Productivity increase in design and production of bridges

Paper in proceeding, 2024

The construction industry is behind other industries in productivity. With more large infrastructure projects

to be built, it is essential that design and construction could be performed with high productivity. This paper

focuses on how standardisation of bridges can result in higher productivity. A quantitative study was

performed to examine essential parameters that have potential to increase productivity in the Swedish

bridge construction industry; it also examines how standardisation could increase productivity; and how

specific incentives of the three significant actors (contractor, client and design engineer) could be obstacles

to productivity. The main findings are that the actors believe in standardisation as a way to increase

productivity. Reinforcement layout was one important parameter to increase productivity. Contractor’s view

on profit could be an obstacle to productivity. Increased productivity would be more sustainable

infrastructure delivery and here the client has an important role to play.