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Construction industry has recently widely adopted takt production which stabilizes the production rhytm and improves flow of site operations. Based on the factory physics, it is known that when production flow is increased, external variation which can disturb the production should be eliminated simultaneously. Inappropriate material deliveries cause remarkable external variation and waste in construction operations. However, the reported studies of the takt production do not discuss in depth of the role of logistics and external variation. The purpose of this research is to investigate how takt production benefits from proper logistics solution. In practice, we explore the role of logistics in two project industries, shipyard and construction, in which takt production is implemented. The findings reveal improvements with regards to utilizing specific assembly and logistics units together with JIT delivery of material kits and integrated design and production information. In fact, results showed a reduction in the material waste and procurement costs as well as increase in the production rate in both industries but with different extent. The value of this research for practice and academia is that takt results improve when implemented with specific logistic solutions. Future research should investigate the impact of logistics in takt with using case studies and focusing on construction operations.

The construction industry is facing increasing pressure to improve productivity and decrease its environmental impact. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, especially three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) technology, have provided many benefits for construction. However, holistic comparative studies of the competitiveness of 3DCP and conventional methods, from cost and time perspectives, are lacking. Choosing between the methods is difficult for practitioners. In this study, we investigated the current state of 3DCP in the construction industry using seven distinct scenarios. Our analysis was performed to illustrate the impact of design and supply chain configurations on performance. The results prove the notable competitiveness of 3DCP. In contrast to the conventional construction method, the more complex round design had a positive impact on the cost and process time in 3DCP scenarios. Additionally, we show that on-site 3DCP using a robotic arm was more cost-effective than off-site 3DCP.

Logistics practices are processes that require alignment and coordination among project actors to support successful construction operations. While recent research has underlined the effects of single material logistics practices on project performance, practitioners need more knowledge on development paths toward successful overall logistics solutions. Based on a review of current practices obtained from the literature, this research proposes the maturity levels of planning, organizing, operating, use of technology, and information flow regarding the logistics practices in construction. Moreover, the study devises a recommended order for implementing logistics practices and investigates how companies can advance their logistics maturity from one level to the next. The proposed model has been validated via case examples from the industry. The paper contributes to construction logistics research by describing how companies can navigate development efforts to gradually improve their logistics practices. Future research could conduct more case studies within different project contexts.