Department of

Civil and Environmental Engineering


Dr. H. Randolph Thomas
Professor

 

H. Randolph Thomas  

Penn State University
206G Sackett Building
University Park, PA 16802

(814) 865-9062 (phone)
(814) 863-7304 (fax)
hrt1@psu.edu
    Research | Courses | Vitae

Primary Research Interests
Productivity measurement, analysis, improvement and control; contracts; contract interpretation; contract administration; real-time data collection techniques.

Specific Research Topics
Causes and quantificatoin of construction labor and efficiencies.

Courses Taught at Penn State University
C E 332, Construction Project Development
C E 531, Legal Aspects of Engineering and Construction Contracts
C E 533, Construction Productivity Analysis and Performance Evaluation

Professional Service
Series editor-Fundamental Principles of Site Construction Management, ASCE Press

Vitae

Education
1976 Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, Civil Engineering (Minor in Engineering Mechanics)
1970 M.S., North Carolina University, Civil Engineering (Minor in Mathematics)
1967 B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Architectural Engineering

Experience
Professor, The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, (1975 - present)
Industry, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (1968 - 1971)
Conctruction, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (1971 - 1973)

Professional Registrations
Registered Engineer in Tennessee

Professional Memberships
American Society of Civil Engineers
Construction Institute, Construction Research Council
Transportation Research Board
International Council for Building Research Studies and Documentation
CWC-65, Counterpart Working Commission on Organization and Management of Construction

Honors and Awards
Peurifoy Award for research and teaching, Construction Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2000.
Brazilian National Science Foundation Scholarship to teach labor productivity course at San Paulo University, 1997.
Fulbright Scholarship to conduct labor productivity research at the University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. Project Title: Benchmarking of International Labor Productivity.
Thomas Fitch Rowland Prize for best paper in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, American Society of Civil Engineers, 1991.

Recent Publications

Selected Journal Publications
Thomas, H. R., M. D. Horman, U. de Souza, and I. Zavrski. Reducing Variability as a Lean Construction Principle. J. Constr. Engr. and Mgmt., 128(No. 2): 144-154, American Society of Civil Engineers (2002).

Thomas, H. R. and V. E. Sanvido. Quantification of Losses Caused by Labor Inefficiencies: Where is the Elusive Measured Mile? J. of Construction Law and Business, Vol. 1(3):1-14, Aspen Law and Business, New York (2000).

Thomas, H. R. and I. Završki. Construction Baseline Productivity: Theory and Practice. J. Constr. Engr. and Mgmt., 125(No. 5): 295-303, American Society of Civil Engineers (1999).

Thomas, H. R. And K. A. Raynar. The Effects of Scheduled Overtime on Labor Productivity: A Quantitative Analysis. J. Constr. Engr. and Mgmt., 123(No. 2): 181-188, American Society of Civil Engineers (1997).

Thomas, H. R. and C. L. Napolitan. Quantitative Effects of Construction Changes on Labor Productivity. J. of Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., 121(No.3):290-296, American Society of Civil Engineers (1995).

Selected Technical Reports
Thomas, H. R. Early Warning Signs of Project Distress. Report to the Electrical Contracting Foundation, Bethesda, MD, PTI Report No. 2002-34, June 2002, 45 pp.

Thomas, H. R., Horman, M. J., de Souza, U. E. L., and I. Zavrski. Benchmarking of Labor-Intensive Construction: Lean Construction and Fundamental Principles of Workforce Management. International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB), Rotterdam, NL, Publication 276, 156 pp (2002).

Thomas, H. R. Negotiating Loss of Labor Efficiency Claims. Electrical Contracting Foundation, Bethesda, MD, Index No. F2006-6000, 56 pp. (2001).

Thomas, H. R. Contract Risk Management. Electrical Contracting Foundation, Bethesda, MD, Index No. F2003, 67 pp. (2000).

Thomas, H. R. Principles of Labor Productivity Measurement and Processing. PTI Report No. 2K14, Penna. Transp. Inst., Univsersity Park, PA, 75 pp. (1999).

Thomas, H. R. and I. Završki. Theoretical Model for International Benchmarking of Labor Productivity. Report to the International Council for Innovation and Research in Building Construction (CIB), Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 133 pp. (1998).

Thomas, H. R. and A. A. Oloufa. Strategies for Minimizing the Economic Consequences of Schedule Acceleration and Compression. Electrical Contracting Foundation, Inc., Bethesda, MD, Index No. F9604, 44 pp (1996).

Thomas, H. R., A. A. Oloufa, and A. S. Hanna. A What-To-Do Guide for Schedule Acceleration and Compression. Electrical Contracting Foundation, Inc. Bethesda, MD, Index No. F9503, 60 pp (1995).