International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
e-ISSN: 2395 -0056
Volume: 04 Issue: 02 | Feb -2017
p-ISSN: 2395-0072
www.irjet.net
Role of Interface Management in Construction Industry K.Keerthanaa1 , Dr.S.Shanmugapriya2 1Student
M.E.(CEM),Civil Engineering Department, Coimbatore Institute of Technology/Anna University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India
2Assistant
Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Coimbatore Institute of Technology/Anna University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India
---------------------------------------------------------------------***---------------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract –Interface management is evolving construction
common boundary between two organizations, phases, or physical entities which are interdependent”. “Managing the problems that often occur among the people, departments, and disciplines rather than within the project team itself” [1].
management practice which plays crucial role in mega projects due to its complex nature. The complexity of large scale construction projects increases due to its multidisciplinary nature, which can be reduced with the aid of interface management. Construction managers mainly focus on cost, time, and quality. The objectives of construction projects can never be achieved unless interface management is given importance. The main objective of this paper is to create awareness among the construction practitioners about interface management. This paper gives an idea on interface management and steps involved in its implementation in a construction project. The causative factors for interfacial issues in a project are also studied. Application IT in the development of interface management is also reviewed. The benefit drivers of implementing interface management are also depicted. Keywords: Interface management, management, IT, Interfacial issues
The poor interface management practice will lead to interfacial issues like design errors, mismatched parts, systems performance failures, coordination difficulties, and construction conflicts[5].Now interface management has turn out to be vital area in the project management.
2. CLASSIFICATION OF INTERFACE The interface management can be grouped as physical, contractual and organizational interfaces. Physical interfaces are actual, physical connections between two or more building elements or components. Contractual interfaces are between work packages in general linked with specialist contractors. Organizational interface is the interaction between various stakeholders involved on the project [2].Organizational interface can be internal or external. These interface can be accounted in three levels viz inter project, intra project, extra project. Inter-project interface occurs between different parties directly involved in project planning and execution. Intra-project interfaces occur within the organization of each independent party, involved in the project. Extra-project interfaces occur between project parties and other parties/organizations which are not directly involved in the project [9].
Construction
1. INTRODUCTION Fragmented nature of construction project makes it challenging in bringing together multidisciplinary teams, materials, systems, budget and schedule for definite duration [14] .The disintegration can be under three sections viz. stakeholders, data and technology. The stakeholders in the project can be owner, design consultants, project management consultants, general contractors, subcontractors, labor sub-contractors, equipment suppliers etc., Whenever the project’s size, duration and complexity increases, number of stakeholders too increase. The data such as design data, schedule data etc., need to be developed for each facility, components of building even if they are similar. Every stakeholder has their specific system of knowhow or technology which is not assimilated with each other [15].So the interface develops among stakeholders, data and technology.
Interface management can be classified from system point of view as time interface, relational interface, information interface, environmental interface. Time interface refers to interface between different stages of project such as pre development phase, preparatory phase, construction and implementation phase, operation and maintenance phase. Relational interface refers to interface between the different participants. Relational interface can be either contractual or non-contractual interface. Information interface refers to interface developed during the information exchanges between different department and personnel. Environmental interface refers to exchanging of information and energy between the project and the environment [12].
The experts defined the interface management as “the management of common boundaries between people, systems, equipment, or concepts” [3].The other two definitions for interface management are “the management of communication, co-ordination, and responsibility across a
© 2017, IRJET
|
Impact Factor value: 5.181
|
ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal
| Page 1217