Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose recommendations and guidelines for the initiation phase of a public–private partnership (PPP), focusing on the electricity sector in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach A literature review allowed gathering international best practices, while brainstorming meetings and document research permitted acquiring data from the Brazilian electricity sector through a multiple case study of 12 projects. By applying benchmarking principles to compare findings, the paper proposes guidelines and recommendations, which culminated in a final framework for implementing PPPs. Findings The created framework structures a series of recommendations with application in PPP projects. Also, the paper gathers worldwide best practices, which could increase the rate of success by avoiding problems throughout the other phases of a PPP project. Research limitations/implications This paper addresses the electricity sector. Due to the singularity of such infrastructure enterprises, it is possible that the framework suggested is not entirely applicable to other enterprises, being a suggestion for future studies to perform an adherent test. Also, validating this framework is not in the scope of this project. Practical implications The use of a framework on PPP implementations brings attention to necessary efforts on previous phases of projects, which can avoid financial and technical problems, improving the reliability of PPPs. Originality/value The application of guidelines and recommendations on the electricity sector has not appeared with such focus in previous studies. The paper provides a practical manner to upgrade the process and suggests a model for implementing PPPs.
The autogenous shrinkage is a phenomenon that occurs due to the appearance of tensile stresses in capillary pores. Inherent in the hydration process, not depending on external interference. In high strength concrete, autogenous shrinkage is most pronounced, due to the refinement of microstructure, the high cement content, presence of mineral addictions and low water/cement ratio, which interfere in the transport of water curing. In this context, Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) stand out for their ability to reduce or eliminate the autogenous shrinkage, because they absorb large amounts of water, which is subsequently released into the matrix, avoiding self-desiccation and the onset of tensile stresses (internal curing). However, studies show that SAP can reduce the mechanical strength, which can be compensated by addiction of Nano-silica (NS). In this paper, the effect of these additions in Time Zero (T 0 ) was evaluated. T 0 determines the time at which the material starts to behave as a solid, with the development of a rigid mineral skeleton to oppose the volumetric variations that occurs in the paste, which can lead to cracking, compromising esthetics, durability, and structures safety. The ultrasonic pulse velocity test performed the T 0 , which measures the velocity of propagation of an ultrasonic wave through the material and is taken as the time when a sudden change occurs at this velocity. Nine blends were made containing SAP and NS, where it was found that SAP addition increases the T 0 (up to 11%), while NS decrease its value (in 55%).
Delay is one of the most recurrent problems in the construction industry. It is the cause of major negative consequences on construction projects and it can be the main reason for project failures. Still, there is a need for studies focusing on causes of these delays. The objective of this article is to determine the factors with greatest influence on the backlog of real estate developments, improving the collective list of causes of delays in construction projects. A list of 24 probable causes was assembled and submitted as a survey for 47 professionals in administrative rolls from the building construction sector, more precisely, from private companies. The results were processed utilizing the Relative Importance Index (RII) ranking approach. The outcome shows that the most important delay causes are: rework, poor labor productivity, lack of qualified labor, unqualified labor, and project changes. The results also indicate that there are significant differences of opinion between the professionals of distinct hierarchy positions. The results obtained indicate that there is a transition between the opinions of professionals in different roles regarding the importance of influential factors in the delay of works, according to the managerial level of each group.
In the field of civil construction, infrared thermography can be used as a tool for inspection of building elements such as facade inspection. The large amount of variables involved in the thermal flow acting on the facade of a building makes it difficult to compare different points of the facade. This work suggests the correction of the thermographic contrast values of the anomalies (Delta-T) in the relation at the average temperature of the region in which the anomaly is located. The results demonstrate a good correlation between the values of Delta-T and the adjusted Delta-T, thus legitimizing the use of adjusted Delta-T as a function of thermographic contrast.
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