---
title: "Equipment productivity control"
subject: "Construction Management"
chapter: 7
key: "semester_8/construction_management:equipment-productivity-control"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/construction_management/equipment-productivity-control
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Equipment productivity control

Construction Management · Chapter 7: Controlling Project Integration and Work

- Asked in: 2075 Bhadra, 3 marks
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/construction_management/equipment-productivity-control
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/construction_management/chapter-7

## Question

Define equipment productivity control.

## Short answer

Equipment productivity control systematically measures machine output per hour against standards, monitors idle and breakdown time, and takes corrective actions like preventive maintenance and fleet balancing to minimize cost and avoid delays.

## Answer

**Equipment productivity control** is the systematic measurement, monitoring and improvement of the output of construction machines (excavators, dozers, loaders, cranes, mixers, trucks), so that the actual output per hour or per day matches, or goes above, the planned (standard) output at the least cost.

$$
\text{Productivity} = \frac{\text{Work output (m}^3\text{ or m}^2)}{\text{Equipment hours}}
$$

**Main points**
- Fix the standard output from the manufacturer's data, job conditions and efficiency factors.
- Record machine hours, working, idle and breakdown time (log books, hour-meter reading) and the output achieved.
- Compare the actual output with the standard and find the causes of the difference.
- Take corrective action:
  - Preventive maintenance and prompt repair to avoid breakdown.
  - Select the right size and type of machine, and balance fleets (e.g. trucks and excavator).
  - Skilled operators and training; proper fuel and spares.
  - Good site layout, haul roads and job planning to reduce waiting.
- It reduces cost per unit of work, avoids delay and protects the useful life of equipment.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Equipment productivity control aims to:
   A. Make actual output match or exceed standard output at least cost
   B. Reduce the number of machines to zero
   C. Increase idle time
   D. Avoid records
   Answer: A. It measures, monitors and improves the machine output against the standard. (Key point: Definition)

2. What is recorded to monitor equipment?
   A. Machine hours, working, idle and breakdown time, and output
   B. Only fuel price
   C. Only the operator's name
   D. Only the purchase date
   Answer: A. Log books and hour-meters give hours and output to compare with the standard. (Key point: Records)

3. Which is a corrective action for low equipment output?
   A. Preventive maintenance and balanced fleets (e.g. trucks with excavator)
   B. Run until breakdown
   C. Use any machine size
   D. Remove haul roads
   Answer: A. Maintenance, right size and balanced fleets, skilled operators and good layout cut waiting. (Key point: Corrective action)

## Related in Construction Management

- [Labour productivity: causes, measures, control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Alabour-productivity-control) — Construction Management, chapter 7, asked 5×
- [Material productivity control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Amaterial-productivity-control) — Construction Management, chapter 7, asked 5×

## Related in other subjects

- [WBM: material, equipment, procedure, quality control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftransportation_engineering_ii%3Awbm-materials-equipment-quality-control) — Transportation Engineering II, chapter 3
- [Speed control by inertia and load damping](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fpower_plant_equipment%3Ainertia-damping-speed-control) — Power Plant Equipment, chapter 2, asked 6×
- [Functional block diagram of excitation control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fpower_plant_equipment%3Aexcitation-control-block-diagram) — Power Plant Equipment, chapter 3