Buildability factors influencing micro-level formwork labour productivity of slab panels in building floors

Buildability is one of the most important factors influencing labour productivity. Nevertheless, a thorough investigation of the literature revealed a dearth of research into the effects of buildability on the labour productivity of an integral trade of in situ reinforced concrete construction, namely formwork. In comparison with beamless slabs, the formwork operation of beam-slab floor configurations is a labour-intensive process, which is associated with substantial additional labour inputs. Therefore, the objective of this research is to explore the buildability factors influencing the formwork labour productivity of building floor slab panels. To achieve this objective, a sufficiently large volume of labour productivity data is collected, at the activity level, and analysed using the categorical interaction-regression method. As a result, the main and interaction effects of repetition, panel areas and geometry of panels on labour productivity are determined. The findings show a significant influence of these factors and corroborate the importance of applying the concepts of design rationalization, standardization and repetition to the design stage of construction projects. The results may be used to provide designers with feedback on how well their designs consider the requirements of buildability principles, and the consequences of their decisions on the efficiency of the operation.