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• Analyzing Determinants of Construction Project Resilience and Success in Ethiopia: a Structural Equation Modelling Approach (PLS-SEM)

  1-41

  Kebede Bekele Desta

  Msengana Lunga

  Views:

  26

  The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that contribute to the success and resilience of construction projects in Ethiopia’s construction industry. A major gap exists in the current literature regarding the empirical validation of the relationships between resilience and success in the Ethiopian construction industry. Data collection was conducted via an online survey between March 8^th and May 13^th, 2024. PLS-SEM analysis was performed on the survey responses. Results indicate that resilience significantly impacts a project's success. The following are resilience-enabling factors that increase a project's resilience and enhance overall project performance. These are: resilient leadership (taking risks; learning from subordinates; being flexible during decision making); organisational structures (having few direct reports; narrow span of control; job rotation); and project team culture (assign right people for right jobs; recognition or rewarding the team members; team passions for contribution for project success; team trusts); external environment factors (mitigating high inflation effect; managing unstable economy; using appropriate legal enforcement); and risk management practices (communicating frequently; understanding/knowing how to implement risk management practices; integrating risk management practices into routine activities; having enough budget/finance). Success indicators for construction projects include quality, cost, time, safety and customer satisfaction. Therefore, developing resilience-enhancing strategies could greatly increase the effectiveness of construction project performance. The contribution of this study includes empirical evidence from the Ethiopian context, as well as practical recommendations for policymakers and project managers to create customised resilience strategies. The limitations of this study include reliance on self-reported data and convenience sampling in collecting survey responses. Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of resilience in overcoming the challenges of the construction industry in Ethiopia.

• Development and Characterization of Sisal Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Composite Materials

  348-358

  Alula Gebresas Gerezgiher

  Halefom Aregay Bsrat

  Andrea Simon

  Tamás Szabó

  Views:

  598

  In most of the developing countries, plastic polypropylene is not fully recycled and converted in-to use after it is once used. Sisal fiber is also widely available in different developing countries like Ethiopia. Adding this two materials and developing automotive interior part was taken as a primary motive for it reduces cost and is environmentally friendly. Thus, the main purpose of this research is to develop composite material from natural fibre (sisal fiber) reinforced with recycled plastic waste (polypropylene) for interior automobile accessories specifically for internal door trim panel application. This research examines effect of fiber length, fiber loading and chemical treatment of fiber on the physical and chemical properties of the sisal fiber reinforced polypropylene (SFRPP) composite material. The waste polypropylene and the treated and untreated sisal fiber with variable length and weight ratio (fiber/matrix ratio) were mixed. Flammability of sisal fiber reinforced Polypropylene (SFRPP) composites material was examined by a horizontal burning test according to ASTM D635 and chemical resistance of the sisal fibre reinforced PP composites was studied using ASTM D543 testing method. The result on the flammability test shows that treated fiber has lower burning rate than untreated fiber and decreases with increase in fiber length and fiber loading. The resistance of the composites to water has increased as the fiber length increases and decreased as the fiber loading increase. Generally, SFRPP composite is found to have better resistance to water than NaOH and H2SO4 and treating the fiber has brought considerable improvement on chemical resistance of the composite. Fiber loading and fiber length has positive and negative effect on the flammability of the SFRPP composite respectively.