Improving the Process of Disruption Claims: Identification of the Difficulties and Expectations
Publication: Journal of Management in Engineering
Volume 40, Issue 1
Abstract
Construction projects often face disruptions that can impact project delivery and result in disruption claims. However, dealing with these claims is a complex process due to the challenges involved in proving them, which often leads to disagreements and disputes between contracting parties. This study aims to identify (1) the difficulties encountered in the disruption claims process, (2) their impacts, and (3) the success criteria for handling such claims. To achieve this, 22 disruption claims experts in Australia were interviewed. Difficulties were identified across different stages of disruption claims, including preparation and submission, assessment, and resolution. The findings revealed that nine difficulties were associated with the preparation and submission, seven with the resolution and six with the assessment of disruption claims. According to the experts, the most prevalent difficulty in all stages of disruption claims is the lack of contemporaneous information and records. Moreover, the major impact of these difficulties is the occurrence of disputes between contracting parties, resulting in significant cost and time implications. The experts also emphasized that the availability of relevant information (28%) and achieving commercial success (20%) are crucial factors for a successful disruption claim process. Furthermore, this research proposes a conceptual framework based on information management and the utilization of modern technologies, such as drones, cameras, radio frequency identifiers (RFIDs), building information modeling (BIM), project management software programs, big data and machine learning. The aim is to simplify the disruption claims process and minimize the occurrence of disputes.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The financial support provided by the University of Melbourne through the Melbourne Research Scholarship (MRS) to undertake this research is gratefully acknowledged. The authors would also like to acknowledge the comments from reviewers, which helped to improve the quality of the manuscript.
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Published In
Journal of Management in Engineering
Volume 40 • Issue 1 • January 2024
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 22, 2023
Accepted: Aug 16, 2023
Published online: Oct 16, 2023
Published in print: Jan 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Mar 16, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Architectural engineering
- Building information modeling
- Building management
- Business management
- Claims
- Construction engineering
- Construction management
- Contracts and subcontracts
- Dispute resolution
- Engineering fundamentals
- Information management
- Legal affairs
- Litigation
- Practice and Profession
- Project delivery
- Project management
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