Australian Construction Projects Research Articles

Circular Economy-Related Strategies to Minimise Construction- and Demolition- Waste Generation in Australian Construction Projects

The construction industry in Australia generates a significant amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, necessitating better waste management (WM) practices. This research addresses this issue by investigating CE strategies aimed at minimising C&D waste in Australian construction projects (CPs). Utilising a qualitative approach, the study is based on 20 interviews and four case studies of commercial CPs, analysed through NVivo content analysis. The findings emphasise the need to integrate CE strategies at every CP stage. In the pre-design phase, setting sustainable objectives and engaging stakeholders early is crucial for aligning goals to reduce C&D waste. The tendering process benefits from incorporating WM into contracts, demonstrating early commitment to sustainability. The design phase, through Building Information Modelling and designing for disassembly, offers substantial waste-reduction opportunities. Modular and prefabricated components during the construction phase enhance material reuse and recycling. Operational strategies like regular maintenance and retrofitting extend material lifespan, while selective demolition and digital cataloguing at the end-of-life phase enable efficient material recovery. This highlights the essential roles of policy, technology, and stakeholder collaboration in advancing CE practices, providing practical insights for construction professionals and policymakers to implement CE-related strategies in CPs. The research concludes that adopting CE strategies can lead to significant reductions in C&D waste and improved sustainability in the construction sector.

Validating and testing a project delivery success model in construction: a mixed-method approach in Australia

PurposeDespite considerable research on the subject, there is still some misunderstanding about what characterizes successful project delivery in construction projects. Evaluating project delivery success is crucial for organizations since it enables them to prepare for future growth through more effective project management mechanisms and rank the organization's projects for continuous improvement. There is considerable disagreement over a set of success criteria that can be applied to all kinds of projects when evaluating project delivery success, making it a complicated procedure for practitioners and scholars. This research seeks to alleviate the problem by validating and testing a systematic project delivery success model (3D integration model) in the Australian construction industry. The aim is to establish a dependable approach built upon prior research and reliable in evaluating delivery success for any project type.Design/methodology/approachBased on a novel project delivery success model, this research applies a case study methodology to analyse 40 construction projects undertaken by a single Australian project management consultancy. The research utilizes a mixed-method research approach and triangulates three sets of data. First, the project delivery success (PDS) scores of the projects are calculated by the model. Second, a qualitative analysis targeting the performance of the same projects using a different system called the performance assessment review (PAR) scores was obtained. These culminate in two sets of ranking. The third step seeks validation of results from the head of the partnering organization that has undertaken the projects.FindingsThe findings of this study indicate that the 3D integration model is accurate and reliable in measuring the success of project delivery in construction projects of various sizes, locations and durations. While the model uses six key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure delivery success, it is evident that three of these may significantly improve the likelihood of PDS: value, speed and impact. Project managers should focus on these priority aspects of performance to generate better results.Research limitations/implicationsRestrictions inherent to the case study approach are identified for this mixed-method multiple-case study research. There is a limitation on the sample size in this study. Despite the researcher's best efforts, no other firm was willing to share such essential data; therefore, only 40 case studies could be analysed. Nonetheless, the number of case studies met the literature's requirements for adequate units for multiple-case research. This research only looked at Australian construction projects. Thus, the conclusions may not seem applicable to other countries or industries. The authors investigated testing the PDS in the construction sector. It can assist in improving efficiency and resource optimization in this area. Nonetheless, the same technique may be used to analyse and rank the success of non-construction projects.Originality/valueDespite the research conducted previously on the PDS of construction projects, there is still confusion among researchers and practitioners about what constitutes a successful project delivery. Although several studies have attempted to address this confusion, no consensus on consistent performance metrics or a practical project success model has been formed. More importantly, (1) the ability to measure success across multiple project types, (2) the use of triple bottom line (TBL) to incorporate sustainability in evaluating delivery success and (3) the use of a complexity measurement tool to adjust delivery success scores set the 3D integration model apart from others.

The institutional drivers of social procurement implementation in Australian construction projects

Social procurement policies are becoming an increasingly popular tool for construction project clients to meet their corporate social responsibility objectives. This research employs New Institutional Theory to investigate the coercive, mimetic and normative drivers behind the adoption of social procurement policies in Australian construction projects. It presents a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with sixteen social procurement actors in the Australian construction industry who are responsible for implementing these policies at a project level. Results contribute new theoretical and practical insights into the nascent and under-theorized body of social procurement research in the field of project management. They indicate that coercive isomorphism is the most powerful driver of social procurement adoption in Australian construction projects, followed by mimetic isomorphism and normative isomorphism. It is concluded that the effective implementation of social procurement policies in construction projects requires project supply chains to shift from a compliance and mimicking mindset to one which normalizes social procurement. This will require institutional change based on the legitimisation of new social procurement professionals, roles and practices and the development of new project-based intermediaries to mitigate the risks and maximize the opportunities that social procurement presents.

A cartography of delay risks in the Australian construction industry: impact, correlations and timing

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to identify the most impactful delay risks in Australian construction projects, including the associations amongst those risks as well as the project phases in which they are most likely present. The correlation between project and organisational characteristics with the impact of delay risks was also studied.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 118 delayed construction projects in Australia. Data were analysed to rank the most impactful delay risks, their correlation to project and organisational characteristics and project phases where those risks are likely to emerge. Association rule learning was used to capture associations between the delay risks.FindingsThe top five most impactful delay risks in Australia were changes by the owner, slow decisions by the owner, preparation and approval of design drawings, underestimation of project complexity and unrealistic duration imposed to the project, respectively. There is a set of delay risks that are mutually associated with project complexity. In addition, while delay risks associated with resources most likely arise in the execution phase, stakeholder and process-related risks are more smoothly distributed along all the project phases.Originality/valueThis research for the first time investigated the impact of delay risks, associations amongst them and project phases in which they are likely to happen in the Australian context. Also, this research for the first time sheds light on the project phases for the individual project delay risks which aids the project managers to understand where to focus on during each phase of the project.

Introducing an innovation promotion model for construction projects

PurposeThis study aims to investigate and model the complex dynamics of innovation enablers in construction projects aiming to develop a framework identifying actions for clients to promote innovation.Design/methodology/approachThrough a comprehensive literature review, a conceptual model was previously derived to explain the client-driven enablers in promoting innovation. This was tested using the data from 131 Australian construction projects. Statistical analysis was conducted on the data using factor analysis and correlation analysis to test the model, which was validated using the case study approach. The testing and validating aspects are explained in this paper.FindingsThe constructs of the recommended model are idea harnessing, relationship enhancement, incentivization and project team fitness.Research limitations/implicationsThe difficulty of analyzing the complex dynamics happening within projects in relation to innovation has been a barrier to progress research in this area. The introduction of this model would pave the way for researchers to explore this area with ease.Originality/valueAs revealed in the detailed literature review undertaken, this is the first time that a comprehensive study has been conducted to identify client-led innovation enablers for construction projects. The results would benefit industry practitioners to achieve enhanced project outcomes in construction projects through innovation.

Investigation into post-adoption usage of mobile ICTs in Australian construction projects

PurposeWhile mobile Information and Communication Technologies (mobile ICTs) have been adopted by many construction organisations, research on the usage of mobile technologies in the context of construction project management has been scarce. Against this background, the purpose of this paper is to enhance the understanding of how Construction Management Professionals (CMPs) currently use mobile ICTs at work and the factors affecting their usage of mobile ICTs in the context of the Australian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, the aim is addressed by a survey-based empirical research approach. A questionnaire was used to collect data about CMPs’ current mobile ICT usage and the factors affecting the usage. Then, relative importance index, factor analysis andχ2test were used to identify the most significant factors affecting their mobile ICT usage.FindingsThis research found that user characteristics such as age or years of experience are not the major factors affecting CMPs’ mobile ICT usage. The research also found that there are several barriers hindering an effective usage of mobile ICTs, namely work-family spillover, system quality issues, inconsistency in the way of using mobile ICTs among CMPs and the lack of organisational support.Originality/valueThe results of this research imply that to fully reap the potential benefits of mobile ICTs in construction projects, those barriers need to be addressed appropriately at the individual, organisational and industry levels. Also, this research informs construction organisations of how mobile ICTs can be deployed and used in the most cost-effective way in their projects.

Analyzing client-led innovation enablers in Australian construction projects

PurposeThis research examined how Australian construction projects perform in the area of client-led innovation. The purpose of this paper is to test the influence of a set of enablers in promoting the innovative performance of construction projects and examine how Australian construction projects perform in relation to innovation.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was developed and distributed to over 300 construction industry practitioners to obtain perceptions of industry practitioners regarding client-led enablers to promoting innovation at the project level, with 131 valid responses received. The data from the survey were subjected to statistical analyses including mean comparisons, using the Mann–Whitney U-test and Kruskal Wallis Test.FindingsThis research identified a number of enablers that clients can employ in construction projects to enhance innovative performance. It also revealed that the innovative performance of construction projects in Australia appears to be above average, although the perceived level is not too high. The main finding of the research is that Australian clients could achieve higher outcomes from construction projects by promoting innovativeness in their projects, especially by promoting innovativeness in their own organizations and providing incentives/rewards and other support for innovative activities in projects.Originality/valuePast research focusing on client-led enablers at the project level is limited. This research identified a number of enablers that clients can employ to achieve greater benefits from their projects through innovation.

MAJOR FACTORS IMPEDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WASTE MANAGEMENT IN AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

This article aims to identify barriers to implementing waste management practices in construction projects and their interrelationship, based on the particular context of Australia. Interviews and a questionnaire survey were conducted as the primary data collection methods supported by the findings of a charrette. The findings reveal twenty critical barriers to implementing waste management practices in Australian construction projects. Four underlying factors that impede waste management practices are extracted based on results of an exploratory factor analysis. These include rigidity of construction practices, construction project characteristics, awareness, experience and commitment, and the nascent nature of waste management. The study also finds that while both human factors and technical factors act as barriers to implementing waste management practices in Australian construction projects, human factors are more dominant. Thus, it is essential to address all these barriers in the early stage of construction projects for reducing waste generation.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING AS A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT TOOL

There has been growing concern about the efficiency of the Australian construction industry. It has been identified that inefficiencies due to industry fragmentation has significant impacts on the way construction projects are delivered. It is largely believed that Building Information Modeling (BIM) has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of a project throughout its entire lifecycle. The main focus of BIM research has, up until now, been principally focused on its ever increasing use in the design phase of a project. The construction phase of a project has been largely overlooked, particularly the implementation of BIM during this phase of a project.. A mixed method approach has been utilised in this study comprising of quantitative and qualitative techniques. The quantitative method was conducted through the distribution of a statistically analysed questionnaire survey to a sample population of construction professionals within Australia. Concurrently, the qualitative method of analysis is conducted through case studies of selected construction projects with some involvement of BIM. Through the research, it was proven that Australian construction projects are far from the full utilisation of BIM as a construction management tool. The factors affecting BIM’s utilisation were also discovered in this research and validated through statistical analysis of the population data found by the questionnaire survey.

Trust and productivity in Australian construction projects: a subcontractor perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the association between trust and productivity from a subcontractor perspective. More specifically it investigates: the perceived level of trust that currently exists between subcontractors and main contractors; the factors affecting trust at the project level; the relationship between trust and productivity. Design/methodology/approach – An on-line survey was undertaken with of 112 senior construction managers working for tier-1 and tier-2 subcontractors in the Australian construction industry. The survey was based on a combination of validated questions from Lau and Rowlinson’s (2009) interpersonal trust and inter-firm trust in construction projects framework and Cheung et al.’s (2011) framework for a trust inventory in construction contracting. Findings – In contrast to the large number of research projects which have highlighted a lack of trust in the construction industry, the findings show that level of trust that Australian subcontractors have in main contractors is generally high. However, bid shopping is a continuing problem in the Australian construction industry which acts to undermine trust. The findings also provide strong evidence that high levels of trust influence productivity on site by enabling greater collaboration, better communication and greater flexibility, agility and informality in project relationships. Research limitations/implications – This research was undertaken in the Sydney metropolitan area in Australia and within an economic boom. It is quite possible that outside this regional context which tends to dominated by larger construction firms and in an alternative economic context that the results of this research could be quite different. This possibility needs to be investigated further. Practical implications – The results indicate that this relatively healthy level of trust is down to good communication and empathy on the part of main contractors to the subcontractor’s welfare. While the results showed that bid shopping is clearly a continuing problem in the Australian construction industry, subcontractors also felt that their contracts were clearly defined and that they were given sufficient time to innovate on their projects. This suggest that new communications technologies can be used to build trust through the supply chain. Given that much of the construction supply chain is made up of small- to medium-sized businesses, the challenge of diffusing these new technologies into this business environment should be a priority. Social implications – Trust in basis of effective collaboration which has been shown to produce numerous social benefits such as greater equity and justice in business relationships and higher levels of productivity and safety. Originality/value – The originality of this research is in using theories of trust to give subcontractors a greater “voice” in the construction productivity debate.

Safety Leadership Defined within the Australian Construction Industry

This research explores the tenets of safety leadership within the Australian construction environment. The scope of this research aims to establish a universal definition of safety leadership and how it differs from other leadership disciplines. The literature review into this topic was governed by the parent disciplines of Safety and Leadership. Gaps were identified in the literature that indicated safety leadership is not a well-defined concept and much of the work into safety leadership has been borrowed from other schools of leadership. An exploratory research methodology was utilised which rooted the research into the post-positivist methodology. There were twenty interviews conducted for this research, with participants coming from various leadership positions across multiple construction projects around Australia. Findings detailed a saturation of data that allowed for an empirical definition towards safety leadership to be established. As a person’s scope of responsibility increases, their view of safety leadership becomes synonymous with leadership; although differences do exist. These differences were attributed to the importance of demonstrating safety and working within the legal framework of Australian construction projects. It is proposed that this research offers a substantial contribution to knowledge, based upon a well-defined definition into safety leadership.

Global virtual engineering teams (GVETs): A fertile ground for research in Australian construction projects context

Implementation of global virtual engineering teams (GVETs) commenced since at least two decades ago, but construction has been behind other industries in terms of harnessing this new paradigm. Nevertheless, GVETs are receiving increasing attention within the construction context due to numerous potential benefits they can bring about for the projects. On the other hand, the research about GVETs in Australia is still in its embryonic stages. Australian scholars noticeably have paid scant attention to GVETs in comparison to their colleagues in other developed countries. This paper assumes the process of implementation of a GVET as an isolated project. The study then highlights the well-known main areas of necessary knowledge for managing a GVET project within the construction context based on a project lifecycle approach. Recognizing the weaknesses of existing literature, the paper sets out an agenda for further research within Australian construction projects.

Probabilistic Assessment of Design Error Costs

The statistical characteristics of design error rectification costs experienced in 139 Australian construction projects are analyzed. Theoretical probability distributions are fitted to the design error cost data. A generalized Pareto probability function was found to provide thebestoveralldistribution fitfordesignerrorcosts.ThegeneralizedParetodistributionisusedtocalculatetheprobabilityofdesignerrorcosts being experienced for the selected sample. A mean design error cost of 14.2% of a project's contract value is reported. A significant difference between mean design error costs and project types was found for civil engineering (23.44%) and fit-out (22.50%) projects. Projects .Australian dollars ðA$Þ101M were found to experience significantly higher mean design error costs (26.18%) than other projects. Being abletodeterminethelikelihoodofdesignerrorrectificationcostsfromthederivedempiricalprobabilitydistributionwillprovideanameliorated assessment of risk before the commencement of construction. Strategies to reduce design error rectification costs are also discussed. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000439. © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers. Author keywords: Design error; Costs; Probability; Goodness of fit; Distribution fitting.

Management of Remote Construction Projects: The Australian Experience

Australia is currently experiencing considerable growth in remote construction activity largely due to its burgeoning resources sector. Remote construction projects appear to introduce problems not witnessed within urbanised locations. Hence, the aim of this paper is to investigate issues in respect to remote Australian construction projects. The research method used a questionnaire survey to collect data from industry practitioners with experience in remote area construction. The study confirms that many challenges are associated with construction projects based in remote areas. Key findings indicate that personnel recruitment, social issues, productivity, procurement and delivery, pricing aspects, and infrastructure and communications adequacy can be problematic. The research is expected to inform construction industry practitioners on these issues and is thought to hold relevance to others that work within similarly challenging environments.

Influence of Organizational and Project Practices on Design Error Costs

AbstractThe organizational and project-related practices adopted by design firms can influence the nature and ability of people to perform their tasks. In recognition of such influences, a structured survey questionnaire was used to determine the key factors contributing to design error costs in 139 Australian construction projects. Using stepwise multiple regressions, the significant organizational and project-related variables influencing design error costs are determined. The analysis revealed that the mean design error costs for the sample projects were 14.2% of the original contract value. Significant organizational and project factors influencing design error included inadequate training for employees and unrealistic design and documentation schedules required by clients. From the findings, key strategies for reducing design errors that are attributable to organization and project-related practices are identified.

Determining the Probability of Project Cost Overruns

AbstractThe statistical characteristics of cost overruns experienced from contract award in 276 Australian construction and engineering projects were analyzed. The skewness and kurtosis values of the cost overruns are computed to determine if the empirical distribution of the data follows a normal distribution. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Anderson-Darling, and chi-squared nonparametric tests are used to determine the goodness of fit of the selected probability distributions. A three-parameter Frechet probability function is found to describe the behavior of cost overruns and provide the best overall distribution fit. The Frechet distribution is then used to calculate the probability of a cost overrun being experienced. The statistical characteristics of contract size and cost overruns were also analyzed. The Cauchy (<A$1 million), Wakeby (A$1 to 10 million, <A$101 million) and four-parameter Burr (A$11 to 50 million) tests were found to provide the best distribution fits and used to calculate cost overrun p...

Calculating total rework costs in Australian construction projects

In recent years, academic research has focused on identifying the factors that cause construction project rework in an attempt to eradicate its occurrence. The success of these previous studies has been mixed most notably because industry lacked a clear and universal definition of rework. Consequently, findings emanating from studies conducted to date cannot be compared or contrasted and neither can the work be brought together as a homogenous whole. To address this current deficiency, this study first examined previous rework definitions and a priori research in order to develop a clear definition that would placate industry concerns. This definition was then used as the basis for a national questionnaire survey in Australia, which sought to collate data on the total cost of rework; where total cost is a function of direct and indirect rework costs. A total of 161 construction professionals (from a range of occupations) participated in this study and provided much needed evaluations and personal knowledge of rework costs for recently completed projects. The costs of rework were found to be significant, with the mean direct and indirect cost of rework as a percentage of contract value being 6.4% and 5.9%, respectively. There were significant differences identified between the estimates propagated by respondents, this being between design consultants and project managers. Additionally, there were no significant differences found between rework costs and procurement methods used and project types. The article concludes by suggesting that further work is required to develop a system which is capable of identifying rework and estimating the costs.

Determinants of rework in building construction projects

Rework represents the unnecessary effort of redoing a process or activity that is incorrectly implemented the first time. Using a structured questionnaire survey, the causes and costs of rework in 161 Australian construction projects were identified. Respondents were invited to indicate direct and indirect rework costs that would be subsequently combined to produce a total rework cost (TRC) figure. Stepwise linear multiple regression analysis was then used to determine a model that included an optimum mixture of significant variables that contributed or lead to a reduction in TRC for the projects sampled. The research revealed that reworkper secan negatively influence project safety. Client initiated changes and ineffective use of information technology by the design professionals were identified as being significant variables contributing to rework occurrence. Contrary to an earlier presupposition, design scope freezing was also identified as being a significant factor that can contribute to rework.

Capturing rework costs in projects

Rework has become an endemic feature of the procurement process in construction, which invariably leads to time and cost overruns in projects. Thus, in order to improve the performance of projects it is necessary to identify the causes and costs of rework. The research presented in this paper quantifies the causes, magnitude and costs of rework experienced in two Australian construction projects procured using different contractual arrangements. The causes and costs of rework projects are analyzed and discussed. The case study projects’ rework costs were found to be 3.15 per cent and 2.4 per cent of their contract value. Changes initiated by the client and end‐user, as well as errors and omissions in contract documentation, were found to be the primary causes of rework. Recommends that construction companies and consultant firms, particularly design consultants, implement quality management practices as well as place greater attention on the design development process, to prevent rework emerging during the project’s later stages.

Forecast models for actual construction time and cost

The actual construction time and cost of construction projects may be affected by the client, project and contractual characteristics and in many cases can be very different from the contract time and cost. In this paper, details of 93 Australian construction projects are used to develop several models for actual construction time and cost prediction. A forward crossvalidation regression analysis is used for the development of the model for actual construction time forecast when client sector, contractor selection method, contractual arrangement, project type, contract period and contract sum are known. The standard deviation of the deleted residual indicates the best model for actual construction time prediction to comprise the independent variables log contract time, lump sum procurement and non-standard contractor selection. Regression models are also developed for forecasting the actual construction time and cost when client sector, contractor selection method, contractual arrangement and project type are known while contract period and contract sum are estimated. Different forms of regression analyses, including the standard regression and the crossvalidation regression, are used and the crossvalidation regression model with the smallest deleted residual sum of squares is selected. Since these models for time and cost are dependent on the contract period and contract sum being known, it is necessary to investigate the effects in situations where these have to be estimated. The results of the sensitivity analyses show that the errors in predicted actual construction time become smaller as the contract period increases. In contrast, the errors in predicted actual construction cost are virtually the same for large and small projects. The effects of different project type, contractor selection method and contractual arrangement are also examined. The results indicate that the actual construction time for industrial project is the longest when compared with residential, educational and recreational projects and that significant savings in actual construction time can be achieved when negotiated tender and design and build contract are used instead of the traditional open tendering and lump sum contract approaches. Finally, some practical applications of the models are illustrated for predicting the actual construction time and cost based on the risks and uncertainties of different client sector, contractor selection method, contractual arrangement and project type.