Abstract
Delays during construction are a global problem which results in large cost to the construction industry. Delays are common in construction projects and cause considerable losses to all parties involved. The construction industry continues to struggle to cope and to implement measures to either mitigate the impact of a delay, or prevent the delay altogether. The construction of large public and private sector facilities is still largely implemented through a project delivery method named design-bid-build otherwise known as the traditional project delivery method. The traditional method of project delivery is still used as it is considered to obtain the lowest cost for the client and protect their interests with the expected guarantee of a sound engineering job. However, it has been found that design & build methods are beginning to produce better results than traditional methods.
The objective of this research was to determine the impact of a construction project delivery method on the prevalence and effect of delays, with the aim of proving a reduction in overall delays through the use of the design & build delivery method.
This study made use of two similar case studies which differed largely by the project delivery method used. The case study method was chosen for its ability to determine operational links over a period of time, instead of simply determining frequencies of specific occurrences. The method used provides insights into organisations and gives an in-depth understanding of the topic being studied. Analysis of project documentation was performed along with semi-structured interviews. Themes were generated and compared with documentation allowing in depth analysis of each case. A comparison was then performed between cases and conclusions made from the findings presented.
It was found that design & build was able to reduce the impact of civil, variation order and consultant related delays. No impact was found between methods for delays related to design changes and the contractor. Most significantly, it was found that delays related to the client were increased drastically under the design & build method, due to a break in the responsibility required for the successful implementation of design & build projects. This had the single largest effect on schedule overrun, and as a result meant that the use of the design & build delivery method may not necessarily reduce delays. However, future research into the performance of design & build was recommended where all work is maintained within the contractor’s scope, thus allowing a more accurate representation of the method.
M.Ing. (Engineering Management)