A Case Study on Applying Lean Construction to Concrete Construction Projects

Lean construction is aimed at improving construction performance by eliminating wastes that do not add value to the customer. This project studies lean construction and its application in concrete construction projects at both the operation and project levels. In conjunction with a concrete contractor, actual concrete construction projects were observed, and problem areas contributing to delay and other wastes were identified. At the project level, the lack of coordination among subcontractors was cited as one of the major factors contributing to schedule delays. This paper proposes to use the ―last planner‖ concept, the linear scheduling method, and the graphic schedule method to improve communication and look-ahead scheduling. Related software was developed for implementing this scheduling tool. At the operation level, a systematic approach of waste identification, operation re-design, and employee training was applied to reduce wastes found in the field operation. A case study of bulkhead installation was used to demonstrate this approach, and a 3D animation was created for employee training.