Understanding Causes for Construction Claims in Hydropower Projects
Publication: Journal of Management in Engineering
Volume 39, Issue 5
Abstract
Hydropower project construction faces huge complexities and uncertainties. Construction claims are very likely to occur, creating losses to contractors and resulting in damage at project level such as breakdown in multiparty cooperation and delays in project completion. Previous studies tended to use subjective methods such as interviews and questionnaires to collect data for claim management research, and did not explore how causal factors interact and evolve to claims. This study aims to explore relationships among causal factors of construction claims (CFCCs), identify critical CFCCs, reveal direct and fundamental causes of claims, and tailor strategies to improve claim management. This work was based on 192 project cases collected from field investigations and academic and official sources; 58 CFCCs and 140 claim causation chains were extracted, forming CFCC networks. CFCCs (nodes) with high total degree and intermediary centrality values in the networks, such as schedule delay, cost increase, and increase of quantities were most critical. Preventing these factors will help eliminate claims. CFCCs with high out-degree values, such as client scope change, changes in construction conditions, construction interruption, and natural hazards, will cause more CFCCs and should therefore be particularly controlled. Besides, CFCCs with high clustering coefficients, such as influence of weather, design errors or omissions, inconsistency between drawings and bill of quantities, construction without advance payment from client, and insufficient site reconnaissance, need to be properly handled because their neighboring nodes can easily influence each other. It was also found that most CFCCs related to engineering influence would directly cause construction claims, and CFCCs pertaining to contractors’ behaviors and external risks tended to fundamentally contribute to construction claims in hydropower projects. The findings and management strategies of this study provide references for claims managers in practice, and are valuable for academics exploring claim management mechanisms in other types of projects.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (Grant No. 2023A1515011433), the Shenzhen Natural Science Fund (the Stable Support Plan Program 20220810155553002), and the Yichang Natural Science Research Project (Grant No. A22-3-017).
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Management in Engineering
Volume 39 • Issue 5 • September 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 23, 2022
Accepted: May 11, 2023
Published online: Jul 4, 2023
Published in print: Sep 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Dec 4, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Business management
- Claims
- Colleges and universities
- Construction engineering
- Construction management
- Contracts and subcontracts
- Dispute resolution
- Education
- Energy engineering
- Energy sources (by type)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Field tests
- Hydro power
- Legal affairs
- Litigation
- Management methods
- Practice and Profession
- Project management
- Renewable energy
- Tests (by type)
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