Machine Cost-Effectiveness in Earthworks: Early Warning System and Status of the Previous Work Period

Martina Šopić (), Mladen Vukomanović and Diana Car-Pušić
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Martina Šopić: Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Mladen Vukomanović: Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Diana Car-Pušić: Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-19

Abstract: Estimating earthwork costs is challenging due to the use of high-cost construction machines, the performance of works in dynamic, changing, and uncertain conditions, and the issues of machine actual productivity. In earthworks, there is a constant need to track, control, and analyze the progress to reduce costs. The management of machines’ work on construction sites is complex due to an unknown or insufficiently accurate assessment of their actual productivity, and it relies heavily on the site manager’s (in)experience. The cost-effectiveness of the contracted price for the operation of the machines may be questionable. This paper proposes a model for machine cost-effectiveness in earthworks. The proposed model consists of an Early warning system and Status of the previous work period. The Early warning system can provide timely and reliable detection of cost-effectiveness and profitability thresholds for excavators and tipper trucks during the excavation and material removal. The Status of the previous work period is time-dependent and provides a final assessment of the cost-effectiveness of excavators and tipper trucks for the past month or a more extended time. Applying the proposed model at the construction site of the infrastructure project demonstrated its practicality and purpose.

Keywords: earthworks; cost-effectiveness; profitability threshold; excavator; tipper truck (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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