Development and Integration of RFID Simulation Based Tool for Improved Schedule Performance in Saudi Arabia Precast Concrete Industry

A construction project is measured as a process that encompasses numerous activities and a huge amount of information of numerous types that are related to each other. Effective project management entails controlling all aspects of a construction project: quality and quantity of work, costs, and schedules to guarantee the accomplishment of the project. The construction industry in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is implementing off-site construction with precast cement, for its higher quality, short cycle time, and negligible environmental influence. Amongst the various off-site construction approaches, such construction follows a manufacturing method where houses are built in smaller panels in an assembly line. Owing to the complex and exclusive nature of the home building process, prevailing manufacturing concepts such as automated production planning and control system are not applicable to the panelized home production facility. This research aims in the development and integration of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to for production planning and control system, resulting in improved schedule performance, in Saudi Arabia precast concrete industry. Radio frequency identification is appropriate to numerous construction applications and generates cost savings via increased speed and accuracy of data entry. The study provides a set of helpful protocols for the deployment of passive RFIDs for automated on factory management of precast concrete operations. Further it aims at paving the way for managing the site for the sake of attaining the desired goals considering the guarantee of achieving high quality and quick conveyance to the related sites which, hence, prompts auspicious conveyance of development ventures. The study is beneficial for the construction professionals to assess the prevailing construction quality perception and the expectations from implementation of any quality improvement technique in construction projects.