Vigneshkumar Chellappa

Purpose: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a significant concern in the construction industry, particularly in formwork operations, which involve physically demanding and repetitive tasks. Traditional methods for assessing MSD risks have limitations, including being time-consuming and subjective. Despite the importance of preventing MSDs, there is a lack of comparative research on MSD risks across different formwork systems. This study aims to address this gap by assessing and comparing MSD risks associated with steel and plywood formwork systems during vertical formwork operations in India. Design/methodology/approach: A digital human modeling (DHM) approach was used to assess MSD risks associated with formwork systems. The study involved on-site observations, video capture, and simulation of formwork tasks in a virtual environment using CATIA V5. Representative work postures were reconstructed in CATIA V5 using a standardized built-in manikin and assessed using the integrated RULA module to enable task-level ergonomic comparison between the two formwork systems. Findings: The results revealed that a significant proportion of formwork tasks pose high MSD risk, with 77.56% of analyzed postures resulting in high RULA scores. The results indicate that while steel formwork poses elevated handling risks during lifting and placing panels due to its weight, plywood formwork systems pose specific risks during assembly tasks involving nailing and hammering, underscoring the importance of task-specific ergonomic assessment rather than interpreting one formwork system as uniformly safer overall. Practical implications: The findings could inform several stakeholders, including form/tool manufacturers, designers and contractors, to implement task-specific ergonomic interventions and training programs focused on proper lifting techniques and safer assembly practices. Social implications: The findings also highlight the importance of considering worker safety and well-being in the construction industry. The findings could inform policies and guidelines to reduce the risk of MSDs and promote a healthier work environment. Originality/value: This study provides an exploratory DHM-based comparative analysis of MSD risks associated with two vertical formwork systems under actual construction conditions, contributing initial task-level evidence to a comparatively underexplored area of the ergonomics literature. The findings could raise stakeholders' awareness of the need for proactive measures to prevent or mitigate MSDs in formwork systems and operations.

Purpose: The perceptions of sustainability among built environment (civil engineering, architecture and interior design) students in India remain unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge by investigating students' views at selected Indian universities. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a survey research design, with questionnaires as the primary data collection tool. It analyzed the data using descriptive and inferential statistics (e.g. t-tests, ANOVA and post hoc tests). Findings: Students recognize the importance of sustainability and are eager to learn more, but are generally unfamiliar with the concept. In addition, the study found that the three most common conceptions of sustainability among students were promoting energy efficiency, using renewable energy and reducing waste. Furthermore, the study's results show significant differences in students' understanding of sustainability across academic levels, study programs, and genders. Notably, civil engineering students demonstrated greater awareness, familiarity and interest in sustainability than their peers. In contrast, interior design students lagged behind, indicating a need to integrate sustainability more effectively into their curriculum. Originality/value: This research presents a distinctive comparison of sustainability perceptions across various built-environment disciplines, incorporating social sustainability metrics often neglected in technical fields. Focusing on the Indian higher education context, the study offers a unique geographic perspective that promotes globally relevant yet locally adaptable approaches to sustainability literacy.

Six Sigma offers a robust and widely applicable methodology for tackling practical decision-making challenges across various industries. Complementarily, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Analytic Network Process (ANP) provide a universal framework for decision support in diverse applications. Given their inherent strengths, these methodologies appear to be a natural fit. However, it remains uncertain whether this synergistic potential is fully leveraged within current Six Sigma practices and its derivative methodologies. This paper presents a comprehensive literature survey to ascertain the extent to which Six Sigma practitioners utilize AHP/ANP. The findings from this survey will then be used to identify current trends and highlight existing gaps in harnessing the full potential of AHP/ANP within the Six Sigma framework.

Purpose: The Indian railway network is one of the largest in the world, serving millions of passengers daily. Still, its food services have faced criticism for limited options, poor quality, and inconvenience. Therefore, the authors developed an app for railway passengers to revolutionize food services on Indian Railways. This study examined the factors influencing the adoption of a food delivery app specifically designed for Indian railway passengers. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to examine the perceived usefulness, ease of use, satisfaction, and intention to use, as well as external factors such as information quality and system quality, among 128 railway passengers. Findings: The study revealed that perceived usefulness and ease of use significantly predict satisfaction with the food delivery app, which in turn strongly influences the intention to use it. Information and system quality also impacted perceptions of usefulness and ease of use. Originality/value: This is the first study to develop an app for Indian railway passengers and examine the users’ acceptance of the app. The findings provide valuable insights for developing effective food delivery solutions within the Indian railway ecosystem.