Assessment Risk in Construction Projects in Iraq Using COPRAS-SWARA Combined Method

Abstract

Risk in the age of globalization has become part of everyday life. Risk exists everywhere, in every area of life. One of these is the construction industry, where risk is a constant element in a big puzzle. This is true for construction projects in Iraq too, where official statistics indicate that most construction projects in Iraq always suffer from delay during the completion period and a significant increase in cost. Therefore, it is necessary to find a way to deal with this certain mater, meaning risk management. Risk management does not mean that the project is without risk, but means that dealing with the risk in different measures to ensure the success of the construction project. Risk management consists of several stages, the most important of which is the identification and assessment of the risks of the project. The objective of this paper is to identify and assess the risks in construction projects in Iraq by combining SWARA and COPRAS methods. To achieve the objective of the study, ten criteria for risk assessment were identified. Later the weights of criteria was determined using the SWARA method. The next step was identification and ranking of risks by using the COPRAS method. The result showed that mismatched plans with documentation, inaccurate surveys and preliminary data of the project, unqualified contractors, unexpected nature of the earth, and delayed implementation due to the contractor's capital deficiency were most important risk in construction projects in Iraq. Therefore, in order to tackle risks in Iraqi projects, there must be consideration of these risks, so as to achieve the goals of the project.