Comparative research is undertaken on certain aspects of standard forms of building contract claims within the framework of Scottish, English and Malaysian laws. This thesis examines 'consideration' and '<i>jus quaesitum tertio</i>' in contract to provide an alternative to negligence actions in tort for claims arising out of defects in building. Issues pertaining to 'Practical Completion' and 'Final Certificate' in JCT 80, JCT 63 and PAM69 standard forms are studied to settle the difference between the practice in the building industry and the legal expectation. An examination on the validity of 'automatic determination' clause is made and a revision is suggested. An old Scottish case, <i>Arthur de Mornay Bidoulac and others v. James Kidd (Sinclair's Trustee</i>) (1889) 17 R 144, is analysed in this context. Arbitration, being a preferred method of settling disputes, is comparatively analysed in relation to the powers of the court to supervise and hear appeals therefrom. A claim for economic loss in tort relating to defective works is examined in the light of <i>Murphy v. Brentwood District Council</i> [1990] 2 All ER 908. <i>Junior Books Ltd. v. Veitchi Co. Ltd</i>. 1982 SLT 492, [1982] 3 All ER 201 (HL) is defended as a sound authority for the recovery of pure economic loss by an employer from a third party specialist subcontractor. The English Defective Premises Act 1972 is examined in search of a better approach to the situation in Malaysia. The law relating to prescription and limitation period is analysed. Malaysia still enforces the law disapproved in <i>Pirelli General Cable Works Ltd. v. Oscar Faber & Partners (a firm)</i> [1982] 3 All ER 201 (HL). The work identifies important issues relating to building contract claims and provisions in the laws that need to be addressed and attended to for future development.

Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2003.

Thesis (MAppSc Project Man) -- University of South Australia, 1992

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1992. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 155-165). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-153). Also available in electronic version.

The vulnerability of the Gulf Coast to inundation poses a real threat to both national security and the regional economy due to the concentration of the nations energy infrastructure throughout the waterways of the southeastern United States waterways. Mitigation efforts thus far have been qualitative and fail to provide raw, quantitative data to aid in the successful management of flooding liabilities. This paper proposes a novel approach to analyzing infrastructure susceptibility by means of a component-based approach to consequences posed by water-borne incursions. Systems are simplified to collections of components, each with a lowest-member elevation, thereby identifying the benchmark for vulnerability. Further, the maintenance efforts required to return these systems to processing capability are integrated into the component database, identified by available repair and replacement tasks. Simulations for site-specific flood information are analyzed through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency data, which provide the expected inundation levels for the five separate categories of tropical events on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. These levels are applied to the elevations determined in the component analysis, thereby producing a legitimate estimate, measured in manhours, for reconstruction efforts following a flood event. These manhours are then used to calculate cost within a labor database composed of technical laborers and supervision, yielding a labor cost. Material costs based on historic pricing, equipment costs based on current market rates, and company overhead costs, composed of site project management, are aggregated to realize a total direct cost as a result of inundation at a specified flood depth. From this total direct cost, decisions at the owner level can be made concerning acceptable risk with quantitative data to support mitigation and prevention strategies.

Most research focused on housing costs has noted a paucity of empirical cost data for residential construction, and researchers have suggested that collecting these data for individual metropolitan areas is ideal. The goal of this study is to obtain these data and compare them to national average sources to determine how well national data represent local costs. Data collection included obtaining prices from big box stores and through a survey of local Baton Rouge residential contractors for material, square foot and assembly costs for the major components of a house (i.e. foundation, wall, roof). From the material cost data evaluated, the results suggest that the average difference between RS Means and locally collected material cost data is minimal; however, RS Means costs were higher than locally collected costs for 67% of the evaluated items. RS Means assembly costs were found to be statistically different from local cost data for 64% of the assemblies tested. Average square foot costs for new residential construction in East Baton Rouge Parish were found to be in the range of $106-$108/SF, excluding the cost of land. NAHB percentage of construction cost data were not statistically different from Baton Rouge percentage of construction costs for the majority of construction stages. Average costs for wind mitigation in the Baton Rouge area were found to be $1.06/SF to increase the roof nailing pattern, $2.34/sf to apply secondary water resistance, and $3.97/SF to install engineered floor-to-wall connectors. These results provide insight into housing cost data for new construction; conceptual budgets for architects during the design stage; quick estimates by those not actively engaged in the construction industry, including homeowners; and provide data for hazard-related loss calculations and future housing economics research.

An investigation of the behavior of multistory composite frames is presented. The investigation includes a review of the state-of-the-art of composite frame analysis and design methods, and also details the features of the response of composite frames during the construction phase. In an original development, solution procedures that incorporate the effects of construction sequencing on the strength and stability of composite frames are developed. This is extended to define the new concept of a construction limit state for use in design of such structures. These procedures are intended for use by designers and contractors as guidelines. In order to achieve a certain quality of construction, the builder must comply with a set of specific erection sequences. These sequences may vary from one structure to another, depending on a number of factors. Although general standards of construction that include the effects of sequencing do not exist, and would likely be very difficult to develop, it is clear that designers and contractors must consider the influences. From the viewpoint of economy and efficiency, it is necessary to specify sequences that satisfy the structural behavior and stability requirements. The primary purpose of this study is the development of a numerical procedure for the determination of the behavior of composite frames during erection. A second objective is that the procedure developed will be such that it would lend itself to improved construction economy by taking into account the effects of construction sequencing. It will be demonstrated that simple calculations of construction sequencing, together with the given frame response, may be used by the contractor during erection to establish the different activities required for the erection of a building frame.