The Introduction Of Delay

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

CHAPTER 2

Literature Review

2.1 Introduction of Delay

Every construction project have their own goal and objective to be achieve such as meet the client requirement, cost, achieve the quality needed, finish according to the planning time and others. Delay in the construction can be considered as one of the most recurring problems in construction industry. Construction delays can be defined in many ways. Stumpf G.(2000) summarized delay can be said when there have time overrun or need extension of time to complete the construction project. In generally delay can be said as the situation whereby the actual progress of construction is slower than the planned schedule. Delay in constructing project can give high impact to the stakeholders include owner, designer, contractors, users and others. Delay can give negative impact to achieve the objective, whereby, if delay happen, the extension of project time are needed, that can lead to the increasing of cost. So, delay can be categorize as serious problem that no need to be ignore although in planning phase of construction project.

Delay in construction project industry can be said as global phenomena. According to recent report, São Paulo’s constructions projects are being delayed around 80 percent because do not enough qualified workers to proceed (Zimbalist, 2011). Studies from Al-Hejji(2005) found in Saudi Arabia, only 30 percent of construction project were complete within the schedule, and average time overrun was between 10 percent to 30 percent. According to (Al-Khalil, M and Al-Ghafly, M, 1999) the construction public utilities were delay and 87 percent of them were approving for extension of time. In Malaysia, a study of delay in MARA large construction project has been conduct by Abdullah at el (n.d) show MARA progress report on 30/6/08, 41 percent of the current projects has been delayed for more than 300 days.

Lo et al (2006) summarized the causes of delay according to the specific country that took place since 1971 to 2000. The major causes of delay in Saudi Arabia were shortages of materials, alteration of design, and liaison problem among parties involve. While in MARA construction project delay, according to Abdullah at el (n.d) process of cash flow, contractor’s poor site management, shortage of site workers and ineffective schedule and planning by contractor are the main major causes.

Delay can become one of the one main problem that should not to be ignore and need to be face in construction industry, there are several alternative solution need to be implement to minimize it. One of them, delays can be minimize by find out the causes of delays itself (Majid, 2006). By identification of causes of delays, we can find out and prepare the solution to overcome it earlier before the construction begins.

2.2 Types of Delays

Delay can be divided into three groups, first excusable that are compensable and non-compensable second is non-excusable delays, and last concurrent delays (Bramble B.B, Callahan M T, 2000). According to Theodore (2009) delay can be categorize into 4 main group of delay where critical and non-critical are include in type categorize of delay. The 4 main group of delay can be categorized as:

Critical or non-critical

Excusable or non- excusable

Compensable or non-compensable

Concurrent or non concurrent

The project team should be determine and analyze the delay effect on the project either the delay occur is critical or non-critical and concurrent or non concurrent. With the identifying all delays, it can be as excusable or non- excusable. Then excusable delay can be classified into 2, there is compensable or non-compensable for the extension of time the schedule of work. The general overview of how the construction delay can be categorized can refer to diagram displayed in Figure 2.1.

Figure 2.1: Categorize Of Delay (Theodore, 2009)

2.2.1 Critical Versus Non-Critical Delays

Delays that can give big negative impact to the construction project time schedule can be consider as critical delays, while the delays that do not give negative impact or affect to the construction project according to time schedule can be consider as non-critical delay. By adoption of Critical Path Method, we can use the concept of "critical" delays. By using this concept we can identify and determine major element of critical activities. If these activities are delay so the project completion date also will be delay. The activities that can control the completion date of construction project depend on (Theodore, 2009):

The project itself

The schedule and contractor’s plan itself

The requirements of the contract for sequence and phasing

The physical constraints of the project in term of how to build up the project in term of practical perspective.

The non critical activities have gap between schedule activities, where the activities can be delay for certain period without delaying for the whole of project activities. If there is 5 day gap, so these activities can be delay up to 5 days, without affect the whole of project. While critical activities have zero gap (float) or less gap time to the next related activities. It means one day delay in critical activities, so delay might be delay one day.

2.2.2 Excusable versus Non- Excusable Delays

Construction delays are basically either excusable or non-excusable. According to Theodore (2009), excusable or non-excusable are depended according to the contract clauses that agreed by parties involve. An excusable delay provides a basis under contract for an extension of performing time. Excusable delay can be compensable that is approving the recovery both of money and time, while non-compensable only recover the time (Thomas, 2005). This excusable delay is not from contractors fault or weaknesses. It is delay that due to the unforeseeable event beyond the contractor’s or the subcontractor’s control. Theodore (2009) list several of event that can be consider as excusable delays:

Labor strikes,

Floods,

Fires,

Changes by owner,

Acts of God,

Omission and errors in plans and specifications plan,

Unusually severe weather,

Outside agencies intervention the construction process,

Differing site conditions or concealed conditions,

Deficiency of action by government bodies, for example in building inspection.

In another review, more excusable delays can be list such as according to Levy (2006), illness or death of parties’ members that involve such as contractor, and transportation delay that cannot be control by contractor. Thomas (2005) adds the delays of suppliers or subcontractors for unforeseeable causes beyond the control also include in excusable delays.

Non-excusable delay can be describe as delay that occur are foreseeable the contractor’s control. According to Hamidreza Afshari at el (2001) delphi questionnaire survey done to determine the causes of non-excusable delay. Table 2.2.2 list down the top 10 causes of non-excusable construction delays.

Rank

Non-excusable causes of construction delay

Mean rank

1

Subcontractor cannot carry on the duties

15.92

2

Poor in project changes management

12.96

3

Lack of mechanism for analyzing, recording, and transferring project lessons learned

12.94

4

Delay in supplying material and equipment to the site

12.21

5

Delay in awarding subcontractors’ contracts

12.06

6

Lack of effective controlling and managing subcontractors

11.46

7

Delay in detail design by project engineer subcontractor

11.27

8

Delay in supplying lack of the equipment

11.14

9

Poor project site management

10.73

10

Poor project contract management

10.47

Table 2.2.2: ranked top 10 from 20 of non-excusable delay in construction project