Relative Importance Index Method Research Articles

Main Risk Factors Causing Delays in GAP Construction Projects in Turkey by Using Relative Importance Index (RII) Method

Main Risk Factors Causing Delays in GAP Construction Projects in Turkey by Using Relative Importance Index (RII) Method

The effect of communication on construction project management processes during the covid-19 pandemic period: a case study in Türkiye

The construction industry has had to struggle with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in all sectors. In this process, effective communication has become more significant. This study is aimed to evaluate the significance of effective communication in the COVID-19 process in the Turkish construction industry. Moreover, the causes of communication problems during the project management process and the communication problems among the project stakeholders were investigated. A survey study was applied and the data suitability to the normal distribution was examined using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The significance relations between the seven different demographic characteristics of the sample and the answers were determined using the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H tests. The relative importance index (RII) method was used to determine the participants' perceptions regarding relative importance. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the views of architects and engineers on the significance of communication in the construction industry as well as investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic period. This study provides a basis for construction practitioners and scientists who aim to examine the significance of effective communication in the construction industry and the communication problems experienced under the impact of the pandemic. Moreover, it will contribute to the elimination or minimization of communication-related issues. It will help managers and stakeholders in the construction industry develop strategies to avoid what may occur in ensuring effective communication due to any pandemic such as COVID-19.

Development of a Framework for Risk Assessment in Building Demolition Works

The demolition process in construction projects is risky and involves many hazards that may lead to several accidents ranging from minor injury to fatality. These hazardous activities impose risk to contractors, employers and workers, and the public. Nowadays, these demolition operations are increasing in every corner of India because of redevelopment policies, new bylaws, outdated design, and aging of buildings and habitation facilities to accommodate the increasing population in the limited land area. Still, in most places, demolition operations depend on contractors’ knowledge without following any proper standard or framework. Therefore, this study attempts to develop a framework for risk assessment in the demolition of buildings that involves three phases: identifying, assessing, and giving control measures to potential hazards. In this direction, this study identified 40 potential hazards with the help of existing literature, field survey, and expert interviews; and categorized them into seven categories. For assessment, the standard 5×5 risk matrix methodology of the British Standard 8800:2004 is used, which gives the risk value to each hazard, thereby categorizing the hazard with respect to the level of acceptance. The Relative Importance Index (RII) method is then used for ranking the identified risks. Considering the obtained likelihood and severity of each hazard, fall from height and noise pollution are identified as the most and least significant hazards, respectively. Finally, control measures are suggested. The outcome of this study shows the priority order of demolition hazards from major to minor. It gives an idea to demolition practitioners for which hazard has to be eliminated or mitigated primarily with their respective control measures. It also benefits policymakers to formulate a policy or law on demolition safety.

Modification and implementation of bridge maintenance process in south Gujarat

Bridge maintenance is a critical aspect in bridge transportation. It is a necessary social infrastructure for daily life. Surat has 118 bridges that have been built or are being built. There are no effective bridge maintenance systems or inspection regulations in place, resulting in bridge degradation. The maintenance process is repeated every five years; however, the time lapse causes further damage and repair work. The objective of this study was to identify the factors affecting bridge maintenance. This study is divided into two parts: questionaire survey and analyses the factors affecting bridge maintenance policy. The RII (Relative Importance Index) approach is used to analyses. Top 5 factors were determined by RII method that are traffic volume, surrounding environment, unfavorable government policy, live load and other load for which the bridge to be design and weather effect. Improvement factors are given for bridge maintenance.

The disruptive factors and longevity effects of Covid-19 and Brexit on the SMEs construction supply chain in the UK

PurposeSupply chain disruptions have a significant impact on overall project delivery. This study aims to identify the supply chain disruptive factors and develop a framework to mitigate the disruptive effects on the supply chain. Covid-19 and Brexit disruption and their longevity effects in the short, medium and long term on the supply chain are relied upon to develop the framework.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a mixed-method approach with a sequential explanatory design. The main disruptive factors were identified through a literature review, and key factors were selected through a focus group exercise. A questionnaire survey was carried out to sample opinions from the practitioners; 41 questionnaires were received and analysed using the relative importance index (RII) method for ranking the factors and percentage frequency distribution to determine the longevity effects. Five follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted over the telephone and later transcribed.FindingsThe results of Covid-19 disruption indicate that material cost increase ranked first (RII: 0.863), logistics cost increase and supply chain interaction ranked second and third, respectively. They have long-term, medium-term and short-term longevity effects, respectively. The lowest-rated factors were communication (RII: 0.561), staff shortages (RII: 0.629) and impact on relationships (RII: 0.639). The three most ranked Brexit disruptive factors are supply chain interaction (RII: 0.775), material cost increase (RII: 0.766) and logistic and haulage delay (RII: 0.717). The first two factors have long-term effects, and the logistics and haulage delays have a medium-term impact. The mitigating solutions suggested in the framework are collaborative working, stronger resilience to external forces and better transparency and communication that will lead to good relationships among the supply chain members.Research limitations/implicationsThe scope of the study was limited to the UK construction industry; however, the pandemic effect on supply chain can serve as critical learning curve in other developed and developing countries.Practical implicationsThe study will help the government and construction firms to understand the focal areas of importance in solving the supply chain disruption problems based on the effects of Brexit and Covid-19. The research would be useful in ensuring the proactive involvement of the government and contracting firms in their preparedness for similar events in the future. The results could be interpreted for critical learning in other developed/developing countries.Originality/valueIdentifying and ranking the supply chain disruptive factors affecting the small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK construction industry has been the focal point of this study. The study also proposes a simple but effective framework comprising the highly ranked factors, their longevity effects and mitigating measures. This will help the SMEs manage future/similar external events affecting the supply chain.

Factors Contributing to Increased Building Fire Incidents in Sri Lanka

Aim: Despite the existence of established fire codes, the frequency of building fires in Sri Lanka has been on the rise in recent years. The primary objective of building codes is to ensure minimum acceptable fire safety standards in buildings, but deviations from the code can increase fire risk factors and exacerbate the severity of fires. This study aims to identify and rank such risk factors in three stages, beginning with design and concluding with maintenance. Introduction: Metodologia tego badania obejmuje podejście jakościowe, które uwzględnia przegląd literatury, ankietę opartą na kwestionariuszu oraz częściowo ustrukturyzowane wywiady ze specjalistami z branży pożarniczej. Kwestionariusz został opracowany w kontekście Sri Lanki. Wykwalifikowany i doświadczony zespół specjalistów ds. pożarnictwa został poproszony o uszeregowanie przygotowanego kwestionariusza, który został podsumowany w dwunastu kategoriach ryzyka. Chociaż metod oceny ryzyka pożarowego jest niewiele, w niniejszym badaniu zastosowano metodę wskaźnika względnej istotności. Wyniki uzyskane z pięciostopniowej skali Likerta, gdzie „1” to najmniejszy poziom ryzyka, a „5” to najwyższy poziom ryzyka, zostały przekonwertowane w celu identyfikacji priorytetów z RII. Project and methods: The methodology of this research consists of a qualitative approach, which includes a literature review, a questionnaire-based survey, and semi-structured interviews with fire industry professionals. The questionnaire was developed in a Sri Lankan context following an extensive literature review that included the author's experience. The qualified and experienced panel of fire specialists was asked to rank the prepared questionnaire, which was summarized into twelve risk categories. Though there are few fire risk ranking methods, the relative importance index method was applied in this research as it is simple and easy to use for ranking the risk factors. The results obtained from the five-point Likert scale, where “1” is the least risk level and “5” is the highest risk level, were converted to identify priorities with RII. Results: In the Sri Lankan context, it was discovered that issues with design and the approval of inaccurate building plans are the first and second major isk factors, respectively, out of the twelve categories identified. Thus, it was evident that deviations made at the design stage are the most significant risk factors, according to the Sri Lankan setting. Most of the mistakes that are made at the design stage cannot be rectified at a later stage under normal conditions, as it could incur huge costs to change the building structures. Conclusions: The study summarizes twelve factors that contribute to fire-related incidents in Sri Lankan buildings. Among these factors, the survey data shows that incorrect building design and the approval of inaccurate building plans for construction are the primary contributors to the high frequency and severity of fire-related incidents. Despite the availability of comprehensive fire safety regulations in Sri Lanka, the research reveals a significant gap in their implementation, from design to maintenance. These findings stress the importance of incorporating fire and safety management criteria into the building design stage, covering both construction and subsequent maintenance, to prevent fire incidents in Sri Lanka. Keywords: prescriptive fire codes, fire risk factors, fire risk assessment, fire risk ranking, building fire safety

DISASTER RESILIENCE RURAL COMMUNITY (DRRC) COMMUNITY CAPITALS: CASE STUDIES IN THE RURAL AREA OF EAST COAST, PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

According to scholars in disaster and resilient-related studies, the focus in building a resilient community in disaster is the need to understand three capitals particularly economic, social, and environmental. This study aims to identify the capitals of internal and external resilience factors for the flood-related disasters experienced by three rural communities in Malaysia. A total of 43 resilience factors were identified from the three key capitals. Field research was carried out to identify the internal and external factors that had contributed to the resilience of the rural communities to floods in Malaysia. Case studies and a questionnaire survey were conducted in the following households: (1) Lubok Setol village in Kelantan state; (2) Teladas village in Terengganu state; and (3) Gajah Mati village in Pahang state. A total of 90 respondents participated in the survey that was carried out from January 2018 (right after the major flood occurred in December 2017) to mid-February 2018. Data analysis was carried out using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method mainly for prioritising and categorising answer key components of community resilience. Responses that received higher RII scores were ranked higher or given a higher priority compared to factors with a lower RII score. Findings indicate that the respondents agreed that all three community capitals strongly influence DRRC.

Delay Analysis of Road Construction Projects using RII Method

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to propose and recommend a tool for contractors before the bidding stage to calculate the effect of delay in road construction projects by finding the relative importance index (RII) method. Through a rigorous literature search and interviews with road construction professionals, 95 delay causes were discovered and classified into 9 broad groups for this purpose. The relative importance index approach was used to calculate the relative relevance of delay factors and groups. The ranking of these factors and groups were illustrated in terms of their impact on delay. The factors and groups that are most and least responsible for the delays were explored.

Risk Identification and Assessment in 24x7 Water Supply Scheme for DMA under Smart City project

Abstract: The objective of this thesis is to propose a decision support tool for contractors to assess the likelihood of risks in water supply system projects before the execution stage. The approach combines fuzzy logic with the relative importance index (RII) method to quantify the probability of these risks. By conducting a comprehensive literature review and expert interviews, a total of 51 distinct risk factors were identified and categorized into seven groups. The RII method was employed to determine the relative importance of each risk factor, and the ranking of both the factors and groups was established based on their level of importance. The case study results facilitated a discussion on the most influential factors and groups that require attention in terms of risk probability. The outcomes were deemed satisfactory and appropriate for the purpose of this thesis.

Factors Of Affecting The Occurrence Of Cost Overruns In Construction Projects During COVID-19 Pandemic

Construction project is a design and specification process that involves coordinating all project resources such as labor, equipment, materials, fund, and technology, to complete the project on time, according to budget and standards. But since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many construction projects have experienced Cost Overruns, especially in the jabodetabek area. Cost Overrun is very influential on the success of a construction. Therefore, research is needed on ranking factors that influence the occurrence of Cost overruns on a construction project during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, data will be collected through literature studies, then surveyed using questionnaires a Likert scale, a scale of 1-5 then given to each construction service provider to measure the level of influence of factors and by Relative Importance Index (RII) method will find the ranking of factors that influence the occurrence of cost overruns. Of the 20 factors obtained after the validity and reliability test, 13 factors were obtained. Using the RII method sought rankings from the 13th of such factors. The result obtained is the lack of preparation for unexpected costs has the highest influence of 0.811.

Quantitative Assessment of Destination Service Quality of the Buddhist Circuit Using Relative Importance Index

This paper aims to quantitatively assess the destination service quality of the Buddhist Circuit, a network of sacred Buddhist sites located in India. The quality of destination services is critical to visitor satisfaction, which, in turn, affects the sustainability of the tourism industry. Despite the popularity of the Buddhist Circuit as an iconic tourism circuit, little is known about the quality of services offered at the site, which could impact the overall visitor experience. A quantitative research design is followed based on a structured questionnaire survey. The empirical data for the study was collected at five prominent destinations along the Buddhist Circuit: Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, Vaishali, and Sarnath. The data gathered from the survey was analyzed using the relative importance index (RII) method. The study identified key service attributes that shape the destination service quality of the Buddhist Circuit and highlighted areas for improvement. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers, destination management organizations (DMOs), and service providers to enhance service quality and improve the visitor experience at the Buddhist Circuit.

Relative Importance of Barriers and Levers to Intercropping Systems Adoption: A Comparison of Farms and Co-Operatives

This paper focuses on the barriers and levers to the adoption of Wheat–Pea intercropping systems. More precisely, we define a hierarchy of the main barriers and levers to adoption using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method. This method allows comparison of incentives, negative (brakes) and positive (levers), for adoption at two levels of the value chain, i.e., the farmer and the co-operative level. For this comparison, we conducted two surveys: one on 71 Belgian farmers and the other on 19 French co-operatives. Our results show that the barriers of high importance for the farmers are both internal and external, while the co-operatives consider only internal barriers. That is, the farmers mainly focus on external (market access and public subsidies) and internal (lack of technical advice and extension, as well as collection and storage problems) obstacles to evaluate the intercropping system. For the co-operatives, the most important barriers are related to the sorting and storage of the mixture (internal barriers). Regarding levers, farmers and co-operatives converge on the importance of almost the same external levers, e.g., building new value chains through contracts and labeling, specific extension services for farmers and logistical support for co-operatives.

Delay in Decision-Making Affecting Construction Projects: A Sustainable Decision-Making Model for Mega Projects

The construction industry is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, since it directly and indirectly contributes to several other industries. It has been observed that delays in the decision making of important stakeholders negatively impact construction projects. Thus, this has multiple consequences on project performance. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to identify the primary causes of delayed decision-making and offer a decision support model for timely construction project decisions. For factor identification, a comprehensive literature analysis was conducted, followed by an analysis of questionnaire responses of ninety-one professionals. For data analysis, the relative importance index (RII) method was applied. The results indicate that client decision-making delays pose a substantial obstacle for building projects. The early decision-making process is impacted by a lack of technical competence, incomplete paperwork, poor leadership, and coordination/communication issues. The proposed model could also assist project practitioners in improving their project decision making. This research study encourages stakeholders to create and implement an efficient decision-making procedure for timely project decisions. A procedure for decision making that is successful could decrease delays in the decision-making process and prevent conflicts and disputes in projects.

Organisational Elements Controlling the Labour Efficiency in Sri Lankan Road Construction Projects: Engineers’ Perspective

Labour efficiency is crucial for a construction firm’s long-term viability. According to recent studies, modernising organisational and administrative procedures is essential to improving labour efficiency in many developing countries, including Sri Lanka. The perspectives of construction engineers play a key role in strengthening organisational policies and management practices in the construction industry. As a result, based on the viewpoint of construction engineers, this study aims to identify the critical organisational elements that highly influence labour efficiency in Sri Lankan road construction projects. The elements/factors were qualitatively discovered after a thorough literature review. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted among construction engineers employed by 31 Sri Lankan road construction contractors. The Relative Importance Index (RII) method was used to quantify each element’s level of influence on labour efficiency. Based on RII values, 33 organisational elements were determined as critical, where lack of communication and cooperation between the parties, delay in salary payment and lack of labour training facilities were determined as the top three ranking elements in the list. The validity and reliability of the results were confirmed by additional statistical tests. Using problem-based communication strategies, industry consultations were conducted among construction experts to determine the necessary future measures from relevant authorities based on the identified critical elements. These consultation outcomes suggest that the organisational policies of construction enterprises currently in place addressing financial procedures, communication strategies, resource management, performance management and training development practices must be improved in light of the new normal conditions facing the industry. The study findings might help to close the gap between management/organisational policies and workforce practices. Despite the fact that the study findings are limited to the Sri Lankan road construction industry, some of them could be used to address comparable issues in other developing nations.

Labour-related Causes Controlling the Efficiency of Road Construction Operations in Sri Lanka: Engineers’ Standpoint

The efficiency of workforce operations has a significant impact on how profitable a construction firm is. Studies from the past demonstrate that a variety of labour-related concerns have been affecting the construction sector in Sri Lanka and other developing countries, which has a negative impact on the efficiency of construction activities. Construction engineers are crucial resources who can play a key role in the development of decisions and regulations pertaining to construction labourers. This study intends to examine the influence of labour-related causes on the efficiency of construction operations in Sri Lankan road construction projects from the perspective of construction engineers. The significant labour-related causes were identified by a comprehensive scholarly review. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 31 road construction contractors in Sri Lanka. The impact level of each cause was calculated using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method. A total of 26 causes were found to be critical, where labour skill shortage, labour discipline, labourers’ poor ability of reading, understanding, speaking and writing, labourers’ lack of thinking abilities and their communication problems were the top five ranking causes in the list. The validity and reliability of the study findings were established using statistical testing. The activities required in the construction site management processes were also evaluated in relation to the key variables identified through a number of industry consultative sessions. These consultative outcomes further confirmed the validity of the study results. The study findings will significantly aid in modernising current industry practices to boost output and efficiency. Even though the study findings are applicable and limited to the Sri Lankan road construction sector, some of those may still be considered in other developing sectors/countries.

Understanding Social Conflict in Indonesian Infrastructure Projects Based on the Causes and Impacts

As an archipelagic country with high cultural diversity, development projects in Indonesia are required to involve the community as a stakeholder appropriately. However, community engagement in the project is a dilemma where society can be a good supporter, while on the other side, it can be a risk factor. This research aimed to determine the type of project conflict that affects social conflict between the project and the local community and the impacts arising from social conflict. This study used 40 data on infrastructure projects in Indonesia collected from the questionnaire and analyzed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method. This research revealed that value conflict was the most influential type causing social conflict, followed by affective, task-related, and rule-related conflicts. A personal relationship is the biggest impact caused by the project's social conflict, followed by the impact of cost, CSR, time, and the local workers' satisfaction. This research indicated that social values and norms still influenced the local community's life. Project managers can use these findings to develop conflict management strategies according to local socio-cultural conditions in order to reduce the potential for project-related conflict to escalate into social conflict. For further research, these results can be used as a reference in developing an appropriate environmental and social framework under the socio-cultural conditions of the Indonesian community; thus, social conflicts can be avoided, and project performance can be achieved according to the specified goals.

Studying the causes of delays in construction projects: the case of Qatar infrastructure projects

Background: This study aims to examine the causes of delay in construction projects, particularly in the case of infrastructure projects in Qatar. The most critical delay causes were analyzed in the perception of the project’s three participants: clients, contractors, and consultants. A literature review was conducted to highlight possible delay causes in other countries. There were gaps in detecting the causes of delay due to the lack of studies on Qatar infrastructure projects. Methods: The deductive approach has been used in this study for the quantitative method. It provides a new framework or theory for identifying the causes of delay. The quantitative method used a questionnaire that was created through Survey Monkey. The number of participants was one hundred thirty-three. The questionnaire included forty-one questions in four sections, one sheet for participant information, nine questions about personal data, thirty questions about delay causes, and two questions about delay effects. Results and Discussion: The data analysis was conducted on a questionnaire to rank the causes of delays by the Relative Importance Index (RII) method. Further analysis was undertaken to interpret the data by regression analysis. The results showed that client changing orders during construction was the most significant delay cause in Qatar infrastructure projects. Conclusions: The research aim was achieved by meeting its objectives. Several recommendations were suggested to reduce delays’ influence on Qatar's infrastructure projects. Research limitations were identified for this study.

Assessing Critical Criteria for Historical Archeological Buildings in Iraq

-This research was conducted to identify and evaluate the relative importance of the criteria in an archaeological building. Open and closed questionnaires were used and interviews with experts and specialists from many ministries and governorates were conducted to identify the most important criteria. The aim determines what factors influence historic archaeological building success, and which criteria should be used to determine the best response. The data were analyzed with the SPSS V25 program using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method to determine the relative importance of the considered 15 variables. RII allows the identification of the most important criteria based on responses from participants, and it is a useful tool for prioritizing indicators rated on Likert-type scales. The data were analyzed using a formula from a previous study's relative index analysis method. Providing information or a database of historic old buildings ranked first with RII = 92%, and providing information on the changes taking place in old buildings ranked second with RII = 88%.

Identifying the key attributes of fresh water crisis in Dhaka city: A structural equation modeling approach

Abstract This paper aims to analyze how user behavior and climate change influence the freshwater demand in metropolitan areas. In total, 406 observations were obtained from different respondents in Dhaka city via an online survey. Our research demonstrates that the data are reliable and acceptable for factor analysis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is adopted to show the relationships between the parameters. The model fit parameters (CFI, NFI, TLI, RMSEA, and so on) are used to choose the best structural equation (SE) model. Additionally, responses are analyzed by the relative importance index (RII) method and compared with the SEM results. This study shows that personal water waste and natural crises substantially impact the freshwater crisis. Excessive use of water during showering, washing clothing and dishes, washing vegetables, and pool refilling are the most common ways to wastewater. Furthermore, the ground layer in Dhaka city is gradually reducing due to the natural crisis, but the WASA pump's capacity is insufficient to pump up this water. This research aids policymakers in identifying the key attributes that are contributing to the urban freshwater crisis.

Causes of Variation Orders in Road Construction Projects in Tanzania

Background: Variation order has long been an essential component of road construction projects worldwide, being predominantly observed in Tanzania, where road projects are particularly vulnerable. Objective: This study aimed to determine the sources of variation orders in Tanzanian road construction projects and provide a feasible remedy, such as reduction or eradication. Methods: A desk study and questionnaire were utilized as the research approach and analyzed using the relative importance index (RII) method. Results and Discussion: The results reveal that the most significant circumstances causing variation orders are financial problems, weather conditions, differing site conditions, changes in design, poor scheduling, lack of coordination, delay in approval, unavailability of equipment, and lack of communication. Conclusion: Recommended strategies to minimize variation orders were that all involved parties should plan before the commencement of on-site work and perform detailed site investigations. Consultants should ensure that the design and specifications are within the approved budget. All participants were required to spend adequate time in the pretender planning phase. Finally, accurate information and research should be obtained regarding procurement procedures, materials, and plants.