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Causes and Effects of Delays in Construction of Water Supply Projects

This document summarizes a dissertation submitted to the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka regarding causes and effects of delays in construction of water supply projects. The study identifies through a questionnaire the most important factors causing delays such as inclement weather, contractors' financial difficulties, shortage of labor, and ineffective project planning. It also finds the most important effects of delays are time overruns, cost overruns, funding difficulties, and disputes. The dissertation develops an expert system using a rule-based tree to help project managers better understand and manage delays in medium-scale water supply construction projects.

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100 views2 pages

Causes and Effects of Delays in Construction of Water Supply Projects

This document summarizes a dissertation submitted to the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka regarding causes and effects of delays in construction of water supply projects. The study identifies through a questionnaire the most important factors causing delays such as inclement weather, contractors' financial difficulties, shortage of labor, and ineffective project planning. It also finds the most important effects of delays are time overruns, cost overruns, funding difficulties, and disputes. The dissertation develops an expert system using a rule-based tree to help project managers better understand and manage delays in medium-scale water supply construction projects.

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Tesfu
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© © All Rights Reserved
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CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DELAYS IN

CONSTRUCTION OF WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS

W.D. Anuruddha Perera

The Dissertation was submitted to the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of
Moratuwa in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Science

Department of Civil Engineering


University of Moratuwa
Srilanka
February 2010

94520
Abstract
National Water Supply and Drainage Board is the pioneer organization for supplying pipe borne drinking
water to the nation. Every year it implements a large number of water supply projects throughout the
country using local funds as well as foreign donor funds. Many of these projects experience extensive
delays and thereby affect the socio economic development of the country. Therefore, there is a necessity
to address this issue without delay and help the project management teams for understanding and better
management of delay situations.

This study takes an attempt to identify the causes and effects of delays in construction of medium scale
water supply projects in Sri Lanka and develop an expert system for better understanding of the identified
major delays in the study. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to a randomly selected sample
of professionals representing both clients and contractors who are engaged in the construction of medium
scale water supply projects. A total of eighty three construction professionals were responded and the
ranking of the factors were done based on severity, frequency of occurrence and importance.

Results of the analysis of the responses to the questionnaire indicate that inclement weather conditions,
contractors' financial difficulties, shortage of labour, rules and regulations of road authorities, delays in
sub contractors' work, material import delays and ineffective planning and scheduling of project by
contractor are among the most important factors causing delay in construction of medium scale water
supply projects .On the other hand. time overruns, cost overruns. funding difficulties. develop unfair
relationships with other parties and disputes are among the most important effects due to delay.

Most of the projects are executed through contracts and it has been faced difficulties in managing these
delays although there are enough tools and techniques available for project management. Therefore, the
rule based tree expert system developed in this study will help the project management teams for
understanding and better management of delays in construction of medium scale water supply projects.

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