A study of literature in modular integrated construction - critical review and future directions

Abstract

Modular integrated construction (MiC) has been an attractive research topic in the last decade. The adoption of this technology has increased in several countries worldwide, which shows the need for exploring its main research themes, characteristics, benefits, and challenges. Through a three-step research process integrating bibliometric search, quantitative analysis, and qualitative analysis, the literature of MiC was extensively analyzed. The aim was to identify ongoing research trends and current gaps that will benefit future research in this vital domain. The quantitative analysis of literature showed that almost 50% of research in MiC was conducted in only four countries. Science mapping of author keywords showed the connection between MiC and topics, such as simulation, sustainability, and scheduling, which indicated the diverse nature of the existing literature. The qualitative analysis of the literature showed that the categories of building design and management aspects were dominating the research in the area. Gaps in MiC research encompassed lack of quantitative analysis to assess the benefits of various innovative design proposals, lack of cost analysis for MiC to measure its savings, and lack of analysis to adopt the appropriate project delivery method in MiC projects. Future research directions comprise developing models to analyze stakeholder relationships during the design stage, examining contractual relationship among participants, investigating cost comparisons with different construction methods, and assessing the methods for introducing MiC into the curriculum of future engineers. This study provides a road map for future research projects and raise the practitioners’ awareness of the latest methodologies and trends in global MiC research.