Perceived Benefits of Using Value Engineering on Road Projects in Ghana

The need for Optimum Value benefit realization on Road Projects in developing countries has become topical. While the traditional Cost Control project management process only aligns actual costs with budgeted costs, Value Engineering (VE) is a sustainable and systematic innovative methodology for establishing the best functional balance among desired features of a project. A Value Engineering (VE) study was conducted with the aim of examining the benefits associated with its use on Road Projects in Ghana. This study employed a two-stage research procedure: desk study and field research. The literature review identified the Optimum Value benefits associated with VE road project management technique as increased Confidence Level in Contract Compliance, reliable Implementation Level of Construction Delivery and enhanced Effectiveness Level of Project Sustainability. A quantitative survey research design based on a purposive sampling technique of selecting respondents was adopted. Employing closed-ended questions, 40 sets of questionnaires were issued to professionals in Road Infrastructure and Support Agencies (RISA) under the Ministry of Roads and Highways (MRH) in the Eastern Region of Ghana. At a response rate of 85%, descriptive statistical analysis (Means, Standard Deviations and Variances) and inferential statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were used to process the data and determine whether there was any significant difference between VE benefit parameters and the groups of respondents. The results revealed that road professionals are familiar with the VE process but solely use Cost Control project management technique. Road professionals recognized the high Optimum Value benefits of professionally ethical Contract Compliance, efficient Construction Delivery and functionally viable Project Sustainability on VE road project management process.

A Review on the Role of Risk Management (RM) and Value Engineering (VE) Tools for Project Successful Delivery

Both in developed and in developing countries, the construction industry is regarded as an economic investment activity without forgetting its significant relationship with national economic development due to its great contributions to the national gross domestic product (GDP) of the country. Concerning construction processes, both risk management (RM) and value engineering (VE) techniques have commonalities from the beginning up to the completion of the project due to enhancing the project value/quality, meeting the project deadline, and reducing overall project cost. VE includes resolving the uncertainty of project objectives and ensuring that the project is delivered in a value for money way. The key point of RM is to solve the uncertainty of the project itself and its results to ensure that the specifications are achieved within the prescribed time, cost, and quality constraints. This review work is comparatively and collectively focused on assessing the role of RM and VE tools for project successful delivery. It studies the points of difference and common features of the two aspects in terms of construction project delivery. So, this study concluded that in construction RM tool cannot be the chief aim of the all parties involved in the project execution because sometimes it produces itself negative results and reduces project management success. Therefore, RM needs a strong combination with VE due to the dependence of the target in identifying and assessing risks by considering the highest performance and lowest cost. The integration of RM and VE combination in a single study would avoid duplication of work and deliver better value for money thereby leading to better project outcomes.

基于VE方法的高速公路特大桥工程成本控制研究

高速公路桥梁工程因其造价高、技术复杂、施工难度大等特点,常被视为关键控制性工程,其成本的有效控制一直是施工企业关注的重点。本文依托沈遂高速公路泉河特大桥工程,运用价值工程理论对工程成本及功能进行研究分析,并提出相应的优化改进方案,降低了工程成本,提高了工程价值,为同类工程的成本控制提供了一定的参考,文末提出的关于价值工程理论后续研究的思路也可为其他学者提供一定借鉴。

基于AHP&VE的混凝土耐久性分析

由于耐久性不足造成工程损伤现象日益严重,在设计方案时进行耐久性评估是必要的。以提高混凝土经济性、可持续性为目的,开展了基于AHP&VE的混凝土耐久性分析。首先,结合层次分析法系统分析混凝土耐久性影响因素及其权重值,建立基于AHP&VE混凝土耐久性分析模型,通过一致性检验得到混凝土耐久性影响因素权重向量合集,消除价值工程判断的主观性;其次,针对不同寿命的耐久性方案,构建不同结构可靠度的全生命周期成本分析模型;最后,在耐久性影响因素权重向量集合基础上进一步计算功能系数和价值系数,筛选最优方案,并以案例对模型进行实证。结果表明该模型一致性检验通过,模型可行。

Effect of Sea Level Variation on Tidal Characteristic Values for the East China Sea

Tidal waves in the East China Sea are simulated numerically with POM(Princeton Ocean Model) model for normal mean sea level, 30 cm higher, 60 cm higher, and 100 cm higher, respectively, and the simulated result is compared with the harmonic analysis result of hourly sea level data from 19 tide gauges for more than 19 years. It is indicated that the long-term mean sea level variation affects notably tidal waves in this region. Generally, the tidal amplitude increases when the mean sea level rises, but this relationship may be inverse for some sea areas. The maximal variation of tidal amplitude takes place in the zones near the Fujian coast and the Zhejiang coast, rather than the shallowest Bohai Sea. The maximum increase of M2 amplitude can exceed about 15 cm corresponding to the 60 cm rise of the mean sea level along the Fujian coast. The other regions with large variations of tidal amplitude are those along the Jiangsu coast, the south-east coast of Shandong, and the south-east coast of Dalian. The propagation of tidal waves is also related to mean sea level variation, and the tidal phase-lag decreases generally when the mean sea level rises. Almost all the regions where the tidal phase-lag increases with rising mean sea level are close to amphidromic points, meanwhile the spatial area of such regions is very small. Because the influence of mean sea level variation upon tidal waves is spatially marked, such spatial effect should be considered in calculation of the tidal characteristic value and engineering water level. In the region where the amplitudes of the major tidal constituents increase, the probable maximum high water level becomes higher, the probable maximum low water level becomes lower, and both design water level andcheck water level increase obviously. For example, the design water level at Xiamen increases by 13.5 cm due to the variation of tidal waves when the mean sea level rises 60 cm, the total increase of design water level being 73.5 cm.

The High Value CVT Concept--Cost Effective and Powerful

Based on the comprehensive comparison of vehicle performance in economy,engine power,driving smoothness,and efficiency cost as well as pollutant emission etc,the paper discussed the high value CVT concept from an angle of the cost effective and powerful for vehicle.In the paper,it researched the related technical detail in CVT.By means of realizing the continuous change in transmission ratio,it could obtain the optimal matching between transmission system and engine operating mode,and enhance the characteristic of fuel oil in economy,and also improve the convenience in manipulation for driver and make passenger comfortable.For easy to understand the concept,the paper made the comparison analysis in many aspects such as performance,transmission specification,high value CVT hybrid,orifice torque sensor,hydraulic system,high value CVT em,new chain portfolio and assessment of the high value CVT on the NEDC.Finally it showed the potential advantages of CVT technology development,and proposed future developing trends to realize technical scheme of high value CVT.

Innovation and practice of petroleum engineering synergetic management for the development of difficult-to-produce reserves

Due to engineering technology and development costs,a considerable amount of proven oil and gas resources in China are difficult to develop,becoming reserves difficult to produce.Based on the successful development of some domestic oil and gas reserves difficult to recover,this article summarizes the"four in one"petroleum engineering synergetic management model to promote the effective development of these reserves.This model draws on the essence of management theories,such as system theory,cybernetics and synergetic theory,and proposes the development idea of value creating and sharing for this type of reserves.By adopting the new management method of mechanism synergy,speciality synergy,process synergy and industrial chain synergy,this model effectively overcomes the decentralization of management responsibility,different management objectives,great risks of engineering and technological innovation,and the large number of uncertain factors in project construction,and can stimulate the vitality and power of active coordination of project participants,to effectively realize the synergetic innovation of engineering technology and synergetic cost reduction of the whole chain,reduction of the balanced oil price of the project,and dispersion of the project investment risk.By adopting this model,a large proportion of difficult-to-produce reserves have been liberated,realizing the effective utilization of the difficult-to-produce oil and gas resources,and making the reserves an important supplement to ensure national energy security.

Ecosystem Service Value of Jingtaichuan Electric Power Irrigation Engineering

The ecosystem service value of Jingtaichuan electric power irrigation engineering( referred to as Jingdian engineering) was divided into internal value( the value of farmland system,shelter forest system outside of farmland and wetland waters) and external value( the ecological service value of ecological migration to the vegetation restoration of the Qilian Mountains) firstly,and then it was analyzed by using the model method and the factor equivalent method. The results showed that the internal ecological service value of Jingdian engineering was 36. 3 ×10~8 yuan,which was 25. 0 times larger than the total annual cost. The external ecological service value was 40. 05 ×10~8 yuan,which was 27. 6 times larger than the total annual cost. Among the three functional systems,the ecological service value of farmland system was the largest. The ecological service value of farmland system was mainly reflected in waste disposal,wind prevention and sand fixation,and food production. The external ecological service value was mainly the ecological service value of migration to vegetation restoration in the Qilian Mountains. Jingdian engineering is the only highlifting project that raises water to the desert in China. It transfers water from outer basins to control desertification and provides a successful road for ecological migration and desertification control in arid areas.

Validation of a Value Management Approach Developed for the Saudi Public Sector

A VM （value management） approach was developed that better suits the culture and the context of the SPS （Saudi Public Sector）. This approach provided a comprehensive assessment of VM at institutional, organizational and project levels. This paper illustrates the procedures that were used to validate the developed VM approach. For the institutional and organizational levels, the VM approach was validated by conducting telephone interviews with three experts from three organizations that use VM and with two senior managers from the MOF （Ministry of Finance）. Mainly, it was found that the MOF should be supported by experts to set up a centre of excellence that can set VM policy, guidelines and standards for the promotion of VM in the SPS, in order to ensure achieving value for money spent in SPS projects. The developed VM approach, as it would be applied at the project level, was presented to 11 experts, all of whom completed a validation questionnaire and presented their comments. Subsequently, the questionnaires were analyzed and the VM approach was amended to reflect the inputs provided by these experts. It was concluded that VM should be applied at least twice on SPS projects. Firstly, it is to review and structure strategic and project briefs to sort out soft issues, and secondly, it is to optimize project designs and sort out hard issues.

A Value Engineering Analysis of Head Loss in Pumping Mains

With net zero carbon emissions targets approaching over the next 20 to 30 years, the water industry must act now to develop energy efficient techniques and designs to reduce emissions and reduce the carbon footprint of water utility providers. There is also the potential for significant energy and therefore financial savings to be realised from the adoption of more energy efficient designs approaches. Water utility providers account for a significant proportion of national electricity consumption. The purpose of this research is to determine if, over the long term, opting for a larger diameter pipe at design stage can lead to significant financial and emissions savings for water utility providers when considering pumping mains. Pumping mains are widely used throughout the water and wastewater industry where a gravity solution is not possible. 72 hypothetical water main design scenarios were analysed and the long term financial and environmental impact of each hypothetical water main was assessed. It was found across all design scenarios that larger diameter water mains were capable of delivering the same rate of flow of smaller diameter pipes at a much reduced velocity and requiring reduced pumping power. It was concluded that pumped mains of larger diameters can ultimately be more energy efficient and cost effective over the long term when selected in favour of smaller diameter pumped mains in otherwise identical design scenarios.

Application of Value Engineering in Construction Projects

The current economic conditions have entailed the use of rational method and techniques and research and application of new techniques by utilizing advancements in technology in the field of production as well as in every field. Excess cost control requires to be maintained throughout the project life of building beginning from the initial stages of design. Scrutinizing the project well and considering all possible alternatives particularly in design stage are important for achieving optimum cost. In this study, how the principles of VE （value engineering） are applied in construction projects is explained, and by covering Bregana-Zagreb-Dubrovnik Motorway construction in Croatia by BECHTEL -ENKA joint venture as the sample project, practices of VE in this project are described. The satisfactory results of time and cost saving are achieved by applying value engineering principles through the VE team during the project preparation phase and project revision phase. Approximately 43,000,0005 and 12 months of time were saved in total thanks to all these VE works. This saving provided builder company with 6% financial saving and 17% work time reduction.

The Expanding Analysis of Enterprise＇s Human Capital Investment Value

Value is the scale that appraises whether the comparison between a certain thing and its realization which we need to consume is rational. The paper appraises the investment value and incomes of human capital by applying value engineering method. It elaborates the investment structure and contents of human capital first, and then analyzes and summarizes various functions of enterprise＇s human capital. It educes the production function and the optimum equilibrium solution of human capital on this basis. Finally, it appraises the investment value of human capital by applying VE method. Thus we will apply a new method in the human capital field.

DC-Link Capacitor Optimization in AC–DC Converter by Load Current Prediction

Alternating Current–Direct Current(AC–DC)converters require a high value bulk capacitor or afilter capacitor between the DC–DC conversion stages,which in turn causes many problems in the design of a AC–DC converter.The component package size for this capacitor is large due to its high voltage rating and capacitance value.In addition,the high charging current creates more pro-blems during the product compliance testing phase.The shelf life of these specific high value capacitors is less than that of Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors(MLCC),which limits its use for the highly reliable applications.This paper presents a fea-sibility study to overcome these two problems by adding a few sensing mechan-isms to the typical AC–DC converter topology.In majority of the AC–DC converter,Al-Elko capacitor takes approximately 3%to 5%of the converter size.The proposed method reduces this to approximately 50%size and so it effectively approximates 2%to 3%size reduction in converter size.The proposed method basically works based on the load current prediction method and hence it is highly suitable for the constant load application.Moreover,the converter response time increases in this method,which limit its application in high-speed systems.The high temperature application of Al-Elko capacitor is limited because of its poor performance,which is significantly rectified by replacing the Al-Elko with MLCC as it delivers good performance in high temperature.

改良Verhulst模型在泥岩路基沉降预测中的应用

为了准确预测泥岩高速公路路基不同填筑阶段的沉降数据,避免长期监测带来的不便,提出了5个改良Verhulst模型:分别利用元胞自动机和矩形法以及积分法改良传统Verhulst模型背景值,建立了元胞自动机改良模型、矩形法模型和积分法模型;在此基础上,利用元胞自动机理论优化矩形法模型和积分法模型的背景值,建立了综合改良模型1、2。以马巢高速公路泥岩路基沉降数据为基础,采用传统Verhulst模型和5个改良Verhulst模型预测路基在不同填筑阶段的沉降。结果表明:5个改良模型中,2种综合改良模型精度最高,其次为元胞自动机改良模型和积分法模型,最后为矩形法模型,且预测精度均优于传统模型,能较好地预测不同风化程度泥岩路基在不同填筑阶段的沉降,符合工程要求。

Importance Analysis of a Multi-state System Based on Direct Partial Logic Derivatives and Multi-valued Decision Diagrams

Importance analysis quantifies the critical degree of individual component. Compared with the traditional binary state system,importance analysis of the multi-state system is more aligned with the practice. Because the multi-valued decision diagram( MDD) can reflect the relationship between the components and the system state bilaterally, it was introduced into the reliability calculation of the multi-state system( MSS). The building method,simplified criteria,and path search and probability algorithm of MSS structure function MDD were given,and the reliability of the system was calculated. The computing methods of importance based on MDD and direct partial logic derivatives( DPLD) were presented. The diesel engine fuel supply system was taken as an example to illustrate the proposed method. The results show that not only the probability of the system in each state can be easily obtained,but also the influence degree of each component and its state on the system reliability can be obtained,which is conducive to the condition monitoring and structure optimization of the system.

基于DEMATEL-ISM的水利工程EPC项目价值增值机理研究

采用设计-采购-施工(engineering-procurement-construction,EPC)总承包模式的水利工程项目日益增多,研究其价值增值机理有利于总承包方做好项目的价值管理。从水利工程EPC项目的价值链分析入手,基于文献和专家访谈得到23个价值增值影响因素。采用问卷调查方式得到各因素间的影响程度评分,用决策实验和评估实验(decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory,DEMATEL)法计算了各因素的中心度和原因度,结合解释结构模型(interpretative structural modeling,ISM)对数据进行分析,将价值增值因素划分为6类,构建了水利工程EPC项目价值增值的递阶模型,探究和揭示了项目价值增值的路径和机理。研究结果对水利工程EPC总承包方制订管理策略有一定启示作用。

科教融汇理念下现场工程师培养的内涵意蕴、基本遵循与实践路径

科教融汇既是科技创新发展的崭新要求,也是推动职业教育适应产业需求的有效途径。为应对产业数字化转型下的人才素质需求变化,国家围绕产业高端和高端产业提出“职业教育现场工程师专项培养计划”,旨在培养具有一线生产运作技能,并能优化生产流程的高素质技术技能型人才。为实现这一类型人才培养,政府主管部门应统筹多方科教资源,辐射现场工程师培养框架建设;职业院校应积极主导并搭建多方协同育人体系,共建科教融汇平台资源,落实现场工程师技能孵化与输出;同时吸收社会力量有效补位,完善和深化培训课程体系适应性建设,赋能现场工程师可持续发展。

建设项目全过程工程咨询价值增值机理仿真研究

研究全过程工程咨询价值增值机理,以促进全过程工程咨询的推广。从建设项目全生命周期出发,对全过程工程咨询项目价值增值的原理和影响因素进行识别和分析,运用系统动力学(SystemDynamics,SD)的方法,构建了全过程工程咨询服务模式价值增值系统模型,通过仿真分析揭示了全过程工程咨询服务模式的价值增值机理。结果显示:建设单位采用全过程工程咨询模式时,建设单位效益、咨询服务方效益及社会效益都会在项目建设全过程得到不同程度的提高。验证了项目决策、建设、运维之间的深度融合与项目建设阶段中设计与施工之间信息的流通,提升了项目规避风险的能力,拓宽了项目目标达成的途径。

基于遗传算法的溶洞智慧处治决策方法

为了应对多因素影响导致溶洞处理方案决策困难的问题,提出以价值工程为依据的智慧处治决策方法,综合考虑处理方案适应性和施工成本2个评价目标,并基于遗传算法构建多方案最优决策模型。结果表明:在决策过程方面,该决策模型在兼顾决策精度的同时具有较好的收敛性和收敛速度,简化决策过程,节省决策时间;在决策结果方面,相较于方案适应度单目标决策结果,该决策方法通过价值优化,将方案的适应度降低9.05,使得施工成本节省937064.71元,最终方案价值指数提升2.76。与方案成本单目标决策结果相比,该决策方法仅通过增加成本38215.78元,将方案适应度提升3.35,最终方案价值指数提升0.2,其优化成效在一定程度上解决了溶洞处理过程中成本浪费或者处理方案功能过剩的问题。

近现代工程:工程教育的历史观与价值观(下)

文章从工程的由未与阶段划分的角度叙述工程的历史发展,以不同时代政治经济形势发展状况为基础,简要回顾工程的起源与古代工程阶段,重点讨论近代和现代工程的特点与历史演化,高等工程教育的发展脉络,工程师群体与工程师文化的形成以及工程教育的历史观与价值观。文章分为上、下两篇,上篇简述了原始工程与古代工程的特点以及向近代工程的演化,分析了近代工程、近代工程师、高等工程教育的产生与发展,并以电气工程为例回顾了中国高等工程教育的初期发展。下篇分析了近代工程向现代工程的演变,探讨了现代工程对高等工程教育的影响,最后从整个工程历史发展的角度总结工程教育的历史观与价值观。