Lean manufacturing applications in prefabricated construction projects

Prefabricated construction is typically conducted using a special construction method and is employed in various disciplines such as engineering, management, and technology. Currently, one of the emerging research directions involves a combination of prefabrication and lean principles. However, the systematic analyses outlined in the literature in this field is insufficient and lacks clarity on the mainstream research topics; thus, it is difficult to understand the current research progress and determine the various subject branches. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to review previous research on lean management and the practices adopted in prefabricated construction projects to systematically evaluate their impact on prefabricated construction improvement. To this end, a critical review and summary of the application of lean construction principles in prefabricated construction is conducted using a three-step approach that incorporates bibliometric search, scientometric analysis, and in-depth literature classification. Consequently, five different research dimensions are obtained: data-driven intelligent decision, construction sustainability, activity process optimization, lean construction adoption in prefabricated construction, and other prefabrication-related lean adoption strategies such as circular economy, flexible field factory, and on-site industrialization. The research methods, lean techniques and tools, and research limitations are then discussed and analyzed based on these topics. Because all relevant articles are reviewed, this study contributes to building the knowledge system for lean prefabricated construction (LPC). Furthermore, the current universal development status and periodic results in this field are also discussed in this study. Therefore, the findings can be used to establish new research directions based on future thematic trends in the LPC domain, inspire practitioners using LPC technological implementation paths, and foresee possible obstacles in the future.