Quality improvement in the construction industry: Three systematic approaches

A major difference between construction and manufacturing is that most constructed facilities are unique, while manufactured goods usually are massproduced. Therefore, to attain learning effects comparable to those achieved in mass-production, learning from failures in construction needs to take place at an industry-wide level. Further, methods of Quality Management adapted to the special circumstances of construction need to be developed. In this report, we discuss three systematic approaches to prevent construction failures. First, we discuss the statistical analysis of large samples of construction failures (macroscopic analysis) to identify primary failure modes and derive preventive measures. Next, we propose to select typical cases from the most frequently occurring construction failure modes. A detailed analysis (microscopic analysis) of the selected cases can then also lead to preventive measures. Finally, we review the transfer of safety management methods from risk-conscious industrial sectors, such as aviation, to construction (methodological analysis).