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The purpose of this study is to get benefits from manufacturing harmful wastes is by using them as a reinforcement with epoxy matrix composite materials to improve the damping characteristics in applications such as machine bases, rockets, satellites, missiles, navigation equipment and aircraft as large structures, and electronics as such small structures. Vibration causes damaging strains in these components.

By adding machining chips with weight percentages of 5, 10, 15 and 20 Wt.%, with three different chip lengths added for each percentage (0.6, 0.8 and 1.18 mm), the three-point bending and damping characteristics tests are utilized to examine how manufacturing waste impacts the mechanical properties. Following that, the optimal lengths and the chip-to-epoxy ratio are determined. The chip dispersion and homogeneity are assessed using a field emission scanning electron microscope.

Waste copper alloys can be used to enhance the vibration-dampening properties of epoxy resin. The interface and bonding between the resin and the chip are crucial for enhancing the damping capabilities of epoxy. Controlling the flexural modulus by altering the chip size and quantity can change the damping characteristics because the two variables are inversely related. The critical chip size is 0.8 mm, below which smaller chips cannot evenly transfer, and disperse the vibration force to the epoxy matrix and larger chips may shatter and fracture.

The main source of problems in machine tools, aircraft and vehicle manufacturing is vibrations generated in the structures. These components suffer harmful strains due to vibration. Damping can be added to these structures to get over these problems. The distribution of energy stored as a result of oscillatory mobility is known as damping. To optimize the serving lifetime of a dynamic suit, this is one of the most important design elements. The use of composites in construction is a modern method of improving a structure's damping capacity. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that composites offer better stiffness, strength, fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance. This research aims to reduce the vibration effect by using copper alloy wastes as dampers.

Pipelines are subject to pits, holes and cracks after staying in service for a while, especially in harsh environments. To repair the pipelines, composite materials are used, due to composite materials' low cost, high-corrosion resistance and easy handling. This study aims to investigate the reliability of the blister test for evaluating the bonding strength of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) on woven carbon-reinforced epoxy.

Flexural, hardness and Izod impact tests were used to evaluate MWCNT effect on the epoxy by adding different amounts, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1 wt. %, of MWCNT, to be compared with pure epoxy.

The results showed that 0.8 wt.% gives the highest strength. The experimental results of 0.8 wt.% MWCNT reinforced carbon composite was compared with the finite element model under blister test, and the results showed high similarities.

Evaluation of the reliability and the advantages of MWCNT considering the high aspect ratio and high tensile strength, which is more than 15 times compared to steel, MWCNT enhances the strength, stiffness and toughness of epoxy used as a matrix in repairing pipelines, which leads to an increase in the resistance of composite materials against oil internal pressure before delamination.

Stakeholders of the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector require information on the buildings economic performance throughout its life cycle. This information is neither readily available nor always accurate because building management (BM) professionals still face difficulties to fully incorporate the life cycle cost (LCC) concept into their daily practice. The purpose of this paper is to identify and contribute to solving these difficulties.

This paper provides a background knowledge review and set the ground for a structured research roadmap and a management framework that highlight the links and limitations to be addressed within and between LCC and BM. A six-stage method was used for developing conceptual frameworks targeting six goals: establishing a point of departure; mapping sources of information; literature research; notion deconstruction and conceptual categorization; overview of the applicable background knowledge; and structuring of a framework for LCC-informed decisions in BM.

Management solutions for the built context are necessarily connected with LCC and BM current concepts such as asset management, project, program and portfolio management, facility management and data management. These management approaches highlight the importance of incorporating life cycle concepts and promote LCC effective application within the AEC sector.

This paper identifies and discusses current limitations on the information availability for the economic performance of buildings throughout its life cycle. This work also identifies LCC-related topics that need to be further explored or addressed by both the scientific community and practitioners to overcome these limitations and facilitate the integration of the LCC concept into BM activities.

The learning outcome of this paper is to understand the geopolitical aspects of international business. Assessing the political risk inherent in international investment projects. Maintaining a favorable corporate image in the host country despite apparent hostilities. Analyzing the risks associated with doing business in an emerging market.

In February 2019, local newspapers in the Maldives published unconfirmed reports that the Indian company GMR was reinvesting in the Maldives. GMR had secured a contract in 2010 for renovation/expansion of The Maldives International Airport. However, the contract created political turmoil, with opposition parties objecting to some clauses. People considered GMR closer to the incumbent President, Mohammed Nasheed. The unstable political scenario forced President Nasheed to resign amidst allegations of corruption. The new President showed hostility toward India and GMR while making overtures to China. He canceled the airport contract and awarded it to a Chinese company. GMR went to the international Tribunal in Singapore. The tribunal upheld the Maldivian government’s right to terminate the agreement but awarded GMR a compensation of US$270m. In 2019, a new government came to power in the Maldives, with Mohammed Nasheed enjoying a commanding position. The government pledged to accept the judgment of the Singapore International Tribunal. The local media discussed the possibility of the return of GMR to the Maldives after seeing some senior GMR officials in the Maldives. However, it was not clear whether it would be a good idea for GMR.

Master's level program.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CCS 11: Strategy.

This study aimed to identify and assess the barriers to implementing modular construction systems (MCS) in developing country's architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, targeting built environment professionals from Nigeria and South Africa.

The study adopted a quantitative research method, using a structured questionnaire to seek the opinions of the professionals on the identified categories of barriers.

Results indicated that all identified categories of barriers were statistically significant using a one-sample t-test at p = 0.05 significance level which indicates they are critical towards the implementation of MCS in developing countries. Assessment of the opinion of the professionals using the Kruskal–Wallis scale showed that they hold similar views on the barriers to the adoption of MCS. Pearson correlation shows a high correlation coefficient amongst the barrier categories and an acceptable level of significance (p = 0.05).

This study is limited to two significant African countries (Nigeria and South Africa) selected based on the gross domestic product (GDP). Further studies can consider developing countries outside Africa and investigate broader respondents.

The study provides implications on the barriers affecting MCS in developing countries for the academia, industry and government to have an insight into the barriers and make informed decisions and policies.

The research satisfies the need to study the barriers affecting the MCS in developing countries that can mitigate housing deficits. This innovative construction method has been adopted and implemented in developed countries, and the result has been positive.

The administration of a contract by the architect is necessary to ensure the contract is performed according to the conditions of the contract, compliance with related laws and the practices of the construction industry. With the increasing number of housing projects and the limited number of registered architects in the nation, the architect is unable to be hands-on with every project. Hence, the involvement of graduate architects to reduce the workload in building contract administration (BCA) is required. The purpose of this paper is to develop a BCA framework for graduate architects to enhance their work performance in BCA work and to assist them in moving a step closer to acquiring their professional qualifications.

This study adopted a qualitative method where seven housing projects in Malaysia were selected as case studies to conduct documentation reviews and semistructured interviews. The data collected was analyzed using content analysis to develop the BCA framework. Focus groups were used to validate the framework.

This study summarized there are 5 themes (claims and legal matters management, project management, communication and relationship management, quality assessment and management, and design management) and 11 sub-themes (authority matters, building certification, meetings, coordination checklist, letter-writing, contract documentation, building material, design brief, building sustainability and workmanship quality standard, contractor’s submission and building details) that need to be improved by graduate architects in BCA work.

The contribution of this study to the existing knowledge is the development of a BCA framework that enables graduate architects to get a glimpse of architectural professional practice in reality and better prepare them to confront and resolve problems. Besides, the proposed framework could be incorporated into a pedagogy focusing on methods to support construction contract administrators.

Various studies have been conducted to explore the factors that are important to be considered for the effectiveness of construction contract administration (CCA) but lack in the context of graduate architects. The purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects in CCA and possible methods to enhance their work efficiency through developing the relevant skills in a changing construction environment.

This paper identified the factors that influence the effectiveness of graduate architects in CCA through the quantitative methods. General skill elements that are perceived as essential for the effectiveness of CCA had been investigated through a survey of graduate architects in the construction industry. One hundred and twenty-seven completed questionnaires returned were analyzed and tested using descriptive analysis and relative important index (RII).

The result from the study showed that the factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects as CCA are building construction skills, design management skills, project management skills, soft skills and dispute resolution skills.

The contribution of this study can be utilized for developing models/tools in the future that would improve the work performance of graduate architects in CCA. Educators may utilize this study to improve their syllabus to cater to the market's demand and facilitate students' entry into the labor market.

Education focused on the creation of a knowledge base but not on how to bring such knowledge into practice had caused graduate architects to encounter reality shock and fail to perform during building contract administration. Although the effect of performance barriers on competence development is empirically supported, less is known about the mechanisms that explain this effect. Overcoming barriers for graduate architects is crucial while supporting building contract administrators and acquiring professional qualifications. To address this issue, we propose the mediating role of CCA skills as a possible explanation of the relationship between performance barriers and competence development of graduate architects.

A survey was conducted among graduate architects in Klang Valley. In total, one hundred and twenty-seven usable questionnaires were returned and analyzed using descriptive analysis and regression analysis.

Mediation results indicate that performance barriers have a significant positive influence on competence development through CCA skills in claims and legal matters management, project management, communication and relationship management, quality assessment and management, and design management.

The present study contributes to the construction contract administration literature by integrating performance barriers and the CCA skills model. This advances our understanding of performance barriers and CCA skills engendering competence development of graduate architects.