scholarly journals Exploring the Causes of Design Changes in Building Construction Projects: An Interpretive Structural Modeling Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 9578
Author(s):  
Shahab Shoar ◽  
Nicholas Chileshe

The purpose of this study is to investigate the mutual interactions between the causes of design changes using Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and to classify the causes using the “Matrice d’Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement” MICMAC technique. This study further identifies and proposes strategies to mitigate design change occurrence and map them onto the identified connections between the causes. To achieve these goals, critical causes of design changes were identified through a comprehensive literature review; 23 key causes were then refined according to the opinions of relevant experts involved in the Iranian building construction sector. Stakeholders associated with each cause and the management areas from which causes arise were also considered. The factors “Unfamiliarity with new construction methods”, “Design errors”, “Value engineering”, “Scope uncertainty”, “Change orders”, and “Constructability ignored in the design phase”, which are highly influenced by other factors, emerged at the highest level of the ISM diagram, and “Clients’ attitudes and experience” as the main root cause of design changes at the bottom of the diagram. The MICMAC technique results showed that consultant-related causes significantly influence other causes, and policy and client-related causes have a feedback effect on the whole system. The findings of this study provide a better insight into how various causes of design changes are connected to one another and can ultimately assist project managers of different parties, even in other countries, to choose influential strategies to mitigate design changes in building construction projects.

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 1349
Author(s):  
Hendy Eka Putra ◽  
Hendrik Sulistio

The implementation of the construction project caused miscommunication, this made the contract became a reference during implementation. In the implementation of construction projects, there are often changes that not according to contract, for example: work volume changes, specifications changes, type or method of work changes, schedules changes , design changes, and others. These changes are commonly known as change orders. There are several things that cause a change order, for example: incompletable contract, design does not fit in the field, unsupportive weather, and others. This research is to determine the effect of change order in the aspects of cost, quality, and time in multi-storey building construction projects. Researchers used data from the responses of respondents consisting of contractors, consultants, and owners. The questionnaire made proposes several aspects of change orders and their effects on cost, quality, and time. Analysis of research data was carried out with the help of the SmartPLS 3.0 application program. The influence of change orders on costs is the lack of costs due to the addition of work items, while on quality is the quality decrease due to additional work volume, and on time is the delay in project completion due to changes in completed work.ABSTRAKPelaksanaan proyek konstruksi menyebabkan terjadi perbedaan pendapat yang disebabkan oleh pihak yang terlibat, hal ini membuat kontrak menjadi sangat penting dan menjadi acuan selama pelaksanaan. Pada pelaksanaan proyek konstruksi sering terjadi perubahan-perubahan yang akhirnya tidak sesuai dengan kontrak sebelumnya contohnya seperti: perubahan volume pekerjaan, perubahan spesifikasi, perubahan jenis atau metode pekerjaan, perubahan jadwal, perubahan design, dan lain-lain. Perubahan ini umum sekali terjadi dalam proyek konstruksi dan lebih sering dikenal sebagai change order.  Ada beberapa hal yang menyebabkan perlunya dilakukan change order, misalnya: kontrak yang dibuat tidak lengkap, design yang ada tidak sesuai dengan kondisi lapangan, cuaca yang tidak mendukung, dan lain-lain. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui besar pengaruh change order dalam aspek biaya, mutu, dan waktu dalam proyek konstruksi gedung bertingkat. Peneliti menggunakan data dari hasil tanggapan responden yang terdiri dari kontraktor, konsultan, dan pemilik. Kuesioner yang dibuat mengajukan beberapa aspek mengenai change order serta pengaruhnya terhadap biaya, mutu, dan waktu. Analisis data penelitian dilakukan dengan bantuan program aplikasi SmartPLS 3.0. Pengaruh change order terhadap biaya adalah kurangnya biaya akibat penambahan item pekerjaan, sedangkan terhadap mutu adalah menurunnya kualitas bangunan akibat penambahan volume pekerjaan, dan terhadap waktu adalah terjadinya keterlambatan penyelesaian proyek akibat perubahan pekerjaan yang telah selesai.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahab Shoar ◽  
Tak Wing Yiu ◽  
Shamsi Payan ◽  
Majid Parchamijalal

PurposeAlthough several studies have been conducted on the causes of cost overrun, they have mainly assumed that the causes of cost overrun are independent of each other, and few of them scrutinized the complex interrelationships between the causes. To fill the gap, this study aims to investigate the mutual interactions between the causes of cost overrun using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and proposing strategies to tackle the causes considering their interactions.Design/methodology/approachCritical causes of cost overrun were identified through a comprehensive literature review. In total, 22 key causes are then refined based on the opinions of relevant experts involved in the Iranian building and construction sector. Using the nominal group technique, the causes' interactions were examined and represented via the ISM diagram. The causes were also classified using “matrix cross-reference multiplication applied to a classification (MICMAC)” technique.FindingsThe results showed that price fluctuation, claims, execution delay, delay in payment and change order positioned at the highest level of the obtained model can directly result in cost overrun, and corruption and poor contract management located at the base of the model are two major root causes of cost overruns. It was also concluded that more attention should be paid to the precontract phase of the project to address and prevent corruption and managerial issues deeply rooted in this stage.Originality/valueThe findings of this study provide a clear understanding of how different causes of cost overrun are related to each other and can ultimately assist project managers of different parties in choosing strategies to mitigate cost overrun in building construction projects.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 650-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youcef J.-T. Zidane ◽  
Bjorn Andersen

Purpose Projects often face delays and unnecessary use of time due to various factors and reasons, and hence suffer from unfavourable consequences. The purpose of this paper is to identify the universal delay factors from an intensive literature review, complemented by delay factors in major Norwegian construction projects based on empirical data. Design/methodology/approach The study in which this paper is based includes an intensive literature review, and semi-quantitative open survey questionnaires. This paper addresses frequency and type of delay factors in construction projects, in Norway based on the survey, and worldwide based on the previous studies. Findings From the study, the causes of delays facing the Norwegian construction industry are: poor planning and scheduling; slow/poor decision-making process; internal administrative procedures and bureaucracy within project organisations; resources shortage (human resources, machinery, equipment); poor communication and coordination between parties; slow quality inspection process of the completed work; design changes during construction/change orders; sponsor/owner/client lack of commitment and/or clear demands (goals and objectives); late/slow/incomplete/improper design; office issues; and users’ issues. And the top 10 universal delay factors are: design changes during construction/change orders; delays in payment of contractor(s); poor planning and scheduling; poor site management and supervision; incomplete or improper design; inadequate contractor experience/building methods and approaches; contractor’s financial difficulties; sponsor/owner/client’s financial difficulties; resources shortage (human resources, machinery, equipment); and poor labour productivity and shortage of skills. Research limitations/implications When it comes to the identification of delay factors in major Norwegian projects, the research is based on a sample of 202 respondents from an open survey questionnaire. It should be noted that analysing a large population of respondents that have been asked open questions can be challenging due to the vague findings it might lead to. Also, when it comes to the identification of the universal delay factors, there were different methods used by different authors, within different context. Similar future studies in Norway based on qualitative and quantitative methods will give better verification for the findings. Practical implications This paper has documented the critical delay factors/causes in Norway. The results of this study will help project managers, in Norway and elsewhere, to be aware and know about the potential causes of delay in their construction projects, which will help to identify the possible risks in the early phases of the project. Another practical implication is to make project managers and policy makers conscious that delays are quite universal, making it necessary to identify them as a first step. Social implications The identification of delays factors and causes can permit projects to implement mitigation actions to avoid delays, thus allowing delivering schools, hospitals and other necessary infrastructure on schedule or ahead of schedule to society. Originality/value This paper highlights most (almost all) of the studies in the literature, including to the study done in Norway, concerning the delay factors in construction projects and large construction projects in general. This wide review of relevant literature will save time other academicians from having to conduct similar studies. This study will assist both academic and professional experts providing more insight about the delay causes in large-scale construction projects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 26-32
Author(s):  
Sarah Abdul Aziz Mohamed ◽  
Osama Mohamed Ahmed Adam

The research aimed to find out and analyze the main causes of delay in construction projects. Just as so how most things are; an unforeseen delay on a construction site is inevitable. The research was designed to identify the possible causes of delay at construction projects from the literature review and previous studies which there are over than thirty causes of delay were displayed, then these causes tested by the analyzing the data and information that were collected from clients, consultants and contractors, researcher conduct site visits to interpretation the causes of delay that emerged during the implementation of the project. The analysis of correspondences letters between project parties; contractor, client, and consultant lead to characterize investigate are project finance, design changes, fluctuation of prices and incomplete design. The research defines who is responsible and type of delay in addition to the discussion of effects, risks, and mitigating of delay. Finally the research concluded with Recommendations such as security funding for the project at the project preparation stage, the contractors should be classified according to the experience which commensurate with the size of the project, The application of value engineering to avoid in complete design problems , it’s also strongly recommended future researchers to focus on building construction projects in other parts of the country since this was limited only to the capital city Khartoum through the case study.  


Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 640
Author(s):  
Temitope Egbelakin ◽  
Olabode Emmanuel Ogunmakinde ◽  
Billie Teshich ◽  
Temitope Omotayo

Fast-track construction projects are becoming increasingly prevalent in the construction industry, particularly where completion time is essential. A high adoption rate in some of the United Arab Emirate countries and the lack of a conceptual understanding of the challenges inherent in such may jeopardize the future sustainability of the construction sector. To make an informed decision about adopting a fast-track construction method, it is necessary to first identify the opportunities and challenges associated with it. Therefore, this study examines the critical challenges impeding the performance of Qatar’s fast-track construction projects. The research findings were analysed and triangulated using a real-life project as a case study and several data sources. The results of the research identified four critical categories of barriers: design and coordination-related, scope or change orders-related, material and equipment-related, and contractual-related barriers. In addition, strategies such as accurate information, constructability assessment, early involvement of operations and maintenance personnel, and the use of an effective change control system were identified for addressing the identified challenges. The findings are beneficial to professionals who are currently operating or planning to undertake construction projects in Qatar or other United Arab Emirate countries. This study recommends that project managers be more attentive to key barriers in order to improve the performance of fast-track projects and to meet clients’ objectives.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 4001-4007
Author(s):  
Dorcas Omolola Adeagbo ◽  
◽  
Sani Mohammed ◽  
Sani Abdulkadir ◽  
◽  
...  

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 618
Author(s):  
Taylan Terzioglu ◽  
Gul Polat ◽  
Harun Turkoglu

The formwork system (FWS) in reinforced concrete (RC) construction is a critical component. The appropriate FWS is selected based on a number of conflicting and compromising criteria, and the selection of the FWS is carried out by construction professionals with different technical and/or administrative backgrounds. The perspectives and perceptions of construction professionals and companies involved in the FWS selection process may vary depending on their motives. In addition, some building structural parameters may have a significant impact on the FWS selection criteria. Most of the former studies investigated the FWS selection criteria from only the perspective of contractors and neglected the potential differences in the perspectives and perceptions of different construction professionals (i.e., owners (CO), project managers (PM), construction managers (CM), site engineers (SE), planning engineers (PL), procurement engineers (PR), technical office engineers (TO), and formwork design and/or formwork sales engineers (FD/FSL)) and companies specialized in different fields (i.e., project management service (PMS), engineering and design (ENG/DSG), formwork and scaffolding (FW/SCF), and general and/or sub-contractor (GC/SC)) regarding this issue. Moreover, the impact of building structural parameters on the FWS selection criteria has not been investigated. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap through analysing the FWS selection criteria for building construction projects while comparing the perspectives and perceptions of different groups of construction professionals and companies and investigating how FWS selection criteria are affected by the building structural parameters. Based on a comprehensive literature review, 35 FWS selection criteria were identified and a questionnaire was developed. The questionnaire data obtained from 222 Turkish construction professionals were statistically analysed using mean score analysis, the Kruskal–Wallis test, and the Mann–Whitney U test. According to the study’s findings, the FD/FSL group presented significant statistical differences regarding the FWS selection criteria as compared to the CO, PM/CM/SE, and PL/PR/TO groups. Moreover, the total area of building construction and total building height significantly affected the FWS selection criteria. This study serves to underscore the perspectives of various groups of construction professionals and the critical connection between the structural parameters and FWS selection criteria. The findings of this study may guide construction professionals to select the appropriate FWS for their building construction projects.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Ghazi Gharaibeh ◽  
Sandra T. Matarneh ◽  
Mazen Arafeh ◽  
Ghaleb Sweis

PurposeThe problem of design changes in the construction industry is common worldwide, and the Jordanian market is no exception. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors causing design changes in construction projects in Jordan in both the public and private sectors. Furthermore, this research will examine the effect of these factors on project's performance during the construction phase.Design/methodology/approachThis research commences by identifying the factors causing design changes in construction projects worldwide through an intensive literature review. The identified factors were then filtered to those applicable to the Jordanian construction market based on the results obtained from a questionnaire survey and real case construction projects. In total, 252 professionals from the Jordanian construction industry and 10 completed and/or ongoing construction projects in different parts of Jordan were compared.FindingsThe results find that the top major factors affecting design changes are owner's requirements; design errors and omissions and value engineering. The research also studies and documents the impacts of design changes on project cost, schedule and quality.Originality/valueThe results obtained from this research will assist the construction professionals representing owners, consultants and contractors in applying control measures to minimize the occurrence of the identified factors causing design changes and to mitigate their sever impacts on projects in terms of cost, schedule and quality.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharareh Kermanshachi ◽  
Behzad Rouhanizadeh ◽  
Paul Govan

Purpose The inevitable change orders in construction projects have either direct or indirect impacts on a project’s duration. Reduced productivity is one of the indirect consequences that lead to major delays in the completion of the project. The purpose of this study is to develop a model that could quantify the impact of change orders on labor productivity and result in the establishment of policies to lessen their effects. Design/methodology/approach A model was developed to analyze the effects of change orders on labor productivity, then policies for managing their impacts on productivity and project duration were established. A water treatment case study was selected to serve as the scenario in which to implement and evaluate the model and policies. Findings The results of this study indicated that pressure to adhere to a schedule initially leads to an increase in labor productivity, but it is often followed by a significant drop that is a result of employee frustration. It was concluded that the pressure can be positive if it is applied for a short period of time; however, it continues for a significant length of time, the duration of the project will increase appreciably. Originality/value The proposed model can be implemented to identify the factors that affect labor productivity in a construction project. Its utilization will also help project managers assess when change orders occur and determine, which policies will be most effective in optimizing labor productivity.


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