TECHNICAL PAPERS
Dec 1, 1995

Risk Management Perceptions and Trends of U.S. Construction

Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 121, Issue 4

Abstract

This paper discusses the current attitude of large U.S. construction firms toward risk, and determines how these contractors conduct construction risk management. The paper is based on a survey of the top 100 large U.S. contractors. After discussion of the current views, the results are compared with a risk survey conducted by ASCE. The study shows that in recent years, contractors have been more willing to assume risks that accompany contractual and legal problems in the form of risk sharing with the owner. Risks of this type include change-order negotiations, third-party delays, contract delay resolutions, and indemnification and hold harmless. The survey also found that contractors currently assume the risk associated with actual quantities of work, a notable difference from the findings of the ASCE survey. Finally, the attitude of contractors toward the practice of defensive engineering is determined. This is significant, as no previous survey has addressed or sought to quantify allocation or importance of this task.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

References

1.
Ammiano, M.(1988). “Risk management cuts losses and costs.”Contractor, 35(8), 40–41.
2.
Bullock, W. M. (1989). “Who pays for the unexpected in construction: a contractors viewpoint.”Proc., Constr. Congr. I, ASCE, New York, N.Y.
3.
Burtch, C. E. (1979). “Concept to commissioning: how risky the trip?”Proc., Constr. Risk and Liability Sharing Conf., Vol. I, ASCE, New York, N.Y., 7–15.
4.
Casey, J. J. (1979). “Identification and nature of risks in construction projects: a contractor's perspective.”Proc., Constr. Risk Liability Sharing Conf., Vol. I, ASCE, New York, N.Y., 17–23.
5.
“Construction risks and liability sharing.” (1979). Proc., Constr. Risk and Liability Sharing Conf., Vols. I and II, ASCE, New York, N.Y.
6.
Erikson, C. A. (1979). “Risk sharing in construction contracts,” PhD thesis, Civ. Engrg. Dept., Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, Ill.
7.
“Executive summary.” (1979). Proc., Constr. Risk and Liability Sharing Conf., Vol. II, ASCE, New York, N.Y., 4.
8.
Knise, D.(1988). “Insurance needs.”Contractor, 35(3), 61.
9.
Kulhawy, F. H., and Mayne, P. W. (1990). “Manual on estimating soil properties for foundation design.”Tech. Rep., EL-6800, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, Calif.
10.
Lifson, M. W. (1982). Decision and risk analysis for construction management . Wiley-Interscience, New York, N.Y.
11.
Malpas, W.(1990). “Management: minimizing construction risks.”Progressive Arch., 71(6), 61.
12.
McKim, R. A.(1992). “Systematic risk management approach for construction projects.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 118(2), 414–415.
13.
Nocharli, P. H., and Haynes, K. T. (1991). “Applied project risk management.”Proc., Project Mgmt. Inst. Annu. Seminar Symp., Project Management Institute, Drexel Hill, Pa., 236–238.
14.
Smith, B. M., Smith, L. E., and Smith, O. E. Jr. (1991). “Improving public works project management using project schedule risk analysis.”Proc., Proj. Mgmt. Inst. Annu. Seminar Symp., Project Management Institute, Drexel Hill, Pa., 287–296.
15.
“Top 400 Contractors.” (1992). ENR, 228(21), 58–79.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 121Issue 4December 1995
Pages: 422 - 429

History

Published online: Dec 1, 1995
Published in print: Dec 1995

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

Authors

Affiliations

Roozbeh Kangari
Assoc. Prof., Civ. and Envir. Engrg. School, Georgia Inst. of Technol., Atlanta, GA 30332-0355.

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Download citation

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

Cited by

View Options

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share with email

Email a colleague

Share