Causes of delays on construction projects: a comprehensive list

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serdar Durdyev ◽  
M. Reza Hosseini
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Site Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Control Factors ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Poor Site ◽  
Causes Of Delays ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of studies on CPD published between 1985 and 2018. Design/methodology/approach Before identifying common CPD, research trends were examined in terms of the number of publications in selected journals, as well as the contributions made by countries, institutions and researchers. Findings The findings reveal that researchers from developing countries have contributed the most to identifying the causes of CPD. A total of 149 causes of CPD were identified in a thorough review of 97 selected studies. Weather/climate conditions, poor communication, lack of coordination and conflicts between stakeholders, ineffective or improper planning, material shortages, financial problems, payment delays, equipment/plant shortage, lack of experience/qualification/competence among project stakeholders, labour shortages and poor site management were identified as the ten most common CPDs. Originality/value Being the first study of its type, this study provides insight into the research output related to this area and identifies a common set of CPDs, which may provide a better understanding of the key areas requiring attention where steps should be taken to minimise or control factors causing delays in construction projects.

Review of construction journals on causes of project cost overruns

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Serdar Durdyev
Keyword(s):  
Financial Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Project Cost ◽  
Cost Overruns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Control Factors ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Number Of Citations

PurposeThe study investigates the causes of project cost overruns (COs) that have been reported in the construction-management-related articles since 1985.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the aim and provide recommendations to avoid project COs, 48 selected journal articles were reviewed and assessed with regard to the countries, institutions and researchers that have contributed to the subject.FindingsThe review of the articles shows that the subject has attracted a considerable attention from the researchers worldwide. However, the problem mainly occurred in developing countries and the researchers drew the attention on the resource-related, economic/financial as well as political problems. While 79 causes of COs were identified, the top ten causes of project COs, which have received the highest number of citations by the reviewed articles, were presented and discussed. These causes are: design problems and incomplete design, inaccurate estimation, poor planning, weather, poor communication, stakeholder's skill, experience and competence, financial problems/poor financial management, price fluctuations, contract management issues and ground/soil conditions.Research limitations/implicationsThe study findings have several implications, which are not only for the academic world, but also for the construction front line. For scholars, the study provides a list of project COs that the researchers in the area could benefit for their future studies. The industry practitioners could find ways to improve project cost performance by giving attention to the causative factors that are significantly affecting construction projects and investing their resources and efforts towards the most occurred ones.Originality/valueThus, this study provides insight into the research output on the subject and a checklist of COs, which is believed to provide a better understanding of significant areas requiring attention where steps should be taken to minimize or control factors causing COs in construction projects.

scholarly journals Major Causes Assessment of Construction Delays

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-186
Author(s):  
Abdullahi Ahmed Umar ◽  
Rashid Khalfan Al Rizeiqi ◽  
Atef Badr
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Commodity Prices ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Site Management ◽  
Planning And Scheduling ◽  
Independent Events ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
Poor Site ◽  
Causes Of Delays ◽  
Country Specific

AbstractDelays on construction projects constitute a major source of concern due to its associated cost increases and loss of revenue. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), of which Oman is a member, faces huge delays on their projects. Such delays in the GCC were among factors fingered in the collapse of the UK’s Carillion. Despite cultural similarities, substantial variability exists within the GCC construction sector which requires country-specific studies. The quest to understand delay causes results from the need to curtail wastes and adjust to the new regime of low commodity prices. There is a dearth of studies specific to the governorate of Muscat exploring the causes of delays and this study seeks to fill that gap. A structured survey questionnaire was administered at two independent events organized by the RICS and ICE in Muscat. The top causes of delays ranked using the Relative Importance Index (RII) include variation and changes in design, Poor site management and supervision, ineffective planning and scheduling, unclear and inadequate details in drawing, poor qualification of the contractors and technical staff, delay in material delivery, and shortage of labor. Contractors were found to be most likely to cause delays among the 6 categories of sources.

scholarly journals DELAY AND COST INCREASE IN LARGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OF IRAQ

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-61
Author(s):  
Zaynab Nadzhi Shakir
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Site Management ◽  
Industrial Construction ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Financial Difficulties ◽  
Design Changes ◽  
Poor Site ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Causes Of Delays

the planned cost and duration of the project are two criteria for a successful project and successful project management. In Iraq, construction projects regularly faced delays and cost increases. The purpose of this study is to identify and rank the causes of delays and cost increases, in terms of their degree of occurrence, severity and importance. Objectives of the study: the study of the reasons leading to excess cost and duration Research technique: a questionnaire was used to identify the causes of this situation. The questionnaire was compiled through a survey of 57 Iraqi construction experts. Twenty reasons for delays and cost increases corresponding to the construction and industrial construction projects were identified and ranked in terms of importance. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS packages. Conclusions: The results showed that the main factors affecting the cost and duration of the project are: financial difficulties of the owner (77.61%), poor site management (77.1%), financial difficulties of the contractor (70.0%), poor assistance in project management (76.9%), design changes (76.7%). Spearman's correlation tests showed that there were no differences in views between the three main participants in the project. These results may encourage practitioners to focus on the problem of delay and the increase in value that may exist in their current or future projects.

Causes of delays in construction industry and comparative delay analysis techniques with SCL protocol

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parvaneh Shahsavand ◽  
Akbar Marefat ◽  
Majid Parchamijalal
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Delay Analysis ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Project Schedule ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Construction Law ◽  
Delay Claims ◽  
Causes Of Delays

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the main causes of delays in the projects are from the client (relative importance index (RII)=0.716), labor and equipment (RII=0.701) and contractor (RII=0.698). Hence determining the contractual responsibility of delay is the most likely source of dispute in construction projects and many techniques have been used in the courts to demonstrate the criticalities of a delay event on the project schedule. Therefore, authors try to investigate all process-based techniques of delay claims and evaluated and conformed them with principles by Society of Construction Law (SCL) protocol and Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International (AACEI) in order to choose the best techniques based on the specific circumstances of each project. Design/methodology/approach This section is divided into two distinct parts: refers to the methods used to assess the perceptions of clients, consultants, and contractors on the relative importance of causes of delay in construction industry; and refers to advantages and disadvantages of various techniques used to analyze delays and their conform with SCL protocol. A questionnaire was developed to assess the perceptions of clients, consultants, and contractors on the relative importance of causes of delay in Iranian construction industry. The respondents were asked to indicate their response category on 78 well-recognized construction delay factors identified by authors. Findings In total, 78 causes of delay were identified through research. The identified causes are combined into seven groups. The field survey included 58 contractors, 55 consultants, and 62 client. Data collected were analyzed by RII and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The authors identified main causes of delay and ten most important causes, according to Table AII, from the perspective of three major groups of participants (clients, consultants and contractors). The ranking of categories of causes of delay, according to Table I, were: client-related causes (RII=0.716); labor and equipment category causes (RII=0.701); contractor-related causes (RII=0.698); material-related causes (RII=0.690); design-related causes (RII=0.666); external causes (RII=0.662); and consultant-related causes (RII=0.662). But according to the discussions and given that determining the contractual responsibility of delay is the most likely source of dispute in construction industry and many techniques have been used in the courts to demonstrate the criticalities of a delay event on the project schedule. Originality/value All process-based techniques of delay analysis have been present in this paper and categorized in 11 groups. In order to understand the advantages and disadvantages of them by clients, contractor and consultant, a thorough review conducted to reveal the nature of techniques. In the next step, given that selecting the most appropriate technique based on constraints and specific conditions of each project is one of the most important steps to carry out a successful delay analysis. The authors conformed, all process-based techniques of delay analysis, by SCL protocol and AACEI principles. Finally, the result of this match was brought in order to choose the best technique based on the specific circumstances of each project.

Underlying causes and mitigation measures of delays in construction projects

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amílcar Arantes ◽  
Luís Miguel D.F. Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
Causes Of Delays

Purpose The purpose of this study is to contribute to the theory and practice of project management in the construction industry by identifying the primary causes and extracting the underlying causes of construction delays and providing recommendations on delay mitigation measures. Design/methodology/approach AA survey was used to identify the importance of 47 causes of delays. The relative importance index was used to rank them, factor analysis was applied to extract the underlying causes and focus group interviews were used for discussion and development of mitigation measures. Findings Six of the ten most important causes are in the top ten universal delays in construction projects. Factor analysis revealed six underlying causes: improper planning, poor consultant performance, inefficient site management, owner influence, bureaucracy and sub-standard contracts. Practical implications The owner/sponsor/client must have adequate engineering and project management skills to be able to evaluate proposals and contractors more accurately, economically and technically. The bidding and contract award process should focus on the most economically advantageous proposal and contracts should provide for mechanisms for managing risks while executing projects. Contractors should select reliable, high-quality subcontractors and suppliers and should have competent site managers. Originality/value This work expands and improves the understanding of the causes of delays in construction projects by providing an empirical study of the causes of delays and respective mitigation measures in Portugal.

scholarly journals Causes of construction delay from contractors and suppliers in Thailand's oil and gas platform projects

2018 ◽  
Vol 192 ◽  
pp. 02008
Author(s):  
Pittayaporn Gomarn ◽  
Jakrapong Pongpeng
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Site Management ◽  
Planning And Scheduling ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Communication And Coordination ◽  
Poor Site ◽  
Procurement System ◽  
Price Escalation

Construction project delays caused by contractors and suppliers are the top problems in Thailand's oil and gas industries. Recognizing this importance and their relationships between factors can help reduce the risk of delays in construction projects. Therefore, this study set out to confirm factors and inspect relationships between delay factors of contractors and suppliers. A 16 item questionnaire survey was distributed to 134 managers, engineers, and supervisors in oil and gas platform construction projects in Thailand. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed by the use of Amos Version 20 software program. The analysis results showed that delays caused by the contractors and suppliers had high relationships, due to high regression weighs. The delays caused by the contractors included seven factors which included poor site management and supervision (17%), lack of safety rules and regulations (16%), poor communication and coordination with others (15%), poor procurement system management (15%), defective components and mistakes during construction (14%), supplier payments lateness (13%), and poor planning and scheduling (10%). The delays caused by the suppliers included six factors which included the supply of unqualified and unskilled personnel (22%), supply of low efficiency equipment (20%), late delivery of materials and equipment (20%), supply of low quality materials (16%), late supply of workers (16%), and price escalation (5%).

In vogue: demand for scholarly publications among academic librarians

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 449-461
Author(s):  
Nana Tuhufo Quagraine ◽  
Baffour Ohene Agyekum
Keyword(s):  
Research Output ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Rejection Rate ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Scholarly Publications ◽  
Academic Publications ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
High Rejection Rate

Purpose The lack of a country-wide data on the extent to which academic librarians in Ghana publish combined with perceived publishing challenges as indicated by a number of scholars including Opoku (2012) leaves much to be desired. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to seek the views of professional librarians in Ghana on the subject. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample size of 45 out of 50 academic librarians who make up the membership of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries, the study employed the descriptive survey research strategy in identifying the prospects and challenges associated with academic publications among librarians in Ghana. Findings Opportunities for growth, institutional encouragement, requirements for promotion, and opportunities for research training are some of the factors that motivated academic librarians to publish in scholarly journals notwithstanding the pressures to perform their professional duties. Challenges often encountered included lack of research grants, high rejection rate of publishing agencies, lack of research skills and difficulty in getting access to research journals. Practical implications On the basis of the above, the establishment of research fund and an award scheme for persons or units with the highest number of publications among others are recommended. Originality/value With the exception of cited works, all other forms of this research output are the handiwork of the researchers and have neither been a reproduction of existing research nor ever published in any other journal.

Bridging the gap: bringing BIM to construction workers

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 751-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ketil Bråthen ◽  
Anita Moum
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
3D Visualization ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The majority of research on the implementation and use of Building Information Models (BIM) have focused on building design and pre-construction planning. There is only limited research on the usage of BIM in the construction phase, especially by site workers. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the use of BIM by site workers through so-called “BIM-kiosks”. The kiosks allow workers to access BIM models on-site. The aim of this paper is to take a closer look on the introduction of BIM-kiosks and scrutinize how and for what purpose site workers use the kiosks. Design/methodology/approach This is a single case study of an ongoing real-world construction project. The case study is based on qualitative data which stems from observational studies, interviews as well as document studies. Findings Site workers find opportunities for 3D visualization useful and the BIM models are appraised for efficiently handling complex elements. The findings also indicate that the use of BIM-kiosks lead to a greater level of face-to-face collaboration between workers on-site. This may happen because workers meet, both planned and randomly, to discuss in front of the kiosks while using it for visualization. Research limitations/implications The research is limited to a single case. However, some of the recommendations may be relevant to other projects. In addition, the findings demonstrate some of the potential of using BIM on-site in upcoming construction projects. Originality/value Only a few studies have addressed the use of BIM among site workers. Thus, the findings provide practitioners and researchers insight into how current practices may be improved, as well as areas where more research is needed.

scholarly journals Contributing Factors of Time Overrun in Public Sector Construction Projects

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 3369-3372 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Akhund ◽  
H. U. Imad ◽  
N. A. Memon ◽  
F. Siddiqui ◽  
A. R. Khoso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Site Management ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Planning And Scheduling ◽  
Managerial Skills ◽  
Financial Difficulties ◽  
Design Changes ◽  
Poor Site

Time overrun is a major issue in construction projects. Its causes vary, depending upon the nature and size of the project. Developing countries are more susceptible to this problem due to limited resources and lack of managerial skills. This paper focuses on the identification and classification of time overrun factors in public sector projects in Pakistan. Data was collected by the use of a questionnaire given to different professionals in the construction field. Average index (AI) was used to determine each factor’s relative importance. Results indicate that financial difficulties faced by constructor, inadequate planning and scheduling, financial difficulties faced by client, delays in payment by the client, delays in decision making by the client, design mistakes, frequent design changes, material shortage, incompetent sub-constructor assigned by the constructor, poor site management and supervision and inadequate constructor’s experience are the most significant factors of time overrun in public sector construction projects in Pakistan. This study aims to be useful in addressing the issue of time overrun in the construction industry.

scholarly journals Critical Factors Causing Material Wastes in Building Construction Projects

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Shitaw Tafesse ◽  
◽  
Tamene Adugna ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Site Management ◽  
Critical Factors ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Waste Minimisation ◽  
Poor Site

Construction sites generate a large amount of material wastes and have become a common problem with associated risks in Ethiopia. However, the sources of such wastes are not well recognised. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to analyse the risk factors that contribute to material wastes in building construction projects. To achieve this goal, the factors that cause construction wastes were identified from literature and construction experts via focus group discussions and personal interviews. Following this, the factors were subjected to a questionnaire survey to identify the most critical factors of construction wastes. The questionnaire was distributed purposively to 85 construction experts representing contractors, consultants, and clients and 70 questionnaires were duly received for analysis. The data were analysed with a mean score and ranked to identify the most critical factors generating material wastes at construction sites. According to the results of the study frequent changes made to the design, poor strategies for waste minimisation, improper storage of material, poor site management, poor planning and supervision, and errors of contract document were the most critical factors causing construction wastes.

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