Prefabrication is a construction technique that is increasingly being applied to different building components due to its many benefits, including higher quality and lower waste. Despite these advantages, there are challenges in execution of these components on projects, due to transportation logistics, skilled labor requirements, and project management techniques. This paper investigates the current landscape of prefabricated pipe spools and potential solutions for minimizing these challenges. The scope of this research includes a proposed workflow, to standardize implementation of these components. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with industry professionals to assess current industry practices and the validity of the proposed workflow. Findings of this paper indicate that greater integration between design, fabrication and transportation is required to minimize inefficiencies when implementing prefabricated pipe spools on projects.
The support of Stanford University and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is gratefully acknowledged. Any opinions, findings, and/or conclusions expressed in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Stanford University.