3 Key Initial Stages in Large Construction Projects

The construction industry is worth approximately $10.7 trillion globally. It is one of the largest sectors of the economy in many countries and is a key employer of a skilled and semi-skilled workforce. Currently, industry experts predict that the construction industry is entering a period of sustained growth. Between 2020 and 2030 the sector is predicted to grow to over $15 trillion worldwide. The importance of the construction industry cannot be overestimated. It creates jobs, boosts local and national economies, and drives growth in both urban and rural settings. Many medium and large sized construction firms will undertake complex and large-scale construction projects as part of their ongoing operations. These can range from constructing new commercial districts to upgrading, extending and maintaining major road networks. Larger scale construction projects can have an over budget of millions of dollars and need to be effectively managed throughout the planning, monitoring, and implementation stages of the work. In this article, three of the key initial steps that are needed in large-scale construction projects will be described.

Design Stage

One of the first steps in any large construction project is to create accurate designs of the work that is planned. Today, many of the processes that are involved in the design stage will be created on computer-aided design (CAD) platforms and applications. These sophisticated software programs can accurately model buildings and architectural designs in 3D. This allows the design stage of construction projects to be completed far quicker than with physical scale models and allows changes to be made without the need to completely redesign the structures. AutoCAD is one of the leading platforms, but there are a wide range of other CAD platforms that are commonly used in construction and architecture. During the design stage,project management software will also be deployed to allow accurate costings and financial projections to be attributed to the plans. This will also allow larger projects to be broken down into smaller tasks and timescales to be apportioned to them.

Structural Engineering Considerations

When the initial planning stages have been completed, there needs to be consideration of structural engineering requirements.This stage may include the use of seismic analysis and design services that are subcontracted to ensure that the buildings and structures will be fit for purpose and can withstand a range of forces. Structural engineering considerations are incredibly important, and they can provide reassurance that the finished constructions will be safe and usable for many decades to come. Commonly, this stage will be implemented in extreme detail for structures such as commercial bridges and for building projects that take place in locations where there is a high likelihood of earthquakes taking place (such as on or near fault lines).

Creating a Businesses Case

As a brief final point, the design stage, project costings and structural engineering plans are incorporated into a final document that forms the basis for creating a sound business case for the project. This information will be used to demonstrate the overall viability of the project and should indicate that the work will generate profits for the construction firm. At this stage, there will be a final decision on whether to fully commit to the project. If major problems or budgeting concerns have been identified and cannot be resolved, it is likely that the project will be abandoned.