34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) - Singapore, Singapore - 2026

https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0217

Developing balanced production flow: a simulation on Mura reduction via Line of Balance

Fazel Nasserzadeh1, Manik Suresh Karkare2, Saeel Yogin Kulkarni3, Travis Long4, Chahana Hedge5, Zofia K. Rybkowski6, Ganesh Devkar7, Dev Hiren Naik8, Harikrishna Goudar9, Ashwin Mahavir Durugkar10 & Faisal Khan11

1Ph.D. Student, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA, [email protected], orcid.org/0009-0003-2250-5667
2Master’s Student, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
3Master’s Student, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
4Master’s Student, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
5Master’s Student, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
6Professor, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-0683-5004
7Sr.Associate Professor, Faculty of Technology, CEPT University, Gujarat, India, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-5482-1221
8Master’s Student, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
9Master’s Student, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
10Master’s Student, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
11Master’s Student, Department of Construction Science, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

Abstract

Mura (unevenness) is one of the three fundamental wastes in lean thinking, along with Muda (waste) and Muri (overburden). In construction, Mura appears as irregular resource allocation, unpredictable durations, and unstable workflows that disrupt flow and reduce productivity. While Mura has been widely discussed in lean construction, fewer studies use Line of Balance (LOB) to quantify and visualize unevenness across repetitive work, which limits practical, schedule-based assessment. This study investigates Mura using a simulation that replicates pipe-laying operations. Two cycles are compared: one with unbalanced labor and one applying lean principles such as redistribution of resources and standardization. LOB is used to represent production rate and workflow stability across locations, allowing unevenness and its reduction to be observed directly. Results show that addressing Mura improves flow reliability and overall project performance, supporting more efficient construction planning for repetitive operations.

Keywords

Mura, lean construction, flow, simulation, line of balance.

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Reference in APA 7th edition format:

Nasserzadeh, F., Karkare, M. S., Kulkarni, S. Y., Long, T., Hedge, C., Rybkowski, Z. K., Devkar, G., Naik, D. H., Goudar, H., Durugkar, A. M. & Khan, F.. (2026). Developing balanced production flow: a simulation on Mura reduction via Line of Balance. In Hamzeh, F., Poshdar, M., & Garcia-Lopez,, N. P. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) (pp. 692–703). https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0217

Shortened reference for use in IGLC papers:

Nasserzadeh, F., Karkare, M. S., Kulkarni, S. Y., Long, T., Hedge, C., Rybkowski, Z. K., Devkar, G., Naik, D. H., Goudar, H., Durugkar, A. M. & Khan, F.. (2026). Developing balanced production flow: a simulation on Mura reduction via Line of Balance. IGLC34. https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0217

 

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