Constructive savings

Researchers at the University of Teesside are developing software tools which give planners and builders the ability to rehearse different phases of a major construction projects before building work begins.

This can range from putting in the foundations to installing pipework and electrical equipment.

The team behind the project at the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough has already tried out the build process on several major construction projects. These include a new bridge over a London Underground line at White City and at the new gas receiving facility at Hull.

 “The software tool can help everyone involved in a major project to go into minute detail of construction activities and look for the most efficient way of tackling a contract. This is particularly important when lots of different trades are working on a multi-million pound project in a tight location and where delays can cost big money,” said Professor Nashwan Dawood, Director of the University’s Centre for Construction Innovation and Research (CCIR).