Improving the root pile execution process through setup time reduction

Recent structural transformations in the construction sector have created the need for building constructors to attend competitive criteria such as cost, time and quality. Therefore, construction companies are searching for new production philosophies to support their improvement efforts and are demanding from subcontractors a similar level of involvement and commitment to these goals. As participants of the construction productive chain, companies active in the field of foundation engineering are also being required by building firms to improve their work methods. However, because of the very nature of its work, geotechnical engineering presents peculiarities, which differentiate it from the rest of the building industry. These peculiarities are usually cited among the main causes for the slow development of its processes. This paper discusses the experience gained with the application of lean production principles to the root pile execution process. Recognizing the importance of performance measurement, the used methodology combined Work Sampling and SMED method concepts. Its application in a case study involved three phases: identification of current performance levels; development and implementation of improvement opportunities; and comparison with posterior performance levels. The methodology provided a set of coherent and related performance measures that showed how lower setup times can help increase foundation engineering productivity.