工程管理专业英语THECONSTRUCTIONINDUSTRY及翻译Word文档下载推荐.docx

工程管理专业英语THECONSTRUCTIONINDUSTRY及翻译Word文档下载推荐.docx

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INDUSTRYSECTORS

ResidentialSector

CommercialBuildingSector

InfrastructureandHeavyHighwaySector

IndustrialSector

RESEARCHANDDEVELOPMENT

TRENDSINTHEINDUSTRY

ConstructionEthics

Demographics

Opportunities

CONCLUSION

STUDENTLEARNINGOBJECTIVES

Inthischapteryouwilllearnthefollowing:

1.Theprinciplecharacteristicsthatdefinetheconstructionindustry

2.Thefourmajorsectorsofconstructionprojects

3.Thenatureofresearchanddevelopmentwithintheconstructionindustry

4.Currenttrendswithintheconstructionindustry

INTRODUCTION

"

Toformbyassemblingparts"

isthedictionarydefinitionforcon.struct,butthephrasealsoisametaphorfortheconstructionprocessitself.Justasdivergentmaterialscometogethertoformastructure,so.too.doesadiversegroupofpeoplecometogethertomaketheprojectpossible.Tobringtogethernumerousindependentbusinessesandcorporatepersonalitiesintoonegoalorientedprocessisthepeculiarchallengeoftheconstructionindustry.TheorganizationaJculturesofarchitects,engineers,owners.builders.manufacturers.andsuppliersmayseemtoworkagainsttherealneedtoforgeapartnershipthatwillensurethesuccessofaproject.Yet,despitetheseveryrealchaIJengesintheindustry,constructionprojectsdogetcompleted.Infact.itisdifficulttothinkofanindustrythatismorebasictooureconomyandtoourdailylives.Thehighwayswedriveon.thebridgeswecross.thewaterwedrink,thefuelweburn:

allaremadepossiblebytheactivitiesoftheconstructionindustry.Likewise.whereweshop,wherewework.whereweworshipandlearn.andwhereweliveallexistbecauseoftheindustry.Designershavevisions;

butuntilthecontractorbuilds.thosevisionsarejustdreamsonasheetofpaper.

Constructionisalsoveryinterwinedwithotheraspectsofourlives.Itaffectsandisaffectedbydevelopmentsintechnology,computers,governmentpolicies,laborrelations.andeconomicandpoliticalpractices.Take.forinstance,thetechnologicalleapoftheskyscraper.Untilthelate1800s.mostbuildingswerefourorfivestorieshigh.Masonrysupportedthestructurefromtheground.Astheheightofthebuildingincreased.themassingatthegroundlevelalsoincreasedtosupporttheadditionalIoad.Thus,ifthebuildingwerebuilttoohigh,themassatthebottomwouldbetoothick.Anotherlimitationtoheightwasthatpeoplecouldonlypracticablyclimbfourorfivestories.Becausefloorsontheupperlevelsweredifficulttorent.Ownershadnoeconomicincentivetobuildanyhigher.Butwiththedevelopmentofcheapmethodsofproducingironandsteelandtheinventionoftheelevator.architectsbegandesigninghigherbuildings.Thisspurredconstructionactivity:

landownersweremotivatedtodevelopthesenewbuildingsbecausethereturnontheirinvestmentwashigher.Overtime.astechnologicaladvanceshaveallowed.theskyscraperhasgottentaller.

Innovationsinroboticsandcomputermodelinghavealsoaffectedtheconstructionindustry.Byusingcomputersformodelingstructuresandimitatingwindandseismicloads.architectsandengineerscanbetteranticipatenature'

sconstraintsandcreatebetterdesignstocounteractthem.Withrobotsdirectingequipmentduringconstruction.contractorscangainmorecontroloverprocessesthatrequireprecisionforsuccess.suchastheconstructionoftheunderwatertunnelbetweenFranceandEngland.Thedesireforsuchprojectsleadstothedevelopmentoftechnologiestomakethempossible,whichinturnencouragessimilarprojectstogoforward.

TYPESOFINDUSTRY

ConstructionisbigbusinessintheUnitedStates.AccordingtotheBureauofLabornStatistics.theindustryemploysnearly6millionpeopleandrepresents5percentoftheworkforce,makingitthenation'

slargestsingleemployer.Thetotalvalueofconstructionin2000was$815billion.whichrepresents8.1percentofthegrossdomesticproduct（GDP）.Opportunitiesinconstructionhaveincreasedsignificantlyinthelasttenyears.Constructionemploymentin2000hasrisenby49percentsince1990.Thisisincontrasttoemploymentasawhole.whichhasincreased21percent.Althoughconstruction-relatedjobsaresomeofthebest-payinginthecountry,theyareoftennotaperson'

sfirstcareerchoice.Lookatanyconstructioncompany,andyouwillfindpeoplefromavarietVofbackgroundswho.throughexperienceandcontinuingcducation,havebeenpromotedthroughtheranks.Thisprofileisstartingtochange,however.withtheprofcssionalizationofthefieldandtheintroductionofundergraduateandgraduateconstructionmanagemcntprogramsatcollegesanduniversities.BoththeAmericanInstituteofConstructors（AIC）andtheConstructionManagementAssociaOonofAmerica（CMAA）haveinitiatedprofessionalcertificationprograms.

Constructionprojectscanbeawe-inspiringintheirbreadthandcomplexity-fromtheEgyptianpyramidsandGothiccathedralstosoaringskyscrapersandenormousbridges.Yettheindustryitselfdoesnotownthcseproducts,nordoesitcontroltheirsupplyanddemand.Infact.constructionhasrelativelyfewassetscomparedwiththoseofotherindustries.Itssuccessorfailuredependsonthequalitiesofitspeopleratherthanonitstechnologyorproduct.Inthisway,itisverymuchaserviceindustry-onecomposedofmanysmallbusinesses,especiallyintheresidentialandcommercialbuildingsectors.Constructiondoesnotrequireapatentoralargecapitalinvestment;

anyonewithmotivation.technicalskills.andasufficientcashflowcanstartabusinessandbesuccessful.However,becauseoftheindustry'

scyclicalnature.itinevitablyhasslowperiods.Withoutcapitaltogetthemthroughtheseslowtimes.thesesmall"

moruandpop"

businessesareatrisk.andmanyareforcedoutofthemarket.

Theriskfactorismuchhigherinconstructionthanitisinotherindustriesbecauseoutsidefactorssuchasgovernmentfunding,demographics,andmarkettrendslargelydeterminedemand.Anotherreasonforthishighriskliesintheunpredictablenatureoftheworkitself.Sinceconstructiontakesplaceoutside,itdependsonweatherconditions.Anyextremescanaffectproductivitylevel.damagematerialsandworkinplace,createunsafeconditions.andevenshutdownthesiteentirely.Moreover.theindustryiscustom-oriented.meaningthatitisdifficulttousemass-productiontechniquesineithermaterialsormethods.Eachprojecthasitsownlearningcurveforbothmanagementandlabor.Becauseallthesefactorsmakeitdifficulttoaccuratelypredicthowmuchmoneywillbenecessarytocompletetheproject,theindustryhasahigherriskoflosingmoneythandoindustriesthatrelyonmorepredictablefactors.

Financialinstitutions,medicalservices.accountingfirms,andrealestatecompanieshaveallbeeninvolvedinrecentmergers,consolidations,andconglomerations.Construction,however,isastudyofcontrasts.Atonetime,generalcontractorsconstructedalmosttheentireprojectwiththeirownworkcrews.Butasbuildingsbecomemoretechnicallycomplexandthebusinessofbuildingthemmoresophisticated,theindustryhasturnedincreasinglytospecialtytrades.Thus,thecontractor'

srolehasevolvedfrombosstomanager.However.inotheraspectsoftheindustry,thereverseishappening.Whilethetechnicalcomplexitiesofprojectshavestronglyinfluencedthetrendtowardsubcontractorspecialization.thesesamecomplexitiesaremergingowners.contractors,anddesignersintomorecollaborativeunits.Inaveryrealway,thistrendisleadingconstructorsbacktotheirroots-asthemasterbuilders.

INDUSTRYSECTORS

Mostdesignersandbuildersconcentratetheirbusinessandbuildexpertiseinaspecificsectoroftheconstructionindustry,eachofwhichissupportedbyseparatematerialandequipmentsuppliers,manufacturers.andsubcontractors.Thesedistincttypeshaveevolvedbecausemajordifferencesexistinhowprojectswithineachsectorarefunded:

inthebuildingmethodsinvolved:

andinthemannerinvrhichdesigners,builders.andownersinteract.Thesesectorsareusuallyseparatedintothefollowingfourcategories:

1.Residential

2.Commericalbuilding

3.Infrastructureandheavyhighway

4.Industrial

ResidentialSector

Theresidentialconstructionsectoriscomprisedofindividualhomes.smallcondominiums,andapartmentcomplexes.Whatallthesebuildingtypeshaveincommon（apartfromthefactthattheyhousepeople）aretheconditionsunderwhichtheyareconstructed.Suchprojectstendtobeprivatelyfundedbyindividualownersfortheirownuseorforspeculation.Theyaretypicallydesignedbyarchitects.althoughtheplanmaycomefromamass-producedcatalog.Insomeinstances.thehomeownersorthebuildermaydesignthestructure.Withinthissector.therehasbeensomemovementtowardpre-manufacturedhomesandproducts.Butdespitethetremendouspotentialindevelopingpre-manufacturedcomponentsfortheresidentialmarket.thetendencyisstilltobuildmostcomponentsonsite.

Asasite-builtproduct.residentialconstructionusesfairlylowtechnology.Notsurprisingly,mostofthe"

momandpop"

operationsarefoundinthissector.Becausethetechnologyneededtobuildresidentialbuildingsisreadilyavailable,thecapitalrequiredtostepintothebusinessisfairlysmall:

apickuptruck,somebasictools.andanunderstandingofconstruction.Supportingtheseoperationsaremanyothersmallbusinesses-lumberyards,toolandequipmentrentals,specialtysuppliers,andhardwarestores.Whentheeconomyisstrong,thesesmallbusinessesdowell