Modeling Construction Production Rates for Pipes and Culverts

Storm sewers construction often falls on the critical path of highway construction schedule and any delays can disrupt project schedule and also increases chances of traffic jam especially in urbanized areas. This paper proposes accurate ways of estimating the production rates of reinforced concrete pipe and precast concrete box culverts in order to improve the accuracy of project schedule and reduce inconvenience to highway users. Literature reviews are first used to identify the candidate drivers that affect the production rates of these storm sewers structures. Field construction data related to this research were collected from forty-four Texas highway projects between 2002 and 2004. Regression analysis, modeling and box plots were used to identify production rate drivers' relationships with productivity. Different production rate drivers were first identified using ANOVA test and box-plots and significant drivers were used to develop production rates models for design engineers to be used at the design stage. Research found that production rate of pipes was driven by Work Zone Accessibility, Length of run and Pipe orientation while production rate of culverts was driven by Length of run, Soil Type and Clay content in soil. Statistical models were also developed for these factors to allow project planners better estimate project schedules.