Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Engineering - Department of Civil Engineering

The static nature of existing building assets is not serving the continuous change in the functional requirements of their end-users. Therefore, buildings undergo renovation or reconstruction, which require the total or partial demolition of the buildings, to meet these new requirements. This results in more virgin materials pumped into the construction industry to substitute the wasted ones, leading to an increase in the construction and demolition wastes. In addition, the materials abandoning the circular loop leave an adverse impact on the environment. This research proposes an approach based on pull-planning concept to ensure the early involvement of key participants in the decision-making process. This approach is implemented within a proposed framework that explains the sequencing of deconstruction planning phases required before actual demolition activities take place. The resulting framework shall encourage the selective dismantling of building elements based on the customer needs. Building information modelling capabilities in deconstruction planning are investigated. The deficiencies in building information modelling as a platform for deconstruction planning are then analyzed. Semi-structured interviews are conducted in the Dutch construction sector, to assess the practicality of the pull-planning criteria. The proposed framework aids in decreasing the uncertainties involved in demolition projects. The framework can be implemented on a national level to automate the deconstruction projects and optimize the extraction of salvaged building elements. The recovery option for such elements and their final destiny can be secured a sufficient time before their dismantling from their original locations. A case study of an office building is presented in order to demonstrate the practical features of the proposed model

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