Evaluation of influential value engineering factors on the function of interchanges: case studies in Iran

Abstract

In Iran, recently in large-scale projects, the science of value engineering has become very important and in order to show the significant impact of value engineering results in increasing efficiency and reducing the cost of projects, the reason for choosing this research. The experience of value engineering in the developed countries shows the significant effect of this method in the value optimization of plans and projects. This research, too, aims to evaluate the effects of value engineering on the performance of interchanges in Iran, so that with comparing their results, the most important qualitative parameters can be determined, and also to present a suitable model for cost reduction per each IRR of the value engineering study’s expenses. The first part of this research will give a short introduction on value engineering and its job plan, and then, 8 value engineering studies of interchanges in the cities of Tehran, Karaj, Shiraz, and Mashhad will be qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed, and their results as a qualitative and quantitative evaluation (including construction cost, total value index, and relative value index) will be compared with the base plan of the projects and also with each other. Finally, the outcome of the research will show that among the evaluation parameters, the acquisition parameter plays a significant role in choosing the best design in value engineering, some part of which depends on the employer’s view in this regard. In the next step, the best improvements were in reducing travel time and in increasing safety, and also the most neglected parameter in the value engineering analyzed here is environmental improvements, which demands especial attention. From this research, it can be concluded that per every one IRR of expenditure on performing value engineering studies, the total cost of interchange projects in Iran is reduced by 334 IRR.