Technical Papers
Dec 23, 2020

Causal Factors for Engineering Design Defects and Their Impacts

Publication: Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 26, Issue 2

Abstract

Although research has identified factors affecting engineering design defects, these defects remain the primary cause of construction phase rework and poor project performance. The authors consolidated similar causal factors identified from their previous study, reducing the list to 96 unique causal factors. Then, Pearson’s Chi-Square test was used to identify any associations between these causal factors and their impacts. This analysis revealed associations between 96 unique causal factors and the impact priority scores, which indicate the relative frequency and relative impact severity. This study also identified the associations between the 96 unique causal factors and defect impact types. The result of this analysis showed that causal factors related to human resources were found to be significantly associated with higher impact priority scores and increased costs or negative schedule impacts. The significance of this study is the identification of causal factors by category, the identification of the impact of each causal factor, and the defect impact types that are associated with each causal factor. The principal beneficiaries of the analysis include directors and project managers. Design discipline helps to eliminate engineering design quality defects.

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Data Availability Statement

All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.

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Go to Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 26Issue 2May 2021

History

Received: Jun 9, 2020
Accepted: Oct 20, 2020
Published online: Dec 23, 2020
Published in print: May 1, 2021
Discussion open until: May 23, 2021

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Authors

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Jeyoung Woo, Ph.D., M.ASCE [email protected]
P.E.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, California State Polytechnic Univ., Pomona, 3801 W. Temple Ave., Pomona, CA 91768 (corresponding author). Email: [email protected]
James T. O’Connor, Ph.D., M.ASCE [email protected]
P.E.
C.T. Wells Professor of Project Management, Dept. of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station C1752, Austin, TX 78712. Email: [email protected]

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