Major Contributors to Project Delays

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Construction project delays are the result of a complex interplay of interconnected factors across multiple domains. Research across different project types consistently identifies specific cause categories, though their relative importance varies with project characteristics.

1. Planning, Scheduling, and Scope Management

A 2022 UK construction industry survey[1] found that almost one third of respondents identified poor original planning and unrealistic scheduling as the number one reason for delays in construction projects. The problem manifests when project teams fail to adequately consider scope, budget, timeline, and required resources before work begins.​ Underestimation of project duration leads to unrealistic scheduling that leaves no buffer for inevitable challenges.

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Change orders and design changes during construction constitute another major contributor to delays. Studies[2] identify this as the most common cause for time overruns, acknowledged by contractors, consultants, and clients alike. Scope modifications interrupt established workflows, require redesign, and necessitate rescheduling of dependent tasks.​ And delays in approving major scope changes, when decision-makers are reluctant to quickly consent to necessary modifications, worsen the effect.

ROQUE.AI Cure allows for on-going project Re-Scheduling and rational decision making. The AI-powered Construction Schedule Simulator of ROQUE.AI can run multiple “what-if” scenarios in just a fraction of the time and cost necessary by traditional means, providing exact quantification of expected overruns and optimum selection of mitigation blend. Decision Makers can act faster if they understand the stake and feel confident that they are going to spend only what is absolutely necessary.

2. Resource Availability and Management

A 2021 study[3] determined material shortages an procurement delays as a major contributor to project overruns. Specific problems include shortage of key materials, long lead times, and lateness in material procurement. Supply chain disruptions have become increasingly severe post-pandemic.​

ROQUE.AI Diagnosis allows for Sensitivity Analyses, i.e. for an assessment of the Construction Schedule’s high or low dependence on the eventual occurrence of high-risk events, like delivery delays or material shortages. In this way Schedule's fragility or resilience in the face of different eventualities could be determined, allowing to focus proactively on the potential disruptions with the highest time and / or cost implications.

The same study[3] identified labour and equipment constraints as another major contributor to project delays, of similar importance to the above. Labour shortages are always a reality in booming or overheated markets, whereas, even if labour is available, productivity could be negatively affected by inadequate supervision, worker fatigue, or adverse conditions. ​On the other hand, equipment shortages and failures directly halt work activities, with the effect being enhanced in case spare parts or replacement units are unavailable.

ROQUE.AI Cure allows for Schedule Optimisation, i.e. for optioneering in view of the available options (e.g. works’ resequencing, temporal and/or spatial reallocation of resources, overtime work etc.), to identify the optimum mitigation blend to achieve a specific project (time and / or cost) target, in alignment with project's priorities (delivery on time for a time-sensitive project vs on budget for a cost-sensitive one).

3. External and Uncontrollable Factors

Weather and climate conditions rank also among the most significant delay causes across international research[4]. Depending on geographic location, adverse conditions can include heavy rain, snow, extreme heat, or natural disasters. Unfavourable site conditions also include unexpected soil composition, hidden subsurface infrastructure, environmental contamination, or structural decay not apparent during site assessment.

ROQUE.AI Diagnosis allows for Sensitivity Analyses, i.e. for an assessment of the Construction Schedule’s high or low dependence on the eventual occurrence of high-risk events, like site unavailability due to a period of extreme weather conditions or exposure of hidden remains of archaeological interest. In this way Schedule's fragility or resilience in the face of different eventualities could be determined, allowing to implement contingencies in the Schedule, related to potential disruptions with the highest time and / or cost implications.

4. Communication, Coordination, and Experience

Poor communication and coordination between project stakeholders have been identified as another major contributor to construction project delays in multiple studies[4]. Site and office teams are rarely on the same page in relation to the actual project status, whereas Status reports, the more detailed they are, the more incomprehensible they become for those with non-technical background. When owners, contractors, consultants, and suppliers fail to share information effectively, decisions are delayed, errors occur, and conflict resolution becomes protracted.​

ROQUE.AI VisualTwin allows for Project Mapping, i.e. for a simple (at-the-touch-of-a-button) and reliable (up-to-date) tempo-spatial visual representation of the actual project status, based on consolidated input collected via diverse sources (satellite, drone, or surveillance imagery, site reporting etc.). It constitutes an all-in-one progress monitoring and reporting platform, comprehensible even by non-experts, establishing common grounds among all stakeholders and enabling more agile and effective management, without on-site visits.

5. Construction monitoring

Finally, inefficient construction monitoring ranks high in all studies related to causes of time overruns in construction projects, as it does not allow for an early identification of either Schedule or Quality deviations, necessitating immediate mitigative / corrective action. This results in delays cascading, and tasks proceeding incorrectly, requiring remediation. 

ROQUE.AI  VisualTwin  allows  for  Progress  &  Quality  Tracking,  via  Remote  Visual 

Analysis (RVA). The RVA of ROQUE.AI utilises state-of-the-art AI image recognition algorithms, trained on actual project imagery, to process satellite, drone or surveillance footage.  Frequency and type of shooting could be tuned to match required level of detail, facilitating early identification of potential overruns and quality deviations, and efficient communication and alignment between on-site and remote teams.

References

1. https://www.cornerstoneprojects.co.uk/blog/delays-in-the-construction-industry-our-2022-survey-results-and-how-they-compare-to-2016/

2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263786305001262

3. https://blog.ganttpro.com/en/reasons-for-construction-project-delays/

4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8085700/