Establishment of Effective Project Scoping Process for Highway and Bridge Construction Projects
Publication: Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 25, Issue 2
Abstract
The execution of highway and bridge projects commonly subjects state transportation agencies (STAs) to challenges that cause schedule delays and cost overruns. Changes made to the project's scope are critical root causes of these delays and overruns. The main objective of this study is to develop an effective project scoping process (PSP) for highway and bridge construction projects, using the integrated definition (IDEF) modeling technique. To this end, the research team investigated and evaluated the current practices of the PSP by conducting a comprehensive literature review and various in-depth interviews. Three PSPs were developed using the IDEF; then they were analyzed by the research team to select the PSP that best represented key scoping activities and had the highest level of details for further development. The three main functions of the proposed PSP were to select the project, analyze it, and advance the preferred alternative. This process included 20 main activities. This study would assist in the adoption of the most appropriate practices and strategies that lead to mitigating costly scope changes and prevent unnecessary delays for highway and bridge projects.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
National Cooperative Research Highway Program (NCHRP Project 08-88) sponsored this research project. The authors would like to thank the sponsor of this study and the practitioners and professionals who devoted their time and energy to support us in conducting this research.
References
AASHTO. 2013. Practical guide to cost estimating. Washington, DC: AASHTO.
Anderson, S., C. Quiroga, J. Overman, K. Choi, J. Sahu, S. Kermanshachi, P. Goodrum, T. Taylor, and Y. Li. 2016. Effective project scoping practices to improve on-time and on-budget delivery of highway projects. Washington, DC: NCHRP.
Anderson, S. D., and D. J. Fisher. 1997. Constructability review process for transportation facilities. Washington, DC: NCHRP.
Baccurini, D. 1999. “The logical framework method for defining project success.” Project Manage. J. 30 (4): 25–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/875697289903000405.
Bingham, E., and G. Gibson. 2017. “Infrastructure project scope definition using project definition rating index.” J. Manage. Eng 33 (2): 04016037. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000483.
Caldas, C. H., G. E. Gibson, and T. Le. 2007. TxDOT best practices model and implementation guide for advance planning risk analysis for transportation projects. Austin, TX: TxDOT, Univ. of Texas at Austin.
Caltrans. 2009. Transportation management plan guideline. Santa Ana, CA: Caltrans.
CII (Construction Industry Institute). 1995. Pre-project planning handbook. Austin, TX: CII.
Collins, W., K. Parrish, and G. Gibson. 2017. “Development of a project scope definition and assessment tool for small industrial construction projects.” J. Manage. Eng. 33 (4): 04017015. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000514.
Davis, J. P. 1995. “Introduction to IDEF0 Modeling.” In Proc., EDA&T Conf. Brussels, Belgium: Asian Sources Media Group.
Dicks, E., K. Molenaar, and E. Gibson. 2017. “Scope definition of air force design and construction projects.” J. Manage. Eng. 33 (5): 04017028. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000543.
Fagheha, M. K., and A. A. Aidinu. 2013. “Managing project scope definition to improve stakeholders’ participation and enhance project outcome.” Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 74 (Mar): 154–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.03.038.
Hart, J. P., D. Schulz, and D. Happel. 2013. Madison county growth policy. Virginia City, MT: Madison Country Planning Office.
KBSI (Knowledge Based Systems, Inc.). 2013. Integrated definition methods. College Station, TX: KBSI.
Jeong, K. Y., L. Wu, and J. D. Hong. 2009. “IDEF method-based simulation model design and development.” J. Ind. Eng. Manage. 2 (2): 337–359.
Kermanshachi, S., S. D. Anderson, P. Goodrum, and T. R. B. Taylor. 2017. “Project scoping process model development to achieve on-time and on-budget delivery of highway projects.” Transp. Res. Rec. 2630 (1): 147–155. https://doi.org/10.3141/2630-18.
Kermanshachi, S., E. Safapour, S. Anderson, P. Goodrum, T. Taylor, and H. Sadatsafavi. 2018. “Exploring current scoping practices used in the development of transportation infrastructure projects.” In Proc., 12th CSCE Int. Transportation Specialty Conf. Edmonton, Alberta: Canadian Society for Civil Engineering.
Kwartler, M., and R. N. Bernard. 2001. “CommunityViz: An integrated planning support system.” In Planning support systems: Integrating geographic information systems, models and visualization tools, edited by R. K. Brail and R. E. Klosterman, 285–308. Redlands, CA: ESRI Press.
Massachusetts Highway Dept. project development & design guide. 2006. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Dept. of Transportation.
Menzel, C., and J. M. Richard. 2006. “The IDEF family of languages.” In Handbook on architectures of information systems, edited by P. Bernus, K. Mertins, and G. Schmidt, 215–249. Berlin: Springer.
MnDOT (Minnesota DOT). 2013. Scoping process narrative. St. Paul, MN: MnDOT.
NDOT (Nevada DOT). 2010. Project management guidelines, working draft. 2nd ed. Carson City, NV: NDOT.
NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). 1993. Announcing the standard for integrated definition for function modeling (IDEF0). Gaithersburg, MD: NIST.
NYSDOT (New York State DOT). 2004. Project development manual. Albany, NY: NYSDOT.
NYSDOT (New York State DOT). 2006. Project development manual. Albany, NY: NYSDOT.
O’Connor, J. T., S. E. Rusch, and M. J. Schulz. 1986. Constructability improvement during engineering and procurement. Austin, TX: Bureau of Engineering Research Construction Industry Institute.
Odeck, J. 2014. “Do reforms reduce the magnitudes of cost overruns in road projects? Statistical evidence from Norway.” Transp. Res. Part A Policy Pract. 65 (2): 68–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2014.04.005.
ODOT (Oregon DOT). 2013. Project delivery system from idea to construction. Salem, OR: ODOT.
PennDOT (Pennsylvania DOT). 1996. Needs study handbook. Harrisburg, PA: PennDOT.
Safapour, E., S. Kermanshachi, J. Shane, and S. Anderson. 2017. “Exploring and assessing the utilization of best practices for achieving excellence in construction projects.” In Proc., 6th CSCE Int. Construction Specialty Conf. Vancouver, Canada: Canadian Society of Civil Engineering.
Sturdy, G. R. 2010. Business process reengineering: Strategies for occupational health and safety. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars.
WSDOT (Washington State DOT). 2013. Design manual M 2201.09. Olympia, WA: WSDOT.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 25 • Issue 2 • May 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 15, 2018
Accepted: Jan 23, 2019
Published online: Jan 30, 2020
Published in print: May 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Jun 30, 2020
Authors
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.