The work breakdown structure matrix: A tool to improve interface management

Abstract

Many researchers agree that smoother construction would result from a better communication between designers and constructors, during which specific requirements and constraints for construction can be incorporated into the design. The same principle can be generalized to all the phases of a construction project (design, equipment procurement, transport, delivery, installation and testing, as well as hand-over activities), to the different partners (main contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers), and even internally to the teams working on different parts of a system for the same contractor. There are specific requirements and constraints at work interfaces that are technical, organizational, temporal and geographical in nature. These have to be made transparent so that they can be managed and resolved to avoid unnecessary reworks and delays. This thesis proposes to use the concept of work breakdown structure (WBS) to improve work interface management. In the manufacturing industry, the concept of WBS was well exploited by crossing a horizontal breakdown of production activities with a vertical breakdown of final products, thus obtaining a WBS matrix, which is more complete and useful than the classical WBS tree. In this thesis, the concepts of work breakdown structure (WBS) and interface management are first clarified. Then, it is proposed to transpose the concept of WBS matrix into the construction industry and to analyze, in a case study, how it may be used to improve interface management. The case study involves the construction of a segment of a mass rapid transit system comprising many specialty trades spanning track works, power supply, signaling, passenger vehicles and control.