Research And Design Of Cost Evaluation Systems For Road Building Projects

An important and fundamental job in project cost management is the accumulation of project cost information. Project cost information can provide cost decision-makers with valuable decision-making references in many different ways. Cost information, which is obtained through careful selection, classification and analysis, is a direct reflection of technological and economic characteristics in construction projects. It can also reflect the technological, economic and management levels of construction projects and relevant experiences and lessons at different stages in different times. This kind of information is very important reference for project decision-makers in their work of compiling and auditing cost reports at different stages. It provides road designers with objective references in their work of optimizing and setting quotas on designs. It provides construction units with a reliable basis for reasonable tender and effective management. It can also supply basic data to administrators at different levels in their work of calculating costs and setting quotas.Based on the theory of economics and the knowledge of cost management in road construction, this paper aims to set a research goal of cost evaluation systems through an analysis of the cost management of road construction under the supervision of the Department of Communications in Hunan Province. Through a systematic analysis of demands, this paper attempts to classify cost information at different stages and deals with the original data in the cost evaluation system. In the meanwhile, the paper offers an outline design to a cost evaluation system, establishes a systematic structure, formulates a composite of modules, and draws a flow chart of the main functions and tasks.The cost evaluation system of road construction is not only an expert system for government departments to decide, control, evaluate and manage road construction costs but also a comprehensive cost management platform for road-building contractors, road designers, road builders and road project supervisors. Based on the overall design of the system, this paper also researches into the functions and ways of realization of some key modules. These include project cost index which reflects the influences of the price changes on the market in certain period upon road project costs; a technological and economic cost index system based on an economic comparison, analysis and evaluation of projects; a cost auditing operation for reasonable decisions and effective controls of project costs; vertical analyses from project proposal assessment to project feasibility appraisal and from rough estimate to budget submission for a certain project at different stages in the aspects of project workload, technical content and so on; and horizontal analyses of the differences in cost managements of the same type of projects in the same district.All in all, this study intends to establish a comprehensive road construction cost evaluation and management system and create an integrated road cost management and control platform in Hunan province through the above-mentioned research and design so that road construction costs could be effectively controlled and relevant decision-making and management levels could be raised.