive framework for the analysis of near-miss events and building a highly inclusive technology integration platform are the four main development directions for the future.
Originality/value
According to Heinrich's law, incidents are mainly blamed on near-miss events such as workers' unsafe behaviors. Due to the complexity and variability of the construction site, near-miss events in construction may have different features. This article helps promote the understanding of near misses in academia, standardizing the management process of near-miss events, which is conducive to mining the potential value of such events in practice. Some insights into the research front and the intellectual base of near-miss research in construction are proposed.
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Jessica Smith, David John Edwards, Igor Martek, Nicholas Chileshe, Susan Hayhow and Chris J. Roberts
This study aims to excoriate, define and delineate the main drivers of “change” in commercial construction projects and generate guidelines on how to minimise exposure to the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to excoriate, define and delineate the main drivers of “change” in commercial construction projects and generate guidelines on how to minimise exposure to the associated adverse effects upon project stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach
The research adopts mixed doctrines through a combination of epistemological lenses, embracing two primary philosophical stances: interpretivism, to identify the primary drivers of change based on a systematic literature review and a post-positivist, inductive approach to analyse the results of change within a Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) Design and Build (D&B) construction project case study.
Findings
The causal nexus of change during the construction phase is assessed and delineated; the key affecting factors are thematically grouped under headings: extent and severity; time in relation to implementing; instigating party; individual(s) responsible for managing the change; reason for the change; available resource; recoverable or non-recoverable; contract/project type; and type of client. Following this, the effects of change on key elements of the project are encapsulated and recommendations for adaptations which may provide improved experiences are offered.
Originality/value
The study tackles the common issue of managing the deleterious effects of change on commercial construction projects, defining management techniques to minimise stakeholder tribulation.
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Kishor Bhagwat and Venkata Santosh Kumar Delhi
Construction safety management (CSM) has been intensively researched in the last four decades but hitherto mostly aimed at understanding root causes of accidents, recommending…
Abstract
Purpose
Construction safety management (CSM) has been intensively researched in the last four decades but hitherto mostly aimed at understanding root causes of accidents, recommending preventive measures and evaluating their implications. However, a systematic effort to present a comprehensive picture of construction safety research is hardly witnessed. Therefore, the study aims to investigate construction safety research contributors, ontologies, themes, evolution, emerging trends and future directions using quantitative and qualitative content analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 877 journal articles were extracted using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and Scopus literature database and were analyzed using VOSviewer and Nvivo tools to present a comprehensive picture of the CSM body of knowledge.
Findings
The study observed rapid growth in construction safety research with contributions from various countries, organizations and researchers. This study identified 3 research levels, 8 project phases, 10 project types, 6 research instruments and 19 research data sources along with their usage in the research domain. Further, the study identified 13 emerging research themes, 4 emerging research trends and an observed paradigm shift from reactive to proactive CSM approach.
Research limitations/implications
The comprehensive study on the emerging themes and findings on proactive CSM has strategic implications to practice to incorporate safety. The identified future directions can assist researchers in bridging the existing gaps and strengthening emerging research trends.
Originality/value
The study presents a comprehensive picture of the CSM body of knowledge using the content analysis approach that was absent in past literature and opened future research avenues.
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Hongyan Liu, Hao Xue, Yaojiang Shi and Scott Rozelle
Low levels of human capital in rural China are rooted in the poor schooling outcomes of elementary school students. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the…
Abstract
Purpose
Low levels of human capital in rural China are rooted in the poor schooling outcomes of elementary school students. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the distribution of academic performance in rural China and identify vulnerable groups.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors draw on a data set of 25,892 observations constructed from 11 school-level surveys spanning nine provinces and one municipality in China conducted from 2013 to 2015.
Findings
The authors find that the distribution of academic performance is uneven across provinces and subgroups. In general, male students, Han, living in richer counties, living with their parents and studying in rural public schools do better academically than female students, non-Han, living in poorer counties, left behind and studying in private migrant schools in cities.
Research limitations/implications
Using the results of this study, policymakers should be able to better target investments into rural education focusing on at risk subpopulations.
Originality/value
With limited data sources, the research on the academic performance of students in rural China is largely absent. The findings of this study help to fill the gaps in the literature base.
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Kemal Gürkan Küçükergin, Yakup Kemal Özekici and Gonca Güzel Şahin
This paper aims to investigate, upon taking into consideration both symmetric and asymmetric effects, how the economic and psychological impact of the coronavirus disease 2019…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate, upon taking into consideration both symmetric and asymmetric effects, how the economic and psychological impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, solidarity and future anxiety affect travel intention and the willingness to support a destination (WSD). Furthermore, the study sheds light on whether these relationships vary between domestic and international destinations.
Design/methodology/approach
The data are collected from 379 potential tourists. To detect and analyze the symmetrical and asymmetric effects, the covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) and the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) are employed, respectively.
Findings
It is observed that, whereas only the effects of solidarity on travel intention and WSD differ in the CB-SEM, the fsQCA results include different recipes for the two groups.
Originality/value
There has not been much research done yet on the influence of future anxiety on tourists' decisions. Furthermore, it has not been thoroughly investigated whether solidarity has a different function for destinations within and outside of the country. In this respect, the study of both symmetric and asymmetric effects represents an important contribution to the literature.