Construction productivity analysis of pre-cast and conventional cast-in-situ projects: a case study in Malaysia

Abstract

Advantages of pre-cast technology in the construction of commercial, residential and institutional buildings are well documented in literature. However, the acceptance of this technology in Malaysia is relatively low with few projects being constructed with pre-cast components. The objectives of this paper are to measure labor productivity in construction, to examine productivity indicators between pre-cast and conventional Cast-In-Situ (CIS) methods, and to explore areas of improvements to promote adoption of pre-cast technology in Malaysia. Data on construction labor productivity are collected using questionnaires, interviews, and observations at the construction sites. Based on statistical analysis performed in this paper, it is concluded that pre-cast method is better than conventional CIS method in terms of construction labor productivity, time to complete a project, variability of construction activities, and loss of efficiency during the construction process. Baseline productivity, unit rates for pre-cast components and correlation of the productivity factors to construction labor productivity are presented as well.