MODEX: Automated Decision Support System for Modular Construction

• Safety – by removing dangerous work hours from the field (i.e., through less work at height)
• Reduction of construction time – if economies can be found through speed of fabrication
• Reduced labor costs – by moving hours off-site to a less expensive location
• Labor availability – if there is a shortage at the construction location
• Weather – by moving work away from the field and into a climate controlled/friendly location
• Quality – by moving work to factory conditions
• Reducing interruptions to operating plant – by moving work that would be performed at the operating site to off-site

• Transportation costs – increased cost of handling large shipments, both off-site and in terms of offloading and setting costs on-site
• Transport size/accessibility limitations – logistics such as roadway weight limits restrict efficiency gains from large modules
• Increased engineering effort – there are more up-front engineering costs and need for

The interviews with modularization experts provided an extensive amount of information about the modularization feasibility study process. The most important discovery was the delineation of 5 factors to consider when a study is performed, that include:

• Plant Location
• Labor Considerations
• Plant Characteristics
• Environmental and Organizational Factors
• Project Risks