Theo C Haupt

Nelson Mandela University | NMMU · Department of Construction Management

Hand Arm Vibration has adverse effects on the physical abilities of construction workers who perform activities that require the use of vibration tools. This study analyses hand-arm vibration (HAV) trigger times and tool emission values (cumulatively representing vibration exposure) as part of efforts to mitigate the risks of construction workers d...

PURPOSE This research investigates hand-arm vibration (HAV) exposure levels of construction workers when operating handheld vibrating power tools within the UK construction sector. METHODOLOGY Couched within a positivist philosophical stance, a deterministic assessment of hand-arm vibration exposure was undertaken using primary survey data obtained...

Circular economy (CE) practices are currently being explored across the world. However, it remains unknown whether these practices are applicable in different contextual settings. For that reason, this paper seeks to reveal the potential CE practices in the construction industry likely to drive the circularity transition in Africa. The study adopte...

This cross-sectional study examined direct relationships between coping, common mental disorders and wellbeing. Further, the study examined if coping mediates the relationship between CMDs and wellbeing of the construction workforce in South Africa. Data were collected from a conveniently sampled population of general contractors in South Africa. A...

This study investigates occupational stress among the South African construction workforce. The study focused on the task demands/stressors directly linked to the job a worker is performing. Task demands in relation to the type of occupation, job security, workload, and lack of innovation can result in low morale among the workforce. A combination...

Globally, SMEs have a major impact on the social and economic welfare of countries, as they constitute over 90% of the non-financial business economy and employ more than 60% of the working population. The construction industry is no exception with SMEs representing approximately 93.5% of all registered contractors with the National Council for Con...

HAVS affects the physical abilities of construction workers as time progresses. This study sought to identify the presence of HAVS among construction workers in South Africa. Data was obtained through face-to-face, structured interviews on two construction sites. 196 construction workers participated in the study. Criterion sampling was used to sel...

It is inevitable that human migration involves major life changes, whereby those migrating have to adapt to new environments, new administrations, different politics, adjust to new cultural needs and become ethnic minorities in a new region and part of a new system. Typically, migrant workers because of their desperate need to find employment to su...

Globally, SMEs have a major impact on the social and economic welfare of countries, as they constitute over 90% of the non-financial business economy and employ more than 60% of the working population. The construction industry is no exception, with SMEs representing approximately 93.5% of all registered contractors with the National Council for Co...

Construction clients are the originators of projects who are central to the construction process and play a crucial role in influencing project delivery outcomes. Consequently, it behoves all role players to support the client and deliver specific client requirements. The construction industry is fraught with several challenges during project deliv...

Hand arm vibration syndrome has become one of the most prevalent diseases in the construction industry. This paper provides a bibliometric review of research topics on HAVs in construction workers. A bibliometric review was conducted to compile relevant materials from the Scopus database. A total of 240 related papers were examined. VOSviewer was u...

Construction procurement models determine how projects are executed. For a long period, the design-bid-build model dominated government institutions and departments. However, the model proved inefficient in most situations within Zimbabwean state universities, resulting in the emergence of disruptive models such as design-bid, direct labor, labor o...

This study explores student experiences of online learning during the global COVID19 pandemic. The paper assesses whether the outcomes of constructivist inquiry-based learning can still be achieved online. A qualitative research approach was used to survey online learning experiences of students. A total of 27 registered Construction Studies univer...

In Nigeria, building collapses is a common occurrence, and several factors have been advanced to explain the incidents, amongst these is the lack of understanding of the functionality and mechanical properties of steel fibre reinforced concrete. Such understandings can assist in stemming building collapses and attendant economic and social effects,...

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the antecedents to common mental disorders (CMDs), coping strategies and psychological well-being of the construction workforce in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from contractors working in South Africa. The sample was conveniently select...

There is a sympathetic need to address the drawbacks of mental health studies in the South African construction industry. Most studies on occupational stress in construction have been conducted in developed countries. South Africa is characterized by extreme socioeconomic issues, such as inequality and crime and therefore, the nature of mental heal...

Purpose This paper aims to explore the intellectual structure shaping the circular economy (CE) discourse within the built environment in Africa. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a bibliometric analysis approach to explore the intellectual structure of CE in the built environment in Africa. The authors collected 31 papers published be...

This study investigates organizational stressors among the construction workforce in South Africa. The study focuses on the working conditions and interpersonal relationships among the workforce. Work conditions, workplace relationships, and pressures from groups can result in adverse health conditions among the workforce. A combination of these fa...

Purpose of this paper: This paper seeks to identify the key barriers hindering circular built environment (CBE) transition in Africa. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to reveal the factor structure underlying what the construction stakeholders and circular economy (CE) experts consider as the key imp...

AND KEYWORDS Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the psychological wellbeing of the construction workforce in South Africa using the validated WHO-5 Wellbeing Index Measure. Design/methodology/approach In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from contractors working in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province in South Africa. The sample wa...

PURPOSE Circular economy (CE) in construction remains a contentious issue which continues to evolve. To that end, scholars have explored the concept through literature review and bibliometric analysis. There seems to be a consensus that African research output on the subject remains low. To test that observation, this study adopted a bibliometric a...

This book is aimed at contributing significantly to the body of knowledge relative to the science and practice of construction not only in South Africa but everywhere where the products of construction are produced even in these new challenging times of fear and uncertainty. The theme is particularly relevant in these times of rapid exponential kno...

Globally, the construction industry is known for its complexity, where a multi-array of interdependent activities all take place at the same time. Construction job sites are increasingly dangerous with historically low levels of innovations and adaptation to change. Construction workers are required to perform repetitive manual tasks involving heav...

This study seeks to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and commitment of managers within construction firms towards the recent construction H&S legislation changes. This study further aims to identify the differences in responses between management personnel and construction workers within construction firms. An empirical research approach was adopt...

This study examined differences in career choice outcome expectations based on gender and socioeconomic groups. This study surveyed 229 conveniently sampled students (116 men, 113 women) enrolled in construction-related programs at two universities in South Africa. Participants were drawn from student cohorts enrolled in construction management, ci...

PURPOSE This study examines the gender differences in the perception of students as it relates to factors that determine their choices to undertake a career in construction. METHODOLOGY The study used a close-ended questionnaire in a survey of university students enrolled in construction-related programs in South Africa. A survey of 229 convenientl...

Despite significant effort by business associations, researchers, construction clients and contractors to deal with the unsatisfactory health and safety (H&S) performance in the construction industry, the situation has not improved. Lack of effective involvement by clients has contributed to the construction industry's extremely high number of acci...

This study investigates the challenges experienced in the implementation of energy efficiency retrofit initiatives in retail centres in South Africa. The participants of the study were management of 20 retail centres in and around the KwaZulu-Natal province. A close-ended questionnaire was used to determine to examine the challenges associated with...

Purpose An increase in outsourcing of consultancy services has been observed during procurement and delivery of public-sector infrastructure projects. However, the incidence of project failure has continued unabated despite this shift by public-sector entities. Also, there appears to be limited literature focussed on seeking to provide the rational...

PURPOSE This study evaluates managers' knowledge, perceptions, and commitment within construction firms in South Africa towards the Construction Regulations 2014. This study aimed to identify the differences in responses between management personnel and construction workers within construction firms. The responses from the construction workers were...

The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the maturity of South Africa’s provincial government departments in engaging with the Infrastructure Delivery Management System (IDMS) towards facilitating effective infrastructure delivery. Furthermore, the study sought to formulate evidence-based interventions that could be utilised by these gov...

Circular economy (CE) in construction remains a contentious issue which continues to evolve. To that end, scholars have explored the concept through literature review and Bibliometric analysis. There seems to be consensus that African research output on the subject remains low. To test that observation, this study adopted a Bibliometric analysis ap...

This study examines the differences in career choice predictors among a sample of women university students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. This study surveyed 229 conveniently sampled students, enrolled in construction-related programs at two universities in South Africa. The samples were drawn from student cohorts enrolled in construction...

Despite numerous attempts to enforce construction health and safety legislation, low levels of compliance with health and safety requirements and high rates of accidents continue to exist in the construction industry. The far-reaching impact of the novel coronavirus has spawned the attention of international and national regulatory bodies and has l...

This paper presents findings of a Delphi study which sought to identify the key factors that influence and determine the career choices of women in the construction industry in the South African context. Adopting the Socio-Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) as the study's conceptual framework, a two-round iteration was performed to obtain the opinion o...

This study examines the relationship between career choices and career self-efficacy beliefs among a sample of South African university students. This study surveyed 229 conveniently sampled students, including 116 men and 113 women enrolled in construction-related programs at two universities in South Africa. The samples were drawn from student co...

Drawing from existing studies, this study presents a meta synthesis aimed to examine the effectiveness of BIM-based visualisation systems for health and safety management on construction job sites in comparison to other methods. A systematic review and qualitative method of metasynthensis was conducted. An online literature search was conducted in...

The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for implementing the delivery of energy retrofit project in existing buildings. This framework is premised on the need for the attainment of a sustainable built environment through delivering building energy retrofit. A mixed design approach that is situated on pragmatic philosophical stance was a...

This study applied the Social Cognitive Career Theory to determine the factors that influence student's persistence in construction programs in the South African Context. The study further explores the possible differential validity of SCCT variables for men and women. A survey of 108 conveniently sampled South African undergraduate students, inclu...

Implementing energy upgrades in buildings will bring about economic gains, while enhancing social wellbeing and engendering sustainable development. However, building energy upgrades encompass additional considerations and requirements in terms of processes, materials, and expertise, technology and health and safety practices. All these factors con...

The purpose of this study was to develop a client-driven H&S rating model to be used by construction clients to improve their overall project H&S performance. The attitude of clients towards H&S is critical in the overall H&S improvement effort on construction projects. This hypothesis was tested and verified using Covariance-Based Structural Equat...

Purpose: This study provides a bibliometric analysis of advances in Building information modeling research globally. It provides a recent state of the art assessment on trends as it relates to the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. Being a vastly emerging research area, there is a need for the appraisal of research trends....

This paper investigates the status and practices of ethical behaviour in the South African construction industry. Using a self-administered questionnaire,135 contractors and consultants in the construction industry in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South-Africa were conveniently sampled in relation to their perception and experience of unethical pra...

Gender stereotyping has historically presented a major challenge in the construction industry with a culture of the industry that is predetermined by men. The construction industry continues to be a highly male dominated sector with a significant overrepresentation of men. Consequently, women have been perceived to be inferior to men and therefore,...

This paper provides a bibliometric review of technologies for safety on construction sites to explore the evolution and research trends on digital technologies for the management of construction safety. A comprehensive bibliometric review adopting a two-step literature selection method was conducted to compile relevant publications from the Scopus...

The construction industry has, for many years, been subject to stringent health and safety legislation for the protection of workers and the public. To ensure compliance, firms must invest a great deal in resources. However, with different legislative requirements, deadlines, and fragmentation, it is easy to overlook something or implement wrong fr...

Many of the available shear design formulations for steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) beams include significant uncertainties due to the failure in accurately reflecting the true shear resistance. Given these uncertainties, adequate reliability assessment of shear design provisions for SFRC beam is of high importance, and increased accuracy an...

Technologies such as virtual reality (VR), online databases, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Building Information Modelling (BIM), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), 4 D Computer-Aided Design (4 D CAD), wearable robotics have been adopted to improve construction site health and safety. However, little attempt has been made to map global research...

Purpose: This paper aims to present a meta-analysis and scientometric review to explore the intellectual evolution of research on the health and safety of women in construction, identify trends and research patterns and workplace stressors and hazards encountered by women in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach: A combination o...

Purpose This paper aims to report on the development of a model to improve process health and safety within the context of a petrochemical environment to achieve a generative health and safety culture within that sector. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research methodology and deductive research approach were used in the study. A survey...

Purpose of this Paper Although gender inequalities exist in the workplace, very little is known about the gender-differences in working conditions in the construction industry. This paper examines the issues relating to women's occupational health and safety in the construction industry. Design/Methodology A comprehensive review of studies availabl...

Construction has not been an obvious career choice for women all over the world as a result of the strongly held masculine perception that they are not suited for the industry and several other consequent challenges they encounter. The terrain of physical work and associated ergonomic hazards are two of such perceptions. Despite the advocacy for li...

Purpose The built environment is well known for carbon emission and its impact especially as it pertains to existing buildings. This has culminated in an increasing need for a retrofit of such buildings. This study details the development of an artefact for improving the delivery of energy retrofit projects therein to curb these impacts. Design/me...

Purpose: This paper is part of a preliminary study which analyzes the causes identified in accident investigation reports in order to determine whether the causes identified are indeed the root causes or direct causes. The effectiveness of the subsequent preventative and remedial measures and the prevention of the reocurrance of the same accidents...

Purpose The acknowledged mode of securing work by contractors is through the bidding process. However, the bidding decisions undertaken by some indigenous contractors in developing countries are fraught with challenges that often engender bidding practices (such as collusion through price fixing and intentional lower bidding) and threaten business...

PURPOSE OF THE PAPER: The research aimed to assess the extent of cognitive loading and schema development which can be attributed to complex questions. The research also assessed whether cognitive loading mediates the relationship between complex questions and schema construction. DESIGN: A self-administered questionnaire survey was used to collect...

PURPOSE Although adequate consideration is being accorded to economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development (SD) during infrastructure procurement, the opposite seems to be the case with social sustainability aspects (SSA). This study elicits the perspectives of procurement officials working in public sector infrastructure client org...

PURPOSE: Construction project delays have become almost inevitable within the South African Public sector with a variety of contributing factors. Evidence suggests the construction procurement method to be a primary attribute. The objective of this paper is to examine the existing construction procurement methods, which control the processes, order...

Although several studies have sort to establish the influence of mixed income housing (MIH) on eradicating urban poverty, few of such studies have appraised the utility of MIH initiatives in combating spatial inequalities in a manner that tackles the incidence of urban poverty, particularly in South African cities. This is the gap which this study...

Safety on construction job sites has become a subject of primary concern across construction industries worldwide. Construction work is widely perceived to be dangerous, exposing workers to high risks of injuries and illnesses. The application of technology is considered as an effective approach to improve site worker's health and safety conditions...

Despite its significant contribution regarding employment in South Africa, women remain severely underrepresented in the construction industry. Men have become the primary beneficiaries of these job opportunities and the determinants of the construction industry’s culture. This extreme gender stratification and macho nature of construction work has...

The article investigates the level of satisfaction with the South African Department of Public Work's Contractor Development Programme (CDP) in terms of its effectiveness. A mixed method research approach (combination of quantitative and qualitative approach) is employed for the collection of both statistical and in-depth information on the percept...

The South African government has instituted numerous programs to advance the role of women in the construction sector. While there has been an increase in the overall number of women-owned contractors suggesting a gender-positive environment in post-apartheid, there is a high failure rate of women-owned contractors. This study seeks to explore the...

This study assessed the effectiveness of how different types of questions which may be administered to students affect their development of knowledge structures. The research used a self-administered questionnaire survey to collect data from a conveniently selected sample of university students drawn from three public universities in South Africa....

Abstract Purpose – The built-transfer and operate (BOT) toll model has been a common approach for highway construction in India. Due to large amount of investment, many stakeholders and long concession period,Indian BOT toll roads become susceptible to different risks. Risk assessment is one of the essential and difficult steps of risk management...

Recent legislation has been amended to achieve optimum H&S throughout all construction project phases. However, the primary purpose for compliance with H&S legislation requirements among contractors is to avoid penalties and for profit maximisation. The construction industry is perceived to be dangerous, unfair, and unpredictable regarding the adeq...

ABSTRACT Purpose This paper seeks to investigate the fundamental role of strategic crisis management implemented within the Architectural design process to enhance the building resiliency. Adopting this approach will further act as a catalyst towards mitigating the consequences of the rising sea levels. That are triggered on the coastal areas of Eg...

Purpose of this paper This study explores university students' perceptions of gendered interactions in male-dominated environments. The paper assesses whether gender differences affect the perceptions of students regarding gendered workplace cultures. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative descriptive survey design, 76 university students...

There is increasing concern regarding the impact of the consumption of cannabis within the construction industry. Empirical evidence highlights issues of cannabis use and its connection with health and safety risk on construction sites. This study explores the use of cannabis and its behavioural, perceptual, physiological, emotional and cognitive e...

The ASOCSA Built Environment conference series is steadily becoming one of the leading built environment conferences on the African continent. For many years it was one of only two construction-related conferences in South Africa that enjoyed full accreditation by the South African Department of Higher Education for subsidy. The series continues to...

The South African government has instituted numerous programs to advance the role of women in the construction sector. While there has been an increase in the overall number of women-owned contractors suggesting a gender-positive environment in post-apartheid, there is a high failure rate of women-owned contractors. This study seeks to explore the...

The BOT toll model has been a common approach for highway construction in India .Due to the large amount of investment, many stakeholders and long concession period, BOT toll roads become susceptible to different risks. Risk assessment is one of the essential steps of risk management that enables professionals to quantify and analyze the risks that...

Recent legislation has been amended to achieve optimum H&S throughout all construction project phases. However, performance improvement with regards to workers' health on site remains an issue for concern. The construction industry is perceived to be dangerous, unfair and unpredictable regarding the adequate protection of construction site workers...

Purpose There is increasing concern regarding the impact of the consumption of cannabis by construction site workers on workplace safety and performance. This preliminary study explores the use of cannabis and its consequences and effects on construction workers considering the decriminalisation of its private use and personal consumption in South...

There is increasing concern regarding the impact of the consumption of cannabis by construction site workers on workplace safety and performance. This preliminary study explores the use of cannabis as a psychotropic drug and its consequences and effects on construction workers, considering the decriminalisation of its private use and personal consu...

Administering complex questions to students has been found to induce significant levels of cognitive loading and consequently impede effective learning. Interventions aimed at supporting students with little subject prior knowledge when they are faced with complex questions have been argued to reduce cognitive loading. This study assessed the moder...

The aim of the research was to explore the levels of cognitive loading induced by certain tenets of constructivist pedagogy namely self-directed learning complex questions and zone of proximal development. The study also sought to investigate the associations between these constructs and with cognitive loading and complex questions. Data for the re...

Self-directed learning (SDL) refers to the ability for students to engage in independent learning activities without any explicit direction from anyone. It involves students identifying their own learning needs, setting learning goals, identifying appropriate learning resources, choosing and applying appropriate learning strategies and evaluating l...

Health and safety (H&S) management is imperative for construction projects owing to the high level of fatalities and accident rates experienced. However, very few studies have used mixed-method research to examine H&S practices that are tailored towards small and medium construction enterprises (SMEs) to establish whether they influenced overall H&...

PURPOSE: This study aims to examine the existing construction procurement methods which determine the processes, sequence of operations and communication channels within the public sector and investigate whether an alternative procurement method, namely Integrated Project Delivery System (IPDS), could serve as a potential solution to the existing i...

The purpose of this paper is to review the present status of women in the construction industry; in particular it discusses the social and cultural factors that hinder women's career choices in construction. A review of literature on women in the construction industry and the historical background and role of women is conducted. A literature assess...

A good student experience at the university is important for both the student and the institution as it has been shown to improve student progression rate and improve the through-put of students. The quality of the academic experience enjoyed by students is determined to a large extent by the teaching and learning philosophy employed. For education...

Purpose of this paper. The study aims to quantify the relative amount of cognitive loading induced in students of construction studies by academic problems of varying complexity. Design/methodology/approach. A deductive quantitative research approach was favoured using a cross sectional questionnaire survey to collect the data. Non probability sam...

AND KEYWORDS Purpose of this paper South Africa has a history of oppression and the legacy of the apartheid regime still remains in the form of discrimination. Although a movement away from this discrimination was embarked upon with the change in government in 1994 when apartheid was overturned, the implementation of enabling equity policies have b...

AND KEYWORDS Purpose of this paper While effective client involvement in their construction projects is important to achieve a successful project, contractors perceive their involvement as being too low resulting in unsatisfactory project delivery. The main aim of this study is to examine the role and level of client involvement on construction pro...

PURPOSE: This study aims to examine the most commonly used procurement approaches utilised within the public sector of South Africa and to explore the potential impact of using the Integrated Project Delivery System on these types of projects. This paper reports on the preliminary exploratory findings of a larger study dealing with delays, disrupti...

AND KEYWORDS Purpose: The South African government has instituted numerous programs to advance the role of women in the construction sector. While there has been an increase in the overall number of women-owned contractors suggesting a gender-positive environment in post-apartheid, there is a high failure rate of women-owned contractors. This study...

AND KEYWORDS Purpose of this paper In South Africa, higher education accreditation has promised numerous benefits with positive outcomes for universities and graduates. This has become increasingly debated over the past few decades. This study seeks to discover whether accredited SACQSP quantity surveying (QS) programmes from Higher Education Insti...

AND KEYWORDS Purpose of this paper This study was done to determine the perceptions, knowledge and practices of contractors to address the legislative and regulatory requirement to price for the cost of making provision for construction health and safety on their projects to enable clients to appoint them using their financial allocations as a basi...