Student: Odisseas Zournatzis
Year: 2022
Affiliation: National Technical University of Athens
Level: Undergraduate
Thesis written in Greek
Title in Greek: Κατανάλωση καυσίμου μηχανημάτων έργου και παραγόμενο έργο: Μελέτη περίπτωσης τεχνικής εταιρείας.
Abstract: Earthmoving activities in construction projects are activities that contribute to increased fuel consumption and thus high environmental pollution. The energy crisis of recent years, combined with the need for immediate action on climate change, has led companies to look for ways to reduce consumption without compromising the productivity of machinery. To achieve this, a primary step is to correlate fuel consumption with the work produced from on-site machinery, which is a key objective of the ISO 50001 standard.
Therefore, the purpose of this research is to establish a framework for energy management of project machinery during both the design and delivery stage of a project, by correlating fuel consumption with the work produced. To achieve this purpose, three main research methods were used. First, a literature review was conducted to find the model to approximate the fuel consumption per unit volume of earth handled. Subsequently, the model was applied to actual data of two construction sites of a large construction company, to determine any deviations of the approximations from the actual values. Finally, interviews were conducted with site managers to obtain data on the conditions under which work is carried out, and with employees of construction companies to gather information on the application of the scope of the study in practice.
The results of the research showed that in the case of one construction site there is a potential for the company to reduce fuel consumption per unit volume of earth handled, which can yield savings of a significant amount of money. In the case of the second site, it was observed that the actual consumption per unit volume of earth handled is in most cases within the limits established using the proposed model. Furthermore, it was concluded that it may be possible to approximate the amount of fuel consumption per unit volume of earth handled with a satisfactory accuracy, without the use of high-cost practices such as telematics.
The value of the results produced is indicated in the ability of industry construction companies to approximate the magnitude of consumption per unit volume of earth handled during both the design and delivery stage of a project. The approach at the design stage of a project can assist companies in the optimal selection of machinery for specific job requirements, as well as in predicting the energy costs that will result from equipment fuel. The approach during the delivery stage of the project creates a framework for comparing actual measurements from the construction site to evaluate the energy efficiency of the machinery and reduce its consumption and CO2 emissions.
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