Barriers and drivers for increased use of off-site bridge construction in Sweden

There is great pressure to change the civil engineering industry in Sweden, which is said not to follow efficiency growth other manufacturing sectors are achieving. This increases a demand for innovative construction methods and a growing industrialised thinking for sustainable construction. By implementing off-site manufacturing (OSM) into bridge construction, client satisfaction can increase, bridges can be constructed faster using less resource, and more bridges for the same invested capital can be realised. A questionnaire survey and a workshop have been undertaken partly to identify benefits and drawbacks for OSM in bridge construction and partly to study if OSM satisfies the client better than on-site construction. The outcome shows that drivers of OSM meet client needs better than on-site construction alternatives. Time, cost and working environment are large drivers, correlating well with previous surveys undertaken. However, quality, as in other surveys tend to stand out as a driver, is a barrier in comparison with on-site construction. This opinion may be due to both the generally negative views for OSM bridges in Sweden and also due to previous bad experiences. Despite these negative views, results show that the hypothesis of OSM being a better alternative for satisfying the client is true. To increase its market share, barriers like reduced quality and not aesthetically pleasing must be overcome. OSM bridges are to date a rare feature in Sweden, but by display the drivers, it could become a common construction method in Sweden.Godkänd; 2012; 20121102 (ojajoh)