Analysis of Factors Affecting the Quality of Precast Components Based on Structural Equation Modeling

The quality of prefabricated building construction is facing problems that are affected by various factors, compared with traditional cast-in-place buildings. To systematically identify these factors, this study attempts to develop an evaluation method using structural equation modeling to measure their impacts on prefabricated buildings. Forty factors are identified based on previous studies and then revised and supplemented via expert interviews. Among them, 25 factors are finalized from three stages, including production, transportation and storage, and lifting. Subsequently, a single-factor measurement model (SFMM) of each stage is established and modified. The improved SFMM is integrated into a first-order confirmatory factor analysis model to reveal the relevance of these stages. The fitting result of this model indicates that some higher-order common factor may exist. Hence, a second-order confirmatory factor analysis model (SOCFAM) is made and further analyzed. With the results of the SOCFAM, the weights of each stage and each factor can be calculated. The weight of the transportation and storage stage is 0.3358, ranking the first. The respective weight of the production stage and lifting stage is 0.3321. They indicate that the transportation and storage stage has the greatest impact on the quality of precast components, followed by the production and lifting stages. Additionally, it can also be found that R14, R4, and R21 are the dominant factors in these three stages to affect quality. Through evaluating the impact, critical factors can be identified, which can provide a reference for practitioners to carry out quality management in assembly construction.