Construction delays are one of the biggest issues facing the construction industry and affecting delivery in terms of time, budget and the required quality. The characteristics of delay factors and their level of impact vary from project to project, ranging from a few days to years. They have significant financial, environmental and social impacts in construction projects; therefore, it is vital to investigate the causes of delay and analyse their impact. In this context, the research study was initiated to develop a new methodology for analysing and quantifying the impacts of delay factors on construction projects. A comprehensive literature survey was conducted to build up general background knowledge of delay factors in construction projects and particular attention was paid to identifying the potential differences in delay factors between Libya and the UK. A construction industry survey was conducted through a semi-structured questionnaire amongst contractors, consultants and owners. A total of 116 out of 300 responses (38.66%) were received from both countries. Statistical tests including T-test and Wilkinson rank test were executed to analyse the responses and present the findings from the survey. Following the findings from the literature review and an industry survey, a framework of Delay Analysis System (DAS) augmented with simulation model was developed by integrating the importance weight (IW) of each delay factor associated with critical activities using @risk tool. The key function of the system is the flexibility to analyse and quantify the impact in project duration, considering the IW of each delay factor independently. The system was evaluated through two case studies from building projects in Libya using the developed system. The analysis of case study 1 using DAS found that the building project might be delayed by 97 to 103 days when considering the delay factors identified from Libya whereas the project might be delayed by 80 to 85 days when considering the delay factors identified from the UK. The evaluation results from the case study revealed that the impact of delay factors in Libya is higher than in the UK. This confirms that the impact of delay in construction projects is higher in developing countries than in developed ones and varies from project to project in the same country. Finally, it is concluded that the system is a decision-supporting tool that helps to make government departments and decision-makers aware of the significance of delays in construction projects in terms of economic growth and the development processes. The key contribution of this study is the development of a strategy (delay analysis system) for analysing the impact of delay factors in the Libyan construction industry through better investigated, understood and documented reports. The system is expected to help policymakers, decision-makers and others stakeholders within the construction industry to gain a fuller understanding of the industry and to formulate short- and long-term construction strategies and policies that aim to improve the industry’s processes and operations.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:595730 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Shebob, Abdulhamid |
| Contributors | Dawood, Nashwan |
| Publisher | Teesside University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://hdl.handle.net/10149/315373 |
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