Identifying the main causes of delays in public sector construction projects in Kurdistan province

نوع: Type: Thesis

مقطع: Segment: masters

عنوان: Title: Identifying the main causes of delays in public sector construction projects in Kurdistan province

ارائه دهنده: Provider: hazhir adhami

اساتید راهنما: Supervisors: Dr.javad taheri nezhad

اساتید مشاور: Advisory Professors:

اساتید ممتحن یا داور: Examining professors or referees: Dr.seyed mehdi hosseiniyan , Dr.ebrahim ghiyasvand

زمان و تاریخ ارائه: Time and date of presentation: 2025

مکان ارائه: Place of presentation: 44

چکیده: Abstract: Abstract: Numerous infrastructure projects are underway across Iran, annually consuming a significant portion of the public budget. Unfortunately, many of these projects encounter delays during the design or construction phases due to various factors. These delays lead to consequences such as increased financial costs, a rise in claims, and inefficient resource utilization, which can sometimes be substantial enough to constitute project failure. The incidence of delays in public construction projects is considerably more critical than in other sectors of the construction industry, and minimizing or eliminating these delays has become a primary concern for the country's technical and executive systems. Addressing delays in construction projects requires a thorough understanding of their root causes. Many studies worldwide have sought to identify these causes. Key delay factors in public sector projects include limited financial resources, land acquisition disputes, inadequate planning and site management, high inflation impacts, and limitations resulting from sanctions. However, depending on temporal and geographical context, the causes and impact of delays can vary across different projects. To date, it appears that no specific study has been conducted to investigate delay causes in public construction projects in Kurdistan province. Therefore, this study aims to examine these causes and prioritize them based on their impact on project timelines. The research methodology involved a survey-based approach, utilizing a researcher-developed questionnaire to gather data. Reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha, while validity was ensured through input from a group of experts and engineers. The questionnaire was distributed to 109 engineers specializing in client, consulting, and contracting roles on public construction projects in Kurdistan province. Initially, distribution was both physical and online, but as in-person interviews yielded higher completion rates, this method was prioritized. Data collected from the questionnaires were analyzed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) and the Friedman test, processed through SPSS software version 27. The study’s findings reveal the top ten primary causes of delay in Kurdistan province construction projects as follows: inflation, inadequate budget allocation and untimely financial disbursements, a mismatch between cost adjustment rates and inflation, low bidding prices from contractors, the impact of sanctions, weak financial standing of contractors (financial issues faced by contractors), low accuracy in preliminary studies and designs, unrealistic contract durations (inaccurate time estimates), insufficient review of contract documents and site conditions at the bidding stage, and low precision in initial cost estimates. Furthermore, ranking based on delay origins shows that structural and regulatory factors, along with contractor-related factors, have the highest impact on project delays. Following these are consultant-related factors, material and equipment supply issues, and environmental factors, with employer-related factors showing the least impact on project delays. The findings of this study provide provincial managers and engineers with a clear overview of the primary delay causes in order to improve planning and control for future projects. It is expected that these insights will serve as a valuable resource for project management and implementation.