CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Construction management include a project manager, planning, estimation, scheduling, tendering, contracts, equipments etc.

What are Causes of Schedule Delays in Construction Projects?

There are various factors that lead to schedule delay in construction project. Factors might be different from one project to another one. In this article, the most important and common causes of delays in schedule construction will be discussed.

Causes of Schedule Delays in Construction Projects

1. Construction site access
2. Differing site conditions
3. Force majeure
4. Adverse weather

1. Construction Site Access

Site access is one of the factors that may lead to delays in the project construction schedule. Examples of factors cause construction schedule delay involve the following:

• Inability of the owner, when he/she controls the construction site, to provide information needed for the constructor to achieve permit.
• Failure of the previous contractor to finish its work in the area that is used by successive constructor is another factor of lead to delay construction schedule.
• Security problems which might create dangerous conditions for the contractor, prevent the contractor to access the construction site, or deny the contractor to access the area that on the critical path of construction schedule.
• Environmental problems that have not been dealt with and not been resolved.

It can be noted that, the above factors may occur at the beginning of the construction or before the contractor begin its work and hence it can be stated that construction access lead to early project delays.

2. Differing Site Conditions

Delays in project construction occurs when site conditions is different from those that expected from contract documents.

Generally, there are two types of differing site conditions. Firstly, delays due to differing site conditions from those provided in contract document i.e. plans and specification.

Secondly, delays happen due to difference between current site conditions and site conditions which are usually encountered at the location of the project.

By and large, delays in project construction occur provided that the following criteria are realized:

• Site conditions are defined or described in contract documents.
• The actual site conditions cannot be anticipated at the time of contract bid.
• The actual site condition is different from those explained in the contract documents.

3. Force Majeure

Force majeure events are not only predictable and avoidable but also uncontrollable. These events are external that influence the performance of contractor and cause the delay of construction schedule.

There are several natural such as hurricane and earthquake, and manmade events like war which constitute force majeure events. These events may be accepted by contract clauses.

Under normal circumstances, delay caused by force majeure is considered as non-compensable. In this case, the contractor can regain the lost time but not the cost of extended overhead.

However, if the owner is the cause of the delay, then it is assumed to be compensable.

4. Adverse Weather

Normally, the majorities of project construction phases are sensitive to weather and hence considerably influence by it.

Moreover, the level of weather sensitivity of various construction stages and types of construction activity is considerably different. Added to that, the influence of weather events varies crucially between construction activities and construction locations.

It is highly likely to extend construction time if long duration of detrimental weather condition is experienced.

The contractor should properly demonstrate that the time of detrimental weather exceeded the expectation of the contractor and affected the development of critical path activity and eventually lead to the delay in the construction schedule.

Construction contract may tackle delays due to adverse weather by providing procedure to regain time lost. A delay caused by extended period of adverse weather is considered as excusable but non-compensable since neither the constructor nor the owner controls the event.

Nonetheless, one should be aware that delay could be compensable provided that weather influenced the contractor because of the owner caused delay. This issue may get worse when owner caused delay push weather sensitive activities into the colder and rainier season.

For example, owner caused delay may force temperature sensitive concreting into the winter and eventually increase the concreting cost. In this case weather related problems may become inefficiency issue.

Site Factors Affecting Construction Cost of Heavy Civil Projects

There are several site factors that lead to increase construction of heavy civil projects. These factors are not the same from one project to another one.

Site Factors Affecting Construction Cost of Heavy Civil Projects

Site factors that increase the cost of heavy civil constructions include:

1. Bad weather condition
2. Difficulty in accessing the construction site
3. Remote construction site
4. Short contract period
5. Off-site disposal requirements
6. Traffic problems
7. Quarry or borrow pit permit requirements
8. Excavation adjacent to high level of groundwater
9. Limitation on how the construction site can be developed
10. Limits on working hours
11. Restriction on the level of noise in residential neighborhood

1. Bad Weather Condition

One of the major site factors that may increase cost of construction is the bad weather for example continues precipitation and short construction season.

Fig.1: Bad weather condition during construction generates difficulty and damage part of construction project or and equipment and hence increase construction cost

2. Difficulty in Accessing the Construction Site

Difficult accessibility is another factor that increase construction cost. Construction of temporary roads which are used to transport materials, equipment, and personnel to the construction site is an example of raising cost due to difficult access to the project site.

Fig.2: Temporary construction access road

3. Remote Construction Site

If the construction is remote, then it is likely that labor shortage will be encountered. So, labors are required to commute from other places which clearly increase the construction cost. Added to that, transportation cost of equipment and materials will also increase construction cost.

Fig.3: Remote project site increases construction cost due bringing labors from other regions and delivering of materials and equipment

4. Short Contract Period

If the contract period is short, then construction cost may increase due to higher labor and equipment cost. This is because labors required working for longer time and equipment used for longer period to maintain working in night shifts.

5. Off-Site Disposal Requirements

This will lead to increase transportation and disposal costs in landfills.

6. Traffic Problems

Traffic problems and extensive traffic control in an urban setting is another site factor that lead to increase the cost of project construction.

7. Quarry or Borrow Pit Permit Requirements

The achievement of borrow pit requirements need considerable time and it is costly. Borrowing material for construction would influence the environment, so it would not be an easy task to comply with several environmental laws.

8. Excavation Adjacent to High Level of Groundwater

Excavations close to high level ground water for instance excavation adjacent to river, stream, or lake. This will increase the difficulty of excavation operation and hence construction cost would increase.

9. Limitation on How the Construction Site can be Developed

Restrictions on how the construction site can be developed will not only influence the selection of the equipment used for construction but also lead to reduce production rate. As a result, the construction cost will be increased.

10. Limits on Working Hours

Restrictions on working hours will lead to increase number of working days. Limitations on working hours may apply in residential area. So, the cost of construction due to limitations on working hours will increase provided that the contractor cannot be take advantage of daylight for the construction.

11. Restriction on Level of Noise in Residential Neighborhood

Limitation on the level of noise generated by used construction equipment: noise level restriction will influence the selection of equipment types.

Subsequently, certain devices may be selected that their operation would be more expensive for example diesel pumps may be prevented to be used for dewatering excavation in residential area and more expensive pumps need to be used.

Source :-theconstructor.org

PLANNING, SCHEDULING IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Planning, scheduling is an important part of the construction management. Planning and scheduling of construction activities helps engineers to complete the project in time and within the budget.

The term ‘Construction’ does not only denotes physical activities involving men, materials and machinery but also covers the entire gamut of activities from conception to realization of a construction project. Thus, management of resources such as men, materials, machinery requires effective planning and scheduling of each activity.

What is Construction Management?

Management is the science and art of planning, organizing, leading and controlling the work of organization members and of using all available organization resources to reach stated organizational goals.

Construction management deals with economical consumption of the resources available in the least possible time for successful completion of construction project. ‘Men’, ‘materials’, ‘machinery’ and ‘money’ are termed as resources in construction Management.

Objectives of Construction Management:

The main objectives of construction management are,

• Completing the work within estimated budget and specified time.
• Maintaining a reputation for high quality workmanship
• Taking sound decisions and delegation of authority
• Developing an organization that works as a team.

Functions of Construction Management:

The functions of construction Management are

(a) Planning

(b) Scheduling

(c) Organizing

(d) Staffing

(e) Directing

(f) Controlling

(g) Coordinating

(a) Planning in Construction Management:

It is the process of selecting a particular method and the order of work to be adopted for a project from all the possible ways and sequences in which it could be done. It essentially covers the aspects of ‘What to do’ and ‘How to do it’.

 

Importance of construction project planning:

• Planning helps to minimize the cost by optimum utilization of available resources.
• Planning reduces irrational approaches, duplication of works and inter departmental conflicts.
• Planning encourages innovation and creativity among the construction managers.
• Planning imparts competitive strength to the enterprise.

b) Scheduling in Construction Management:

Scheduling is the fitting of the final work plan to a time scale. It shows the duration and order of various construction activities. It deals with the aspect of ‘when to do it’.

 

Importance of construction project scheduling:

Scheduling of the programming, planning and construction process is a vital tool in both the daily management and reporting of the project progress.

c) Organizing:

Organizing is concerned with decision of the total construction work into manageable departments/sections and systematically managing various operations by delegating specific tasks to individuals.

d) Staffing:

Staffing is the provision of right people to each section / department created for successful completion of a construction project.

e) Directing:

It is concerned with training sub ordinates to carryout assigned tasks, supervising their work and guiding their efforts. It also involves motivating staff to achieve desired results.

f) Controlling:

It involves a constant review of the work plan to check on actual achievements and to discover and rectify deviation through appropriate corrective measures.

g) Coordinating:

It involves bringing together and coordinating the work of various departments and sections so as to have good communication. It is necessary for each section to aware of its role and the assistance to be expected from others.

 

Importance of Construction Management:

• Construction management practices invariably lead to “maximum production at least cost”. A good construction management, results in completion of a construction project with in the stipulated budget.
• Construction management provides importance for optimum utilization of resources. In other words, it results in completion of a construction project with judicious use of available resources.
• Construction management provides necessary leadership, motivates employees to complete the difficult tasks well in time and extracts potential talents of its employees.
• Construction management is beneficial to society as the effective and efficient management of construction projects will avoid, escalation of costs, time overrun, wastage of resources, unlawful exploitation of labor and pollution of environment.