Submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the Degree of Magister Technologiae: Civil Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Infrastructure project costs are being scrutinised more closely and with greater skill and accuracy as projects have become larger, more complex and more expensive, and clients have become more exacting in their requirements. These and other factors compel engineers to design with greater care and in more detail. However, public planners spend very little time generating alternative project options, often presenting decision-makers with only a few poorly differentiated alternatives borrowed ad hoc from other projects. Even more disturbing is that they often devote the greatest amount of decision making resources to the development of a single decision rather than a variety of options. A systematic and iterative analysis of the cost consequences of different design solutions is commonly suggested for infrastructure projects, but rarely happens. There is a growing need to integrate design and costs. This study concentrates on the issue of cost optimisation of infrastructure projects (particularly at the design stage of the project) and applies construction economics, cost planning, cost optimisation and value engineering techniques to the design of such projects. The methodology proposed in this study for the optimisation of cost and design planning is the Infrastructure Cost Planning Model. This model divides the planning of a project into four stages and utilises twelve Cost Report Forms across these stages. The Cost Report Forms define in a comprehensive, precise and verifiable manner the essential characteristics of a deliverable component. They are used to measure, quantify, verify and audit the different design options. By means of the Cost Report Forms, the Infrastructure Cost Planning Model enables the client to select a combination of alternatives and evaluate a number of possible design options – with their cost implications – at each stage of the design process. This i promotes transparency and accountability, and enables consultants and clients to have greater control over the planning process and overall costs. Two case studies on infrastructure related projects were conducted and confirm that the Infrastructure Cost Planning Model can reduce costs. This study demonstrates that it is possible to overcome the problem of over expenditure by introducing cost effective design decisions prior to the infrastructure design approval process. The Infrastructure Cost Planning Model can improve infrastructure standards and procure design in a cost effective, equitable, competitive and transparent manner. This study contributes to the underdeveloped area of cost planning and forecasting of infrastructure projects. The findings are relevant to the South African government's infrastructure service delivery programme and the general issue of affordable infrastructure services.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The construction project environment is dynamic and prone to change. Project change can be defined as any event that alters a project’s original scope, execution time or the cost of the works. Improper management of the projects’ changes could therefore adversely impact on the actual cost and duration of the project which may lead to project cost overruns and even claims and legal disputes. During the construction phase of a project, change affects every aspect of productivity – the planned schedules and deadlines, work methodology, resource procurement, as well as the budget and thus it could prevent the achievement of the project objectives. A project manager, therefore, wants to limit the number of change to a project. However, during a construction project there may be quite a number of changes. Managing a construction project is difficult, in that all the relevant information is rarely available at the initial stage of a project to enable one to plan and design the project accurately and make the best possible decisions. As information becomes available during the construction phase of the project, it can lead to various changes. Design errors or variations, unforeseen site conditions and vagueness in the original scope are but some of the reasons for change. No matter the size of the change, each alteration to the works has a cost, time and risk implication. Due to tight time constraints on most projects, every change requires quick, robust decision making, so as not to delay the project, which therefore results in changes not being comprehensively evaluated. Decisions are often made on intuition or experience, without an assessment of the risks involved or the influence on the cost of the project and without applying well-known project management techniques. The aim of this research was to determine what a change management process for a civil engineering project should look like, specifically the cost and risk management of changes. It investigated the current state of change management of construction projects in practice, by doing a case study and various interviews with project managers. Based on the findings of the research and the industry requirements, a model was developed for managing the costs and risks of changes. The Model was validated by means of an expert evaluation review. The change management model developed as part of this thesis can be used to analyse the cost, time and quality impact of the change, and to do a detailed risk assessment. The Model also reviews the proposed change in order to determine whether the change is necessary. It is a generic tool that can be used by engineers and their project team to enhance the management of changes that happens during the construction phase of a project for any civil construction project. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konstruksie omgewing is dinamies en geneig tot verandering. Projek verandering kan gedefinieer word as enige gebeurtenis wat die projek se aanvanklike omvang verander of lei to verlenging van die tydsduur of vermeerdering van die koste van die projek. Wanbestuur van projek veranderinge kan ‘n nadelige impak op die projek kostes en tydsduur hê wat kan lei tot oorskryding van die begroting en selfs eise en regsdispute. Verandering kan elke aspek van produktiwiteit tydens die konstruksie fase van ‘n projek affekteer. Dit affekteer die beplande skedules, spertye, werk metodologie, hulpbron bestuur, asook die begroting. Dus kan dit verhoed dat die projek doelwitte bereik word. ‘n Projek bestuurder wil daarom die hoeveelheid en omvang van veranderinge beperk. ‘n Konstruksie projek kan egter heelwat veranderinge ondergaan. Om ‘n konstruksie projek te bestuur is moeilik aangesien al die relevante informasie selde beskikbaar is tydens die begin fases van ‘n projek wat nodig is om die beplanning en ontwerp van die projek so akuraat moontlik te doen en die regte besluite te neem. Soos informasie beskikbaar raak tydens die konstruksie fase van die projek, lei dit dikwels to verskeie veranderinge. Ontwerp foute of variasies, onvoorsiene terrein toestande en onduidelikheid oor die projek omvang is van die redes vir veranderinge. Ongeag die grootte van die verandering het elke wysiging tot die projek ‘n koste, tyd en riskiko implikasie. As gevolge van tydsbeperkinge vereis elke verandering vinnige en kragtige besluitneming om sodoende nie die projek te vertraag nie. Dit lei daartoe dat veranderinge nie omvattend geëvalueer word nie. Besluite word dikwels geneem op intuïsie of ervaring, sonder 'n beoordeling van die risiko's wat betrokke is of die bepaling van die invloed op die koste van die projek, en sonder die toepassing van erkende projek bestuur tegnieke. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om vas te stel hoe 'n verandering bestuur proses moet lyk vir ‘n siviele ingenieurswese projek, spesifiek die koste en risiko bestuur van die verandering. Die huidige stand van verandering bestuur van konstruksie projekte in die praktyk is ondersoek deur middel van 'n gevallestudie en verskeie onderhoude met die projek bestuurders. 'n Model is ontwikkel vir die bestuur van die koste en risiko's van veranderinge gebaseer op die bevindinge van die navorsing en ook die vereistes van die bedryf. Die model is getoets met behulp van evaluering deur professionele ingenieurs. Die verandering bestuur model wat ontwikkel is as deel van hierdie proefskrif kan gebruik word om die koste, tyd en kwaliteit impak van ‘n verandering te analiseer, asook om 'n omvattende risiko assessering te doen. Die model hersien ook die voorgestelde verandering om te bepaal of die verandering nodig is. Dit is 'n generiese hulpmiddel wat deur ingenieurs en hul projek span gebruik kan word vir die bestuur van die veranderinge wat tydens die konstruksie fase van siviele projekte plaasvind.

Submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Technology in Construction Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / On-time completion and conformity with assigned cost of every project are the most important factors in the success of project plans. Cost overruns and time overrun (delays) have been critical problems of many projects around the world in general and in South Africa in particular. The main objectives of this research are to assess the dominant causes of cost and time overruns, identifying possible and practical measures that can minimize overruns in office building construction projects around eThekwini Municipal area of Kwazulu-Natal. These objectives are achieved through the implementation of the research methodologies that are mainly literature review and questionnaire survey conducted to identify and evaluate the significant factors contributing to delay and cost overruns within the projects of interest. A review of literature identified eighty-five variables for delay, grouped in nine major categories and nine variables for cost overruns ranked in their order of importance in three sets based on the responses from the professionals working for the client, consultants and contractors. The agreement among the sets of rankings for delay and cost overruns has also been tested using statistical methods. The result indicates that there is strong agreement on ranking the importance of the individual variables of delay and cost overruns between parties. From each of the three sets of rankings, the twenty most important variables of delay and the three most important variables of cost overrun are identified as critical. Based on overall results, the top five most important causes are contractor’s cash flow problems, delay in progress payments by the client, poor site supervision and management by contractor, inefficient quality control by the contractor during construction leading to rework due to errors, and contractor’s difficulties in financing the project. Out of the 20 most important delay causing variables, three are found to be common between all parties. These are delay in progress payments by the client, delay in delivery and late ordering of material, and insufficient skill of labour. Furthermore, the study reveals that all stakeholders of construction parties are deeply involved in contributing to the causes of the problems. Thus, in order to eliminate or minimize cost and time extension of office construction projects in the eThekwini Municipal area, a joint effort based on teamwork is essential through effective project planning, controlling and monitoring which boils down to putting in place best practice construction project management.

An independent industry of Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) is active on various construction sites across South Africa. It forms part of a global network of verifiers, such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and EIA follow-up verifiers. This network authenticates statements about and the implementation of sustainability commitments made during the planning phase of major construction projects. International studies show that the construction industry is experiencing many challenges to deliver sustainability commitments, including inadequate collaboration between role players, illdefined roles and responsibilities, and insufficient use of environmental governance approaches. On-site verifiers like ECOs may aid in restraining these challenges by bridging ineffective governance approaches, such as classic EIA with new governance approaches, for instance self-responsibility (e.g. Environmental Management Systems (EMSs)) and involvement of third parties. Moreover, an “independent from all” verification function may be vital in developing countries such as South Africa, where trust between the government, market and public is particularly fragile due to historical injustices. Interestingly, limited learning has been drawn and shared from this function’s real-world experience. There are also differing views on the role, independence and value of ECOs, due to roles, frequent interaction with persons responsible for delivering sustainability commitments, and collaboration with third parties being ill-defined. The overarching purpose of this study is to advance understanding of independent ECOs in major South African construction projects. Three lines of inquiry are followed. The first is to define what the role is, or ideally should be, of an ECO in the South African compliance monitoring and enforcement effort. The second is to identify what factors might influence the independence of verifiers. The third is to appraise how and to what extent independent EIA follow-up verifiers add value in major construction projects in the developing country context of South Africa. This study’s research assumptions are based on the real world of ECOs and uses a mixed method research approach to draw knowledge from the industry. The strategies of inquiry include a survey, interviews, and multiple case study evaluations. The methods for data collection include literature review, a self-administered survey questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, video material, observations of practice at case studies, and the collection of project documentation. The methods used for data analysis are the categorisation and measuring of opinions and statements of survey participants, the analysis of video material and project documentation, and the nominal categorisation and ordinal scaling of case study results. Three journal articles capture the essence of the research results and form part of the thesis report, as prescribed by the North-West University’s rules for doctoral theses in article format. All three articles were peer-reviewed and published in journals aimed at international audiences. Article 1 of the thesis highlights that an industry of ECOs fulfils numerous roles at various construction sites across South Africa. The results identify the importance of ECOs functioning independently of all role-players, but warn that obsessing about independence may compromise the ability of ECOs to fulfil their roles. The results also show that industry is in need of competence and the regulation thereof, as well as support from all role players. By drawing from the research results, the thesis defines an ECO. Article 2 of the thesis reiterates that independence is central to internationally acclaimed verification fields and important to ensure the credibility of EIA. The study identifies 18 factors that might influence the independence of EIA follow-up verifiers and divides the factors into five categories: financial, commercial, professional, personal, and other. By identifying and sharing these factors, this thesis aids in anticipating and avoiding potential conflict of interest between environmental role players. Article 3 strengthens the continuum between environmental governance approaches by conceptualising a framework for appraising the value of independent EIA follow-up verifiers. The framework provides for inter-linking principles and objectives of sustainability to the performance areas of EIA, EIA follow-up and the EMS. The appraisal results indicate that independent verifiers add most value when they are involved in screening, checking compliance, influencing decisions, community engagement, and integrating environmental governance approaches. The study confirms the benefits of adaptable, proactive, experienced, and independent EIA follow-up verifiers, such as ECOs, on major South African construction projects. / PhD (Geography and Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

An independent industry of Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) is active on various construction sites across South Africa. It forms part of a global network of verifiers, such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and EIA follow-up verifiers. This network authenticates statements about and the implementation of sustainability commitments made during the planning phase of major construction projects. International studies show that the construction industry is experiencing many challenges to deliver sustainability commitments, including inadequate collaboration between role players, illdefined roles and responsibilities, and insufficient use of environmental governance approaches. On-site verifiers like ECOs may aid in restraining these challenges by bridging ineffective governance approaches, such as classic EIA with new governance approaches, for instance self-responsibility (e.g. Environmental Management Systems (EMSs)) and involvement of third parties. Moreover, an “independent from all” verification function may be vital in developing countries such as South Africa, where trust between the government, market and public is particularly fragile due to historical injustices. Interestingly, limited learning has been drawn and shared from this function’s real-world experience. There are also differing views on the role, independence and value of ECOs, due to roles, frequent interaction with persons responsible for delivering sustainability commitments, and collaboration with third parties being ill-defined. The overarching purpose of this study is to advance understanding of independent ECOs in major South African construction projects. Three lines of inquiry are followed. The first is to define what the role is, or ideally should be, of an ECO in the South African compliance monitoring and enforcement effort. The second is to identify what factors might influence the independence of verifiers. The third is to appraise how and to what extent independent EIA follow-up verifiers add value in major construction projects in the developing country context of South Africa. This study’s research assumptions are based on the real world of ECOs and uses a mixed method research approach to draw knowledge from the industry. The strategies of inquiry include a survey, interviews, and multiple case study evaluations. The methods for data collection include literature review, a self-administered survey questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, video material, observations of practice at case studies, and the collection of project documentation. The methods used for data analysis are the categorisation and measuring of opinions and statements of survey participants, the analysis of video material and project documentation, and the nominal categorisation and ordinal scaling of case study results. Three journal articles capture the essence of the research results and form part of the thesis report, as prescribed by the North-West University’s rules for doctoral theses in article format. All three articles were peer-reviewed and published in journals aimed at international audiences. Article 1 of the thesis highlights that an industry of ECOs fulfils numerous roles at various construction sites across South Africa. The results identify the importance of ECOs functioning independently of all role-players, but warn that obsessing about independence may compromise the ability of ECOs to fulfil their roles. The results also show that industry is in need of competence and the regulation thereof, as well as support from all role players. By drawing from the research results, the thesis defines an ECO. Article 2 of the thesis reiterates that independence is central to internationally acclaimed verification fields and important to ensure the credibility of EIA. The study identifies 18 factors that might influence the independence of EIA follow-up verifiers and divides the factors into five categories: financial, commercial, professional, personal, and other. By identifying and sharing these factors, this thesis aids in anticipating and avoiding potential conflict of interest between environmental role players. Article 3 strengthens the continuum between environmental governance approaches by conceptualising a framework for appraising the value of independent EIA follow-up verifiers. The framework provides for inter-linking principles and objectives of sustainability to the performance areas of EIA, EIA follow-up and the EMS. The appraisal results indicate that independent verifiers add most value when they are involved in screening, checking compliance, influencing decisions, community engagement, and integrating environmental governance approaches. The study confirms the benefits of adaptable, proactive, experienced, and independent EIA follow-up verifiers, such as ECOs, on major South African construction projects. / PhD (Geography and Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research report was conducted to critically review the methodologies and best practices prescribed by world class cost engineering experts and institutions, in order to develop a cost estimating model which organisations could use as a guideline for their cost estimates on large capital intensive projects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingsverslag is gedoen om ‘n kritiese oorsig te doen op die metodes en beste praktyke voorgeskryf deur wereldklas koste ingenieur deskundiges en instansies, om sodoende ‘n koste beramings model te ontwikkel wat gebruik kan word deur organisasies as handleiding gedurende die koste beraming van hulle kapitale intensiewe projekte.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Constructability issues cause dire repercussions in the industry and often pose as overwhelming threats to the successful delivery of projects. Constructability issues mainly arise from a design, which does not sufficiently embody the knowledge and expertise of the construction phase. Subsequently this creates a variety of negative secondary effects during project execution, which eventually manifest as time-, budget- and quality-risks to the project. The research thesis explores the status quo of constructability issues in South Africa, with specific reference to the relationship between construction and design. It is well known that close collaboration between consultants and contractors has the potential to lead to more effective construction processes, improved construction safety and to cost effective structural solutions. Not all contract forms allow sufficient collaboration between these parties at the time of conceptual design, nor at the detailed design stage. For this reason it is imperative that a designer has sufficient experience and knowledge of construction processes to produce suitably constructible designs. In principle, constructability issues can be regarded as the result of poor coherence, and thus poor communication, between construction and design. The problem therefore lies in the transfer of knowledge between project participants, which can be described as poor knowledge management, in particular, of constructability knowledge. This research aims to address the topic of constructability and to demonstrate how structural knowledge management between contractors and designers can lead to improved construction processes. The concept of constructability is defined, through the identification of technical traits to explicitly describe constructability, concurrently with input from industry expertise and professional experience in the field. Knowledge management principles are also studied in detail and the status quo of current knowledge management initiatives in the industry is investigated. The investigations are done through a series of questionnaire surveys, personal interviews and correspondences. The principle conclusions from the study are that designers do not always understand what constitutes a constructible design. Furthermore, although constructability knowledge is found to exist in complex tacit forms, some explicit guiding principles can indeed be formulated to aid designers. In addition, considering the unique characteristics of each project, these guiding principles should be supported by proposed knowledge management initiatives to facilitate structured forums of knowledge sharing between different parties to develop and transfer constructability knowledge. This will assist to accelerate the learning process towards becoming an accomplished designer, and empower the capacity of both designers and contractors to manage constructability problems. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Boubaarheidsprobleme veroorsaak ernstige gevolge in die bedryf en hou dikwels oorweldigende bedreigings in vir die suksesvolle lewering van projekte. Boubaarheidsprobleme ontstaan hoofsaaklik as gevolg van „n ontwerp wat nie genoeg kennis van die konstruksiefase behels nie. Gevolglik, word „n verskeidenheid van negatiewe sekondêre effekte geskep tydens die projek uitvoering, wat risikos uiteindelik veroorsaak in aspekte van tyd, geld en kwaliteit. Heirdie navorsing ondersoek die status quo van boubaarhiedsprobleme in Suid Afrika, met spesifieke verwysing na die verhouding tussen konstruksie en ontwerp. Dit is bekend dat geskikte samewerking tussen konsultante en kontrakteurs kan lei tot meer effektiewe bouprosesse, verbeterde bouveiligheid en goedkoper strukturele oplossings. Kontraktuele ooreenkomste laat nie altyd toe vir behoorlike samewerking tussen die partye gedurende ontwerp stadiums nie. Om hierdie rede, is dit noodsaaklik dat „n ontwerper voldoende ervaring en kennis van die konstruksie prosesse bevat, om behoorlike boubare ontwerpe te kan poduseer. In beginsel, kan boubaarheidsprobleme beskou word as „n gevolg van swak kommunikasie tussen konstruksie en ontwerp. Die problem lê dus in die oordrag van kennis tussen projek deelnemers, wat ook beskryf kan word as swak kennis-bestuur, in die geval, van boubaarheidskennis. Hierdie navorsing beoog om die onderwerp van boubaarheid aan te spreek en te demonstreer hoe strukturele kennis-bestuur tussen die kontrakteurs en ontwerpers tot verbeterde konstruksie prosesse kan lei. Die konsep van boubaarheid word gedefinieer, deur die idenfisering van tegniese eienskappe wat boubaarheid eksplisiet kan beskryf, gelyktydig met die insette van industrie kundigheid en professionele ondervinding. Kennis-bestuur beginsels word ook in diepte bestudeer en die status quo van die huidige kennis-bestuur inisiatiewe in die bedryf word ondersoek. Die ondersoeke word gedoen deur middel van vraelys opnames, persoonlike onderhoude en korrespondensies. Die algemene gevolgtrekkings uit die studie is dat ontwerpers nie altyd die implikasies van „n boubare ontwerp verstaan nie. Verder, alhoewel boubaarheidskennis bestaan in komplekse vorms in die gedagtes van konstruksie personeel, eksplsiete riglyne kan wel geformuleer word om die ontwerp prosses to steun. Aangesien projekte uniek is, moet hierdie riglyne ondersteun word deur die voorestelde kennis-bestuur inisiatiewe, om oop platforms van kennis oordrag te fasiliteer tussen verskillende partye. Dit sal help om die leer prosess te versnel en sal die kapasiteit van beide ontwerpers en kontrakteurs bemagtig, sodat hulle boubaarheidsprobleme beter te kan hanteer.

Effective management of information about client requirements in construction projects lifecycle can contribute to high construction productivity; within budget and schedule, and improve the quality of built facilities and service delivery. Traditionally, requirements management has been focused at the early stages of the construction lifecycle process where elicited client requirements information is used as the basis for design. Management of client requirements does not extend to the later phases. Client requirements often evolve and change dramatically over a facility's life. Changing client requirements is one of the principal factors that contribute to delays and budget overruns of construction projects. This results in claims, disputes and client dissatisfaction. The problems of current requirements management process also include: lack of integrated and collaborative working with requirements; lack of integrated requirements information flow between the various heterogeneous systems used in the lifecycle processes, and between the multiple stakeholders; inefficient and ineffective coordination of changes within the lifecycle processes; manual checking of dependencies between changing requirements to facilitate assessment of cost and time impact of changes. The aim of the research is to specify a better approach to requirements information management to help construction organisations reduce operational cost and time in product development and service delivery; whilst increasing performance and productivity, and realising high quality of built facilities. In order to achieve the aim and the formulated objectives, firstly, a detailed review of literature on related work was conducted. Secondly, the research designed, developed and conducted three case studies to investigate the state-of-the-art of managing client requirements information. A combination of multiple data collection methods was applied which included observations, interviews, focus group and questionnaires. Following this, the data was analysed and problems were identified; the necessity for a lifecycle approach to managing the requirements information emerged. (Continues...).

Due to the complex nature of construction projects, delay risks are more widespread in the construction sector than elsewhere. This poses a problem for the industry, since it is already at risk because of the recent global economic recession. Indeed, the financial crisis in late 2008 arrested economic development in the construction sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the result that investors’ confidence in the sector is severely depressed. In this situation, effective risk response is urgently required, since it aims to ensure that all project objectives, including avoiding delays, are met. In itself, the risk response process is a core element of risk management and perhaps the most important area needs to be improved. The aim of the research work that underpins this thesis was to develop a model for effective risk response to help in controlling delay risks. First, the strengths and weaknesses of current risk response processes have been analysed through a comprehensive critical literature review. Common causes of delay risks have been identified and various traditional measures used for their control have been critically reviewed. The greatest deficiencies in all published measures of delay risks control in construction projects are related to the lack of risk response development and appropriate measures (preventative/mitigating), within the risk management process. From the literature review it was also possible to identify the most appropriate methodology to adopt for the current research. A robust research methodology was then outlined which involved a questionnaire survey, case studies and interviews to confirm the literature review results and to achieve the research objectives. The questionnaire was piloted with nine construction professionals in the UAE for its suitability with the envisaged sample. After the pilot the questionnaire was refined then administered in 35 construction, consultancy, and contracting companies, attracting 102 usable responses. The results of the questionnaire confirmed the literature review results. Accordingly, six case studies from three companies were identified and supplemented by face-to-face interview, documents and direct observations. This strategy allowed the research evidence to be triangulated and thus the researcher to be more confident in testing a particular concept or theory. From the results it emerged that most organisations have immature project management systems and poor risk response processes. Hence, 22 Key Success Factors (KSFs) of preventative measures and 15 KSFs of mitigation measures were identified to achieve risk response development by maturity levels in the pre-construction stage and in the construction stage, respectively. The analysis of the case studies revealed the great potential for employing five KSFs of mitigation measures in the risk response development to control delay risks. Having considered these outcomes a risk response development model to control delay risks has been outlined. The model has been carefully validated, both theoretically and in practical terms, through the discussions with interviewees from the selected case studies. The interviewees agreed on the practicality of the model to identify the risk response development, however it is recommended that the project risk event severity and the company capability would need to be taken into account, and the demand to format the test stage for the maturity levels at the transition stages (Disciplinary, Consistency, Integration, and Optimisation) to achieve the effectiveness and the transparency of the model. Based on the validation, it is anticipated that by developing the risk response model, the process itself will be more objective, particularly in delay risks control. The study brings forward findings that can be promoted as the means to enhance opportunities to control delay risks, and benefit practitioners in the UAE given that so far, there has been no model of risk response development by maturity levels for delay risks control. Moreover, one of the unique features of the study is the creation of new knowledge by focusing on the UAE. At the same time, the use of maturity modeling to handle construction delay risks provides new knowledge for a wider audience.

This thesis is about risk management in fast-track construction projects. The aim of the study is to identify the risks in the UAE construction industry, understand how they are dealt with, and propose more effective frameworks for risk management in fast-track construction. A mixed method approach was used to fulfil the objectives of the study. 65 questionnaires were distributed to professionals in the construction industry, including contractors, sub-contractors, project managers and private consultants. Their responses were analysed using statistical techniques, and the results taken for discussion to a focus group of eleven experienced construction managers and experts. Secondary data was also collected via literature reviews of print and website articles, and of books and documents from company, government and industry-specific databases. The findings show that risks in construction projects can be internal or external, and that in the UAE, owner- and design-related risks are seen as the most significant. Knowledge about risk management is present, but more needs to be done to eradicate the problems associated with poorly managed fast-track construction projects. Using the suggestion of the focus group, a framework for risk mitigation was developed based on the Alien Eyes’ risk and Qualitative Risk Management models. The study discusses the implications of risk management for practitioners and academicians in the construction industry. Poor risk management, which is usually the consequence of inadequate recognition of and/or responsiveness to risks and uncertainties, can have a devastating impact upon projects. It is hoped that practitioners applying the findings and suggestions in this study will see positive change, improved profitability and greater competitive advantage as a result.