Yasir Alhammadi’s research while affiliated with Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University and other places

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry faces ongoing challenges in enhancing safety performance. Despite the availability of advanced technologies for enhancing safety, there is limited understanding of the inter-relationships among safety factors and advanced technologies for enhancing safety performance. This study aims to investigate the inter-relationships among factors affecting safety performance and advanced technologies. A questionnaire survey was disseminated to construction professionals to assess the criticality of factors and strategies. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The findings indicate that 16 factors and eight advanced technologies are critical for enhancing safety. The EFA grouped 11 critical factors into four underlying groupings: safety planning and hazard prevention, workplace environment and supervision, employee safety support, and medical readiness and site protection. Moreover, the EFA grouped the eight critical advanced technologies into two underlying groupings: advanced digital technologies and personal and site monitoring technologies. The correlation analysis demonstrates measurable but weak associations between the factors and advanced technologies, indicating the need for future research to explore additional variables that may impact these relationships. The findings help construction professionals prioritize resources to address the specific groupings of critical factors and advanced technologies.

Working at construction sites can harm individuals’ health and well-being. However, stakeholders often focus on improving health while discounting well-being. Establishing a better workplace environment can improve workplace well-being. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the factors influencing workplace well-being in infrastructure construction projects. To achieve this aim, the study objectives are to (1) identify the critical factors influencing workplace well-being in infrastructure construction projects; (2) develop an interrelationship model between underlying constructs of the factors; and (3) assess the influence of the underlying constructs on workplace well-being in infrastructure construction projects. First, a list of factors influencing workplace well-being was established using data from a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews. Then, a survey was developed using the list of factors and distributed to infrastructure construction practitioners. In total, 124 responses were retrieved and analyzed using normalized mean analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The analyses reveal that the critical factors include workload, salary package, the timeline of salary payment, working hours, planning of the project, insurance for construction workers, workers’ welfare and project progress. Furthermore, the underlying constructs are physical factors and psychosocial factors. Finally, both physical and psychosocial factors are found to significantly influence workplace well-being in infrastructure construction projects. Focusing solely on physical factors may not sufficiently enhance workplace well-being in construction projects, as there are also non-visible factors, such as psychosocial factors. Thus, exploring the interplay between visible and non-visible factors and their influence on workplace well-being in construction projects is crucial. Nevertheless, the findings have several limitations, including using data from a single country and non-hands-on construction practitioners, as well as the underlying constructs being derived solely using statistical methods. Still, the study is original in its focus on modeling the relationship between the factors influencing workplace well-being within the context of infrastructure construction projects. In other words, this study differs from prior research by specifically modeling the factors that influence well-being in infrastructure construction projects.

This research addresses the critical challenges hindering the integration of Energy Management Practices (EMPs) within the construction industry, impeding its progress toward sustainability. Recognizing the pivotal role of EMPs in fostering sustainable practices, this study aims to fill a notable research gap by conducting a meticulous survey involving 100 industry professionals. Through the application of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) analyses, this study provides a comprehensive exploration of the intricate barriers and their interrelated dynamics within the construction sector. The findings reveal significant financial obstacles, including higher initial costs and limited financing options, underscoring the need for interventions to alleviate financial constraints. Additionally, policy and regulatory challenges, such as limited government incentives and shifting energy management rules, are identified, highlighting the necessity for stable and supportive regulatory environments to foster EMP adoptions. This research provides unique insights into the barriers hindering EMP adoption within the construction sector. The implications of this study extend beyond EMP adoption, offering a foundation for advancing sustainable practices in the construction industry. The insights gained can inform both academic research and practical decision-making, contributing to the ongoing discourse on sustainability in construction.

Construction safety education is crucial as it ensures worker well-being, improves construction quality, and contributes to sustainable infrastructure development and safeguarding lives. This study aims to examine students’ perceptions of construction safety education. A structured questionnaire survey aligned with the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) safety topics was used to collect data from students on their understanding of construction safety topics (CSTs). Data were gathered from 161 students and analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha, mean calculations, standard deviation measurements, normalization value, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and correlation analysis. The findings reveal a strong awareness and interest in fire safety, with variations across engineering faculties, academic years, and specific topics, suggesting the need for tailored educational strategies to improve construction safety knowledge and align education with industry needs. This study represents the first investigation into students’ comprehension of CSTs in Saudi Arabia. The study insights can guide decisionmakers in refining existing curriculums, ensuring students develop a strong understanding of safety protocols in construction projects. By aligning education with industry requirements, policymakers can enhance the preparedness of graduates, promoting safer practices in engineering. This contributes to the overall economic and safety progress of nations.

The formidable need for building projects places greater pressure on stakeholders to deliver these projects on time, within the budget, and with high quality. However, many building projects have experienced extensive cost overruns despite extensive research on their causes and mitigation measures. Thus, the effectiveness of mitigation measures is questionable. This study examines the status of cost overrun in building construction projects and develops a structural equation model to establish the relationships between causes of cost overrun and mitigation measures, using higher education building projects as a case study. This study analyzed cost overruns in 27 higher education building projects. Furthermore, 118 responses were collected using a questionnaire survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Kruskal–Wallis H test, exploratory factor analysis, and partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings suggest that around 93% of the 27 higher education building projects experienced cost overrun, and the majority overran between 5% and 10%. The findings illustrate that bid evaluation and project planning mitigation measures positively affect efficiency and contract management- and design-related causes. Furthermore, project initiation and contractor selection mitigation measures positively affect claim management-, efficiency and contract management-, estimation and scheduling-, and design-related causes. These findings will help policymakers make informed decisions in selecting effective mitigation measures to reduce cost overrun and improve industry efficiency.

Purpose This study examines the underlying relationships between the critical factors of building information modeling (BIM) implementation and the factors' groupings among architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) organizations in Saudi Arabia. The objectives of the study are to (1) identify the critical factors for BIM implementation, (2) analyze the interrelationships between the critical factors and (3) compare the critical factors between the different organizational characteristics. Design/methodology/approach First, potential factors were identified through a systematic literature review and interviews with AEC professionals. Then, a questionnaire survey was sent to AEC professionals and the collected data were analyzed using the following techniques and tests: mean score ranking, standard deviation, normalized value, factor analysis (FA), analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Tukey test. Findings The analyses show that 14 factors are critical for BIM implementation in Saudi Arabia. The top critical factors include the existence of standard contracts on data security and user confidentiality, consistent views on BIM among stakeholders and the availability of guidelines for implementing BIM. Of the 14 critical factors, 9 can be grouped into 4 underlying factors: environmental, governmental, legal and organizational. The analysis shows that the criticality of the most critical factors grouped by the FA varies between different levels of BIM competency. Finally, the presence of public–private partnerships (PPPs) in realizing BIM projects is a new and emerging critical factor for BIM implementation in Saudi Arabia. Originality/value This study differs from prior works on BIM implementation in Saudi Arabia by using FA to explore the underlying relationships among factors of BIM implementation and the factors' groupings. Based on the FA results, a roadmap for implementing the BIM was developed. These findings will help to purposefully and efficiently customize BIM implementation strategies and initiatives to ensure successful BIM implementation in Saudi Arabia.

To maximize the benefits without sacrificing the functionality of projects, sustainability concepts should be used across all stages of the decision-making process when creating residential buildings. The primary sustainable aims may be improved with BIM activities. However, in the building sector of underdeveloped nations, BIM activities use informal methods. By examining the connection between overcoming BIM implementation challenges and the overall sustainable success (OSS) in building projects, this research seeks to establish a model for BIM implementation. Following the BIM hurdles identified in earlier research, 86 building stakeholders in the Egyptian building sector were given questionnaires. The structure of the obstacles was established and confirmed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and the connections between the OSS and overcoming BIM deployment were investigated. The adoption of BIM contributed 40.7% to the project's long-term sustainability, according to the data, which demonstrated a strong link. The findings of this research will serve as a roadmap for decision-makers who want to use BIM in developing nations' building sectors to save costs and increase sustainability.

Purpose: This study aims to empirically analyze the symmetries and asymmetries among the critical factors affecting building information modeling (BIM) implementation between countries with different income levels. To achieve that aim, the study objectives are to identify: critical factors affecting BIM implementation in low-, lower-middle-, upper-middle- and high-income countries; overlapping critical factors between countries with different income levels; and agreements on the critical factors between countries with different income levels. Design/methodology/approach: This study identified potential BIM implementation factors using a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews with architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals. Then, the factors were inserted into a questionnaire survey and sent to AEC professionals in Afghanistan, India, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. The collected data was analyzed using the following techniques and tests: mean, standard deviation, normalized value, Kruskal–Wallis, Dunn and Mann–Whitney. Findings: Five critical factors overlap between all countries: “availability of guidelines for implementing BIM,” “cost-benefit of implementing BIM,” “stakeholders’ willingness to learn the BIM method,” “consistent views on BIM between stakeholders” and “existence of standard contracts on liability and risk allocation.” Also, the criticality of the factors often differs between income levels, especially between low- and high-income countries, suggesting a significant gap between low- and high-income countries in BIM implementation. Originality/value: This study differs from prior works by empirically analyzing the symmetries and asymmetries in BIM implementation factors between countries with different income levels (i.e. low-, lower-middle-, upper-middle- and high-income countries).