Simulation-Based Fuzzy Logic Approach to Assessing the Effect of Project Quality Management on Construction Performance

Abstract

This paper reports the development of an approach to integrate the appropriate modeling techniques for estimating the effect of project quality management (PQM) on construction performance. This modeling approach features a causal structure that depicts the interaction among the PQM factors affecting quality performance in a given construction operation. In addition, it makes use of fuzzy sets and fuzzy logic in order to incorporate the subjectivity and uncertainty implicit in the performance assessment of these PQM factors to discrete-event simulation models. The outcome is a simulation approach that allows experimenting with different performance levels of the PQM practices implemented in a construction project and obtaining the corresponding productivity estimates of the construction operations. These estimates are intended to facilitate the decision making regarding the improvement of a PQM system implemented in a construction project. A case study is used to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed simulation approach for evaluating diverse performance improvement alternatives for a PQM system.