Understanding construction delay analysis – the role of pre-construction programming

Modern construction projects commonly suffer from delay in their completions. The resolution of time and cost claims consequently flowing from such delays continues to remain a difficult undertaking for all project parties. A common approach often relied on by contractors and their employers (or their representatives) to resolve this matter involves applying various delay analysis techniques, which are all based on construction programmes originally developed for managing the project. However, evidence from literature suggests that the reliability of these techniques in ensuring successful claims resolution are often undermined by the nature and quality of the underlying programme used. As part of a wider research carried out on delay and disruption analysis in practice, this paper reports on an aspect of the study aimed at exploring pre-construction stage programming issues that affect delay claims resolutions. This aspect is based on an in-depth interview with experienced construction planning engineers in the UK, conducted after an initial large-scale survey on delay and disruption techniques usage. Summary of key findings and conclusions include: (1) Most contractors prefer to use linked bar chart format for their baseline programmes over conventional CPM networks. (2) Baseline programmes are developed using planning software packages, with the most popular software being CS Project, followed by Power Project and then MS Project. The latter pose difficulties when employed for most delay analysis techniques, except for simpler ones. (3) Manpower loading graphs are not commonly developed as part of the main deliverables during pre-construction stage planning. As a result, most programmes are not subjected to resource loading and leveling for them to accurately reflect planned resource usage on site. This practice has detrimental 1 Lecturer, Civil Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University, Kingston Lane Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, E-mail: Nuhu. [email protected]