The [new] focus of this blog will be an attempt to document some of things I have learned over the past five years and that I continue to learn as a project manager. I started this blog as a school project to record the findings of an architecture & building construction student. The blog was abandoned for several years as I went on to a career in the construction industry, experienced some extreme life events, but always maintained a love of architecture and construction.
1,612 - the number of view of my first video post to YouTube just four months ago. Of those 1,612 views, almost half have been from YouTube searches, just about 22% have been from related videos which YouTube links to, and 21% of the views have been from embedded players (like this blog and another one that seems to be popular (http://www.breezybreak.com).
I've only received one comment on the video -- "Now thats a fine bit of kit" -- from a user in the UK. People in countries around the world have seen this video (even someone in Mongolia) and I can't help but wonder if this is having an impact on construction somewhere else. Has someone seen this and changed the way they install metal track...increasing productivity? I have had no other feedback yet, but am hopeful.
I still think the blog can be a good Knowledge Management (KM) tool. I just have to resolve the technology with the process. It was easy enough to instruct a class of 40+ students to create their own blogs, it is less clear how to develop exercises to get them to exceed the minimum standards for lesson objectives.
Just discovered on web. PhotoSynth. (Ah, Times Square...I miss you). Please note I have not created these myself - I've simply embedded them here to use as a discussion topic.
This program, available through Microsoft Live Labs (http://photosynth.net/default.aspx) allows you to take a series of perspective photos and links them to create a three-dimensional experience of a space.
Imagine stepping onto a construction site. Taking 40-80+ snapshots, then letting the PhotoSynth tie them all together.
Here you can see it being used to show the setting of a wood roof truss.
My first attempt to create a 4D model - and it has no connection to the site observation from previous posts. The 4D model is a tool for visualizing construction. It takes schedule data and parametric graphical data and links them to create an animated sequence of construction. It does not include formwork, labor, equipment of material handling, but it does a fair job or showing the overall process.
This model was created (for a school assignment) with Autodesk Revit and 3DViz, Microsoft Project, and Bentley CommonPoint. The Revit model was exported to Viz, the Viz model as well as the MS Project schedule was exported to CommonPoint. In Commonpoint, the structure was linked to the schedule and an animation was generated and captured.The graphic conversion is not perfect due in part to my limited experience with the programs. I was surprised to learn how much has to occur as a prerequisite for this visualizaton to take place. More to follow.
The visualization is exciting, but rather limited. The graphics did not import properly (probably my experience though), and orientation in the program was a little difficult. Other than that, the visualization occurs immediately. As soon as a work item is linked to a schedule item there is intelligence. I wonder though if the cross-platform conversions are to blame for the graphic errors.
12-01-08 7:58 am (8:20 am Snow) 32 degrees overcast (muddy soil conditions)
Cold, slight wind, and muddy conditions. To the east, a small lift has gotten stuck in the mud. Also to the east, Stone Masons begin protecting both sides of wall in progress. At the south-west of the site 3 flat-beds have been parked next to a crane and one is making a delivery. All hold a single piece of cast-stone, about 30' long, for the facade. The crane is a an LS-248H (http://www.linkbelt.com/lit/products/ls/248h5/frame_248h5.htm), its not in use. Several workers are waiting for the final delivery to be complete and several drums are offloaded (I assume they contain the anchor bolts).
Masons at the north east begin to protect the wall and mortar mixing areas. The wall is protected with plastic, sand is dumped in to a bin and covered, and the workers move off the raising scaffold platform. To the east, masons work to protect the wall in progress with a plastic wrapping on both sides of the wall. Below is a view looking north showing the wall being protected, the steam piping at the east gymnasium wall, and the lift in the lower right hand corner which is stuck in the mud.
Once the snow came, work on the exterior of the building came to a holt. All exterior work more-or-less stopped once it was protected and all interior work proceeded. On the interior of the building pipe fitters continued to install water supply piping, electricians installed junstion boxes at the underside of the gymnasium roof, and carpenters were framing the gymnasium west metal stud wall.
Inside I took the above photo of a mechanical contractars set of plans. (I worked for an architect who used to mark up the documents in the same way to check for errors).
Below is a video of the weather conditions at 8:20 as seen from the second floor.
It had been raining the last couple of days and the perforated corrugated metal decking of the roof made conditions inside wet. With the cold some areas could become somewhat dangerous. Once the snow started I headed down the scaffold from the second floor and noticed the opening for the future window was letting in a snow (which was blowing in from the south) that was landing on the steps of the scaffold. In the future this opening should be covered with plastic to keep the rain and snow off of the scaffold.
Click to view Picasa Web Album of Today's Site Visit
Cold morning. The scaffolding at the north-west corner of the site has been relocated to the stairwell in the south-west corner. According to the scaffolding inspection sticker, it was taken down on the 16th and back in service by this morning (17th). A while back I was told that the scaffold is inspected on a daily basis and workers are not permitted to use the scaffolding unless it has been inspected and signed off on.
At the north side of the building a heavy highway crew and their Volvo EC330BLC(http://www.volvo.com/constructionequipment/na/en-us/products/excavators/crawlerexcavators/introduction.htm) were handling steam pipes stored at the north-west corner. Two men were securing the hoist cables, one of them would guide the pipe as it was raised and walk with it over to the north-east corner. (Why the pipes hadn't been stored or delivered according to where they would be needed? Is it too difficult to coordinate the delivery?) I was told by a worker that the steam pipes needed to have welded connections. I am curious to see how they manage to weld all the way around a steam pipe fitting.
Walking around the site to the south side I noted a couple of things that struck out at me. First, I saw two PVC pipes leading from the ceiling runs to the grade outside. I think is done for temporary drainage of the roof decks so water does not collect in work areas. Next, I saw the formwork for the utilities at the south-east corner outside the mechanical room. The rebar had been bent, cut and placed, suspended on half-a-brick. Finally, inside the mechanical room insulation installation had begun. A space heater was on making the electrical room feel very comfortable (but no workers were in the mechanical room). At the north-east corner of the mechanical room the stairs and landings installation has begun.
The landings are bolted to the north wall and suspended from a beam above at the south of the stairwell. The stair landing shown on the left has not been bolted yet and is supported by a winch and the tension bars.
(2) Trench protection has been deliverd and is stored at the northern part of the site. The steel tubing spaning the trench protection on one side were not aligned with the steel tubing on the other. (3.) Stepped concrete platform poured in two rooms at south end of building. (Future locker rooms? - we shall see).
Next week is Thanksgiving Break, next report scheduled for 12-01-08 (or maybe this friday - I'm keeping my fingers crossed).
Monday, November 10, 2008
Monday 11/10/08 7:40 am 35 degrees Windy (5-10 mph)
Cold & windy day. Metal studs were being installed on the east wall of the gymnasium. One worker was in a lift while another was assisting from the ground. I have come to realize the scissor lift is the workhorse of this project. It is being used by everycrew and is constantly being moved around the interior of the building to access work in high spaces (I didn't think to count them at the time).
I started the observation today by walking around the site from the north in a counter-clockwise direction. At the north-west of the site there is a roofing staging area. The roofing membrane rolls are stacked and there is a delivery truck with a crane attachement. At the south-west corner scaffolding wraps the corner of the building. The masonry wall (around the future stair well) has progressed up to the second floor level. No active work was being performed in this area.
At the south-east mechanical room gypsum was being installed on one face of the metal studs. I'm not sure when the electrical inspection is scheduled for. At the south-east of the site a raising scaffold was about forty feet up. The more I am around the raising scaffold the more I am amazed at how it works. Every 15 - 20 feet it is attached to the building. The main platform holds the mortar and block and a lower projecting platform is for the workers to place the block. This means the mortar and the block are at about waist level when they lift and place them. The a telescoping fork-lift is used to load masonry onto the platform. There were about 3-4 workers on the platform at any given point.
(After leaving the site I got to thinking about the possibility of a new piece of equipment. I have to work out a couple of sketches - but it involves combining a flatbed truck with a raising scaffold for easier mobilization and demobilization.)
Walking around to the gymnasium I watched metal studs being installed and what appeared to be a fireproofing contractor clearing away fireproofing from the metal stud framing. Checking that the safety inspection for the scaffold had been performed for that morning, I proceeded up to the second level.
Here I found two waste line manifolds, but on closer examination found (a) that only one penetrated the floor slab, and (b) each were comprised of elements which could be adjusted to allow the connecting pipe to slop in the direction of drainage. (this may have little applicable knowledge in the future, but it helps me get a better understanding of what may be involved in the installation process).
Walking past the manifolds I proceeded to the south roof. An 18" section of cementitious board has been installed along the perimeter of the interior side of the roof parapet. Also three metal curb frames, (5' x 20') have been assembled. At the south-east corner of the roof I got to speak with a couple of the masonry contractors on the raising scaffold. In speaking with the foreman (I believe), as the scaffold swayed back and forth slightly, he told me he felt safer on the raising scaffold than the more traditional scaffolding over to the side. (Also, they are always looking for masonry labor, so I may have a job for the summer).
Then, I came back to the first floor gymnasium and noted some new materials being stored therein. Some steel sprinkler pipes were arranged near the north wall. Looking up I saw some large hangers which will eventually carry the roof drain piping. That's when I realized the correlation between where the materials were stored and where the hangers were located almost forty feet above. The path of the hangers above and the clear path below allow the scissor scaffolds to maneuver without having to relocate material. I didn't get a chance to ask how this was planned - but maybe next time.
Finally, I got to talk a little with a mechanical contractor who was installing rectangular ductwork. He explained the wrapping is a relatively new feature for protecting the ductwork. I learned about the Pittsburg joint used to seal the length of the ducts, that they were fabricated in Roanoke, VA., and that the mechanical company was a subsidiary of a larger civil contractor. (All that in 5 minutes).
Great site visit. Lots to think about. More to report next time.
New blog feature: Slideshow. Click the image to open the picasa web-album!
First working day after daylight savings! Masonry Mock-up installed adjacent to owner's trailer at north-east corner of site. Roofing insulation stored on roof deck - roof membrane stored at building north-west corner (Firestone Ultra Ply TPO 80-Mil). Drilled cores around perimeter appear to be filled. Scaffolding installed at building south-west corner. Raising scaffold stored at building south-east and building north-east corner. Stone masons at work at north-east. Ductwork and piping appear to be complete at the south portion of the building and in progress at the west end.
Propane tanks have been delivered to the site. Two are located at the south-west corner (first and second floor) and one is located at the south-east (for the mechanical room). They haven't been turned on yet (maybe next week).
(Above left: mock-up masontry wall, Above right: view looking north-east) is the mock-up of the masonry walls being installed. A 4-foot wall has been started at the gymnsaium north-east corner - no scaffolding in place) and an 8-foot section of wall has been installed at the south-east corner. In the foreground are four resources (only three are visible) used by the masons to manipulate the stone. From left to right they are the scrape bin, masonry saw, pallete of block, and behind the pallete are two barrels of water.
Fire proofing appears to have been installed at the gymnasium second floor level. Temporary halogen lighting has been installed at the gymnasium. Metal stud installation was more-or-less complete at the west side of the building and in progress at the south roof parapet. At the roof, workers were installing what appeared to be metal curbs for mechanical equipment. Other than that I saw some steel connection details I had missed in previous visits and saw some roof drain piping. More to report later - hope to load some sketches on by weeks end!
1,612 - the number of view of my first video post to YouTube just four months ago.
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