Investigation of Manageable Delays in Construction Projects

Running Head: DISSERTATION
AN INVESTIGATION OF MANAGEABLE DELAYS WHICH AFFECT CONSTRUCTION
AND ANALYSIS OF SOLUTION METHODOLOGIES

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................4
1.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................4
1.1.1 Focus and Research Motivation......................................................................................4
1.1.2 Rationale.........................................................................................................................5
1.1.3 Impact.............................................................................................................................6
1.1.4 Research Beneficiaries....................................................................................................6
1.2 Research Aim.........................................................................................................................6
1.3 Research Objectives...............................................................................................................6
1.4 Research Questions................................................................................................................7
1.5 Problem Statement.................................................................................................................7
1.6 Structure of the Study............................................................................................................8
Chapter 2: Literature Review.........................................................................................................10
2.1 Background..........................................................................................................................10
2.1.1 Client Contribution to Delays.......................................................................................10
2.2 Literature Review................................................................................................................11
2.2.1 Causes of Delays...........................................................................................................12
2.2.2 Categories of Delays.....................................................................................................16
Chapter 3: Research Methodology................................................................................................21
3.1 Design and Methodology.....................................................................................................21

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3.1.1 Research Strategy.........................................................................................................21
3.2 Researchers’ Recommendations..........................................................................................22
3.3 Survey and Survey Questions..............................................................................................23
3.4 Work Schedule, Assumptions, Potential Risks, Ethics........................................................25
Chapter 4: Data Analysis, Findings and Interpretation.................................................................29
4.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................29
4.2 Quantitative Analysis...........................................................................................................29
4.3 Qualitative Analysis.............................................................................................................37
4.4 Findings and Analysis..........................................................................................................76
4.5 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................81
Chapter 5: Discussion....................................................................................................................82
5.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................82
5.2 Discussion............................................................................................................................82
5.3 Summary..............................................................................................................................85
Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations..............................................................................86
6.1 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................86
6.2 Recommendations................................................................................................................87
6.3 Limitations of the Research.................................................................................................88
6.4 Future Scope of the Study....................................................................................................89
References......................................................................................................................................90

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Appendices..................................................................................................................................101
Appendix 1: Gantt Chart..........................................................................................................101
Appendix 2: Survey Results....................................................................................................102

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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Introduction
Construction projects involve design and development of generally large structures like
buildings, bridges, pillars, platforms and others. Due to complex nature and vast scale of almost
all of the construction projects, the project managers often face significant amount of delays
throughout the course of the project (Van, Sang & Viet, 2015). As for the construction projects,
it is not possible to completely prevent the delays, so only the primary concerns that are related
with the research can be migrated that are regarded as manageable delays (Sears et al., 2015).
These issues are considered to be within the capability of parties managing the project using risk
management techniques and other techniques used in project management like avoidance, loss
prevention, loss reduction, separation, duplication, diversification and others. Construction
industry plays a very major role for the economic as well as social growth of United Kingdom.
There are various major and minor stakeholders who are involved in the construction industries
including the clients, designers, trade personnel, professional bodies, material suppliers,
specialists, and contractors. The construction project rose to a level higher making a record of
£99,266 million in year 2016. According to the office of National Statistics, this hike has
widened the scope of construction jobs as seen from the statistic that almost 2.96 million people
are directly or indirectly employed in the UK construction industry that roughly contributes to
9% of total of 32.2 million employments in UK (Construction statistic, 2017).
1.1.1 Focus and Research Motivation
According to an estimated made by the national audit office report the construction
projects of UK (Assaf and Al-Hejji, 2006), about 70% of project in UK were not delivered on

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time and according to (Lessing, Thurnell & Durdyev, 2017) about half of the total construction
projects ran over time that increased the number of construction delays. Completion of the
construction project and the delivery of the construction project at the scheduled time shows how
much the construction industry is efficient. The above statement was stated by NEDO, 1988.
The delays in the construction projects are the biggest problems that were faced by
construction industries. Delay in delivering the projects leads to many problems including
contract dispute in between the client and the contractors associated that normally ends with
relationship disruption, contract termination, decrease in the productivity of the construction
industry, claims as well as lawsuit. The project manager here plays an important role of making
proper planning, project progress as well as completion of the projects within the scheduled
budget and time.
The basis of this research paper is, most importantly, to investigate the manageable
delays that result in construction delays as well as analyze all such relevant measures for
mitigation that are the main cause of construction delays. This research is been carried out to
identify all such manageable delays as well as recommends solution for mitigating the delays.
This paper also evaluates the results of other papers that have previously explored construction
delays and also seeks to explain the differences in approaches.
1.1.2 Rationale
There are many previous works by reputed researchers that relate to the mitigation
process of construction delays. Researchers also had tried to find out ways that may lead to
prevent the construction from pre-construction stage itself. The construction delays in the recent
days are increasing day by day that are leading to dissatisfaction in between the parties in a

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construction project. The delays caused recently are assumed to increase because of the modern
technologies that are used with high complexity as well as high technology structures constricted
and designed. The researchers are mostly focusing on the contract disputes as well as such
related resolutions instead of focusing on the delays because of the modern technologies and
techniques involved in construction projects.
1.1.3 Impact
The potential impact of this research study is mainly to identify all manageable delays
that are attached with the modern construction process and the effects that fall on the
construction projects delivery at the time of contract as well as suggest all such mitigation
measures that can mitigate construction delays.
1.1.4 Research Beneficiaries
All the stakeholders related with the construction project are benefited from this research
that includes the contractors, clients, and managers. Delays in construction have mainly
destroyed the relationship in between the workers and the clients that results in dispute
resolutions. This research will also be an advantage to all the upcoming researchers who wants to
study the result of same research topics.
1.2 Research Aim
The main aim of the research paper is to identify all manageable delays related to
construction projects as well as asses how to manage the pre-construction stage of construction.
1.3 Research Objectives
1) To identify the delays related to construction project delivery.

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2) To categorize all delays that comes under manageable as well as unmanageable
categories that can be assumed before the contract stage.
3) To investigate the manageable delays that leads to risk in construction projects and
distribute such questionnaire to the construction practitioners.
4) To develop some logical method that helps to prioritize the delays in the pre-construction
of project.
5) To identify the delays that lead to potential risk in construction projects and identify the
ways about how to manage the risks and mitigate or minimize their effects.
1.4 Research Questions
Based on the overall field and scope of the research, a number of research questions can
be determined. These questions will be explored and analyzed throughout the course of the
research and the research will be considered as successful if these research questions are
successfully answered at the end. The research questions are hence listed as follows.
 How are construction projects affected by various types of delays?
 Which delays are manageable in the construction projects?
 How can the manageable delays be minimized to reduce overall delay in a
construction projects?
1.5 Problem Statement
The specific problem that is under focus in this research is the significant extent of delays
in construction projects that ultimately results in high amount financial losses for the
organizations. Very large extent of failure can also lead to the failure of the project if the client