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This work deals with short to mid span-length light vaults made of reinforced brick-masonry. The research is oriented at proposing semi-prefabrication and construction techniques. Numerical models for predicting the structural behavior of this type of structures are developed. Experimental research is performed with the following three main objectives: (i) validating the proposed construction techniques, (ii) investigating the structural performance, and (iii) calibrating the numerical models. The obtained results show that the proposed techniques are feasible, and that the structural behavior is adequate in terms of ductility and of strength. The structural system can be modeled with the developed numerical tools. ; This work has received financial support from the Catalonian Government (CIDEM, "CERARMAT" IT - Technological Innovation - project 605) the Spanish Government (Ministry of Industry and Energy, "PRECERAM" ATYCA project M172/1999) and the European Commission ("ISO-BRICK" CRAFT - Cooperative Research - Project G5ST-CT-2001-50095). All these supports are gratefully acknowledged.

Prefabrication has been considered an effective alternative to conventional building. It has gained an increasing amount of attention over the last few decades as a way to advance sustainable construction. This study focused on the construction stage to compare sustainable performances of prefabrication with conventional building. Sixteen indicators were extracted from a literature review and specialist interviews to conduct a sustainability evaluation. A survey was delivered to developers, designers, superintendents, manufacturers, and contractors of a Chinese case project. A total of 51 valid responses were collected. Projection pursuit (PP), based on the real-coded accelerating genetic algorithm (RAGA), was employed to evaluate the sustainability of prefabrication. The results showed that there was a consensus among the participants that prefabrication has more obvious sustainable performances in the construction phase compared with conventional building. However, cognitive differences among the participants regarding the sustainability of prefabrication were also pronounced. The findings presented in this paper may assist the government to propose feasible policies and measures to promote the development of prefabrication in China.

For construction policies to be effective and efficient, an integrated and systematic approach, with which the effectiveness of alternative policies can be examined in advance by anticipating the private sector`s response and subsequent changes in the industry environment is needed. As an effort to address this issue, a model-based approach is presented for construction policymaking and an example of a prefabrication policy in Singapore is given. In this study, the policy models developed using system dynamics simulate the performance of the Singapore construction industry and examine the effectiveness of alternative prefabrication policies in a qualitative and quantitative manner. Having obtained policy implications from the model structures and simulation results, policy initiatives are suggested along with discussions on the associated potential risks. Based on the research findings, we could conclude that a model-based approach is helpful in developing an effective construction policies by providing policymakers in a government or corporate with an integrated view on the policy application process and a tool to examine alternative policies in a systematic manner. ; 0

For construction policies to be effective and efficient, an integrated and systematic approach, with which the effectiveness of alternative policies can be examined in advance by anticipating the private sector`s response and subsequent changes in the industry environment is needed. As an effort to address this issue, a model-based approach is presented for construction policymaking and an example of a prefabrication policy in Singapore is given. In this study, the policy models developed using system dynamics simulate the performance of the Singapore construction industry and examine the effectiveness of alternative prefabrication policies in a qualitative and quantitative manner. Having obtained policy implications from the model structures and simulation results, policy initiatives are suggested along with discussions on the associated potential risks. Based on the research findings, we could conclude that a model-based approach is helpful in developing an effective construction policies by providing policymakers in a government or corporate with an integrated view on the policy application process and a tool to examine alternative policies in a systematic manner. ; Lyneis JM, 2001, SYST DYNAM REV, V17, P237 ; Moxnes E, 2000, SYST DYNAM REV, V16, P325 ; HO S, 2000, THESIS NATL U SINGAP ; STERMAN J, 2000, BUSINESS DYNAMICS SY, P191 ; TAN S, 2000, THESIS NATL U SINGAP, P157 ; *VTT, 2000, WELLB CONSTR FINL ; Ritchie-Dunham JL, 1999, SYST DYNAM REV, V15, P119 ; *CMC, 1999, CONSTR 21 ; Slaughter ES, 1998, J CONSTR ENG M ASCE, V124, P226 ; Royston G, 1998, EUR J OPER RES, V105, P267 ; GROAK S, 1996, INNOVATIONS JAPANESE ; KWAK S, 1995, THESIS MIT CAMBRIDGE, P34 ; *BCA, 1994, CONSTR EC REP ; LIM K, 1993, THESIS NATL U SINGAP, P59 ; EISENHARDT KM, 1992, STRATEGIC MANAGE J, V13, P17 ; TAN W, 1982, THESIS NATL U SINGAP, P121 ; CYERT RM, 1963, BEHAV THEORY FIRM ; FORRESTER J, 1961, IND DYNAMICS ; 0