Effect of Implementing Sustainable Management Practices on Construction Claim Mitigation

Abstract

The fragmented management of traditional construction projects, which mainly lacks the integration of project processes, often results in schedule delays and cost overruns. As a result, claims are most likely to arise between the contracting parties. Numerous studies have investigated the influence of integrating sustainable management practices (SMPs) in construction projects on specific project performance objectives, such as cost and quality; however, none has considered the effect of SMPs on claims resolution. Therefore this research investigated the impact of implementing an integration of SMPs clusters on construction claim mitigation. To achieve this goal, an adaptive neurofuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model was developed to establish 12 optimal approaches for integrating SMPs that promote the reduction of 10 different claim types. This study assists construction project management experts in identifying optimal combinations of a minimum number of sustainable management practices that, if implemented together, can help to significantly reduce targeted types of claims. Each construction project is characterized by its uniqueness, complexity, and uncertainty, making it vulnerable to risks, disputes, and severe fluctuation in budget and time of completion. Consequently, it is becoming crucial to adjust the traditional construction management practices into more-sustainable practices to minimize risks and improve the chances of delivering a project with minimum cost and time overruns. Therefore, integrating sustainability concepts into the project management process can support critical planning at very early stages, enhance coordination among key project parties, improve quality of output, increase productivity, and enhance project sustainability performance throughout the useful life of the project. The findings of this study reveal the importance of implementing sustainable management practices in mitigating certain construction claims. This research identified optimal approaches for the implementation of 25 sustainable management practices to avoid the occurrence of 10 frequent claim types. Using the results and models of this study, construction management practitioners can select, considering their project conditions and financial constraints, an ideal combination of critical sustainable management practices that can ensure the effective reduction of major construction claims encountered in their projects.