American Journal of Civil Engineering

| Peer-Reviewed |

An Investigation into Factors Causing Delays in Road Construction Projects in Kenya

Received: 12 March 2015    Accepted: 29 March 2015    Published: 9 April 2015
Views:       Downloads:

Share This Article

Abstract

The majority of road construction projects in Kenya do not get completed within the initially set targets of time. Project delays frustrate the process of development, have an immeasurable cost implication to the society, and also lead to loss of reputation of the parties involved in the projects’ execution. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors causing delays in road construction projects in Kenya. Project delays are a common problem internationally in the construction industry in modern times. Investigating the reasons for delay has become an important contribution to improved construction industry performance. Over seventy percent of projects initiated in Kenya are likely to escalate in time with a magnitude of over fifty percent. The study used purposive sampling technique and survey design. Data was collected using questionnaires which were distributed to consultants and contractors. The data was analyzed using the Relative Importance Index and Spearman’s rank correlation. The top five causes of project delays were observed to be payment by client, slow decision making and bureaucracy in client organization, inadequate planning and scheduling, and rain. It is recommended that clients should improve their financial management systems so that they are able to pay contractors in a timely manner. Bureaucracy and red tape should be reduced in client organizations in order to speed up the slow decision making process. Efficient management of the construction process will also lead to a reduction in incidences of claims. Contractors should prepare adequate plans and schedules which can also be used to minimize the effects of rain.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11
Published in American Journal of Civil Engineering (Volume 3, Issue 3, May 2015)
Page(s) 51-63
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Delay Factors, Project Delays, Road Construction Projects

References
[1] Abdullah, M. R., Rahman, I. A., & Azis, A. A. A. (2010). Causes of Delay in MARA Management Procurement Construction Projects. Journal of Surveying, Construction & Property, 1(1), 123 – 138.
[2] Akogbe, R. T. M., Feng, X., & Zhou, J. (2013). Importanceand Ranking Evaluation of Delay Factors for Development Construction Projects in Benin. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 17(6), 1 – 10.
[3] Alaghbari, W., Kadir, M. R., & Salim, A. (2007). The significant factors causing delay of building construction projects in Malaysia. Engineering Construction and Architectural Management Journal, 14(2), 192 – 206.
[4] Alinaitwe, H., Apolot R., & Tindiwensi, D. (2013). Investigation into the Causes of Delays and Cost Overruns in Uganda's Public Sector Construction Projects. Journal of Construction a. in Developing Countries, 18(2), 33–47.
[5] Al-Tabtabai, H. M. (2002). Causes for Delays in Construction Projects in Kuwait. Engineering i. Journal of the University of Qatar, 15, 19 – 37.
[6] Andi, A., Lalitan, D. & Loanata, V. R., (2010). Owner and Contractor Perceptions Toward Factors Causing Delays in Structural and Finishing Works. Civil Engineering Dimension Journal, 12(1), 8 – 17Asiamah, A. D. A., & Asiamah, O. K. A. (2013). Management of Government Funded Construction Projects in Ghana: Stakeholders’ Perspective of Causes of Delays in Construction of Public Buildings. Journal of International Institute for Science, Technology and Education, 3(12) 149 – 156.
[7] Assaf, S. A., & Al-Hejji, S. (2006). Causes of Delay in Large Construction Projects. International Journal of Project Management, 24(4), 349 – 357. doi: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2005.11.010
[8] Assaf, S. A., Al-Khalil, M., & Al-Hazmi, M. (1995). Causes of Delay in Large Building Construction Projects. Journal of Management in Engineering, 11(2), 45 – 50 Retrieved from
[9] Ayudhya, B. I. N. (2011). Evaluation of Common Delay Causes of Construction Projects in Singapore. Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 5(11), 1027 1034
[10] Baloyi, L., & Bekker, M. (2011). Causes of construction cost and time overruns: The 2010 FIFA World Cup stadia in South Africa. Acta Structilia, 18(10), 51 – 67.
[11] Challal, A., & Tkiouat, M. (2012). Identification of the Causes of Deadline Slippage in Construction Projects: State of the Art and Application. Journal of Service Science and Management, 5, 151 – 159
[12] Desai, M., & Bhatt, R. (2013). Critical Causes of Delay in Residential Construction Projects: Case Study of Central Gujarat Region of India. International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology, 4(4), 762 – 768.
[13] Dolage, D. A. R., & Rathnamali, D. L. G. (2013). Causes of Time Overrun in Construction Phase of Building Projects: A Case Study on Department of Engineering Services of Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council. Engineer Journal of the Institution of Engineers of Sri Lanka. 46(03), 9 – 18. doi: 10.4038/engineer.v46i3.6780
[14] El-Razek, M. E. A., Bassioni, H. A., & Mobarak, A. M. (2008). Causes of Delay in Building Construction Projects in Egypt. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 134(11), 831 – 841.
[15] Fan, S., & Kang, C. C. (2005). Road Development, Economic Growth, and Poverty Reduction in China, International Food Policy Research Institute Retrieved from http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/rr138.pdf
[16] Faridi, A. S., & El-Sayegh, S. M. (2006). Significant Factors Causing Delay in the United Arab Emirates Construction Industry. Construction Management and Economics Journal, 24(11), 1167 – 1176.
[17] Frimpong, Y., Oluwoye, J., & Crawford, L. (2003). Causes of delay and cost overruns in construction of groundwater projects in developing countries; Ghana as a case study. International Journal of Project Management, 21, 321 326
[18] Fugar, F. D. K., & Agyakwah, B. A. B. (2010). Delays in Building Construction Projects in Ghana, Australasian Journal of Construction Economics and Building, 10(1), 103‐116.
[19] Hoai, L. L., Lee, Y. D., & Lee, J. Y. (2008). Delay and Cost Overruns in Vietnam Large Construction Projects: A Comparison with Other Selected Countries. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 12(6), 367 – 377.
[20] Ibironke, O. T., Oladinrin, T. O., Adeniyi, O., & Eboreime, I. V. (2013). Analysis of Non- Excusable Delay Factors Influencing Contractors' Performance in Lagos State, Nigeria. Journal of Construction in Developing Countries, 18(1), 53 – 72.
[21] Kagiri, D., & Wainaina, G. (2008). Time And Cost Overruns in Power Projects in Kenya: A Case Study of Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited. Paper presented at the 4th International Operations Research Society of Eastern Africa (ORSEA) Conference.
[22] Kamanga, M. J., & Steyn, W. (2013). Causes of Delay in Road Construction Projects in Malawi. Journal of The South African Institution of Civil Engineering, 55(3), 79 – 85.
[23] Kholif, W., Hosny, H., & Sanad, A. (2013). Analysis of Time and Cost Overruns in Educational Building Projects in Egypt. International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research, 1(10).
[24] Kikwasi, G. J. (2012). Causes and Effects of Delays and Disruptions in Construction Projects in Tanzania. Australasian Journal of Construction Economics and uilding, Conference Series, 1(2),52 – 59.
[25] Kivaa, P. T. (2000). Developing a Model for Estimating Construction Period: A Survey of Building Projects in Nairobi (Masters Thesis). University of Nairobi
[26] Kometa, S. T., Olomolaiye, P. O., & Harris, F. C. (1994). Attributes of UK Construction Clients Influencing Project Consultants’ Performance. Construction Management and Economics Journal, 12(5), 433 -443.
[27] Kothari, C. R. (1990). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, 2nd Edition, New Delhi, New Age International (P) Ltd
[28] Mahamid, I. (2013). Frequency of Time Overrun Causes in Road Construction in Palestine: Contractors’ View. Organization, Technology and Management in Construction Journal, 5(1), 720 – 729
[29] Mansfield, N. R., Ugwu, O. O., & Doran, T. (1994). Causes of Delay and Cost Overruns in Nigerian Construction Projects. International Journal of Project Management, 12(4), 254 – 260.
[30] Mbatha, C. M. (1986). Building Contract Performance: A Case Study of Government Projects in Kenya (Masters Thesis). University of Nairobi
[31] Memon, A. H. (2014). Contractor Perspective on Time Overrun Factors in Malaysian Construction Projects. International Journal of Science, Environment and Technology, 3(3), 1184 – 1192
[32] Memon, A. H. Rahman, I. A., & Azis, A. A. A., (2012). Time and Cost Performance in Construction Projects in Southern and Central Regions of Peninsular Malaysia. International Journal of Advances in Applied Sciences, 1(1), 45 – 52.
[33] Mohammed, K. A. & Isah, A. D., (2012). Causes of Delay in Nigerian Construction Industry. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(2) 785 – 794
[34] Mustapha, Z. (2013). Accelerated Factors of Delays on Project Delivery in Ghana: A Case Study of Cape Coast Metropolis. Journal of Applied Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, 1(1), 54 – 61.
[35] Nadiri, M. I., & Mamuneas, T. P. (1998). Contribution of Highway Capital to Output and Productivity Growth in the U.S. Economy and Industries, United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
[36] Nkado, R. N. (1992). Construction Time Information System for the Building Industry. Construction Management and Economics Journal, 10(6), 489 – 509.
[37] Ogunlana, S. O., Promkuntong, K., & Jearkjirm, V., (1996). Construction Delays in a fast-growing Economy: Comparing Thailand with other Economies.International Journal of Project Management, 14(1), 37– 45
[38] Owolabi, J. D., Amusan, L. M., Oloke, C. O., Olusanya, O., Tunji, O. P., Owalabi, Omuh, I. (2014). Causes and effects of Delay on Project Construction Delivery Time. International Journal of Education and Research, 2(4), 197 – 208
[39] Patil, S. K., Gupta, A. K., Desai, D. B., & Sajane, A. S. (2013). Causes of Delay in Indian Transportation Infrastructure Projects. International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 02(11), 71 80
[40] Ravisankar, K. L., Anandakumar, S., & Krishnamoorthy, V. (2014). Study on the Quantification of Delay Factors in Construction Industry. International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering, 4(1), 105–113
[41] Sambasivan, M., & Soon, Y. W. (2007). Causes and Effects of Delays in Malaysian Construction Industry.International Journal of Project Management, 25, 517 –526.
[42] Shanmugapriya, S., & Subramanian, K. (2013). Investigation of Significant Factors Influencing Time and Cost Overruns in Indian Construction Projects. International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering, 3(10), 734 – 740.
[43] Sweis, G. J. (2013). Factors Affecting Time Overruns in Public Construction Projects: The Case of Jordan. International Journal of Business and Management, 8(23), 120 – 129.
[44] Sweis, G., Sweis, R., Hammad, A. A., & Shboul, A. (2008). Delays in Construction Projects: The Case of Jordan. International Journal of Project Management, 26, 665 674.
[45] Talukhaba, A. A. (1988). Time and Cost Performance of Construction Projects (Masters Thesis). University of Nairobi
[46] Talukhaba, A. A. (1999). An Investigation into Factors Causing Construction Project Delays in Kenya: A Case Study of High Rise Building Projects in Nairobi (PhD Thesis). University of Nairobi
[47] Uher, T. E. (1996). Cost Estimating Practices in Australian Construction. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management Journal, 3(1), 83 – 95.
[48] Walker, D. H. T., (1994), An Investigation into Factors that Determine Building Construction Time Performance (PhD Thesis). Royal Melbourne Institute of Technolog Australia.
[49] Wong, K., & Vimonsatit, V. (2012). A Study of the Factors ffecting Construction Time in Western Australia. Scientific Research and Essays, 7(40), 3390 – 3398.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Msafiri Atibu Seboru. (2015). An Investigation into Factors Causing Delays in Road Construction Projects in Kenya. American Journal of Civil Engineering, 3(3), 51-63. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Msafiri Atibu Seboru. An Investigation into Factors Causing Delays in Road Construction Projects in Kenya. Am. J. Civ. Eng. 2015, 3(3), 51-63. doi: 10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Msafiri Atibu Seboru. An Investigation into Factors Causing Delays in Road Construction Projects in Kenya. Am J Civ Eng. 2015;3(3):51-63. doi: 10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11,
      author = {Msafiri Atibu Seboru},
      title = {An Investigation into Factors Causing Delays in Road Construction Projects in Kenya},
      journal = {American Journal of Civil Engineering},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {51-63},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajce.20150303.11},
      abstract = {The majority of road construction projects in Kenya do not get completed within the initially set targets of time. Project delays frustrate the process of development, have an immeasurable cost implication to the society, and also lead to loss of reputation of the parties involved in the projects’ execution. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors causing delays in road construction projects in Kenya. Project delays are a common problem internationally in the construction industry in modern times. Investigating the reasons for delay has become an important contribution to improved construction industry performance. Over seventy percent of projects initiated in Kenya are likely to escalate in time with a magnitude of over fifty percent. The study used purposive sampling technique and survey design. Data was collected using questionnaires which were distributed to consultants and contractors. The data was analyzed using the Relative Importance Index and Spearman’s rank correlation. The top five causes of project delays were observed to be payment by client, slow decision making and bureaucracy in client organization, inadequate planning and scheduling, and rain. It is recommended that clients should improve their financial management systems so that they are able to pay contractors in a timely manner. Bureaucracy and red tape should be reduced in client organizations in order to speed up the slow decision making process. Efficient management of the construction process will also lead to a reduction in incidences of claims. Contractors should prepare adequate plans and schedules which can also be used to minimize the effects of rain.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - An Investigation into Factors Causing Delays in Road Construction Projects in Kenya
    AU  - Msafiri Atibu Seboru
    Y1  - 2015/04/09
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11
    T2  - American Journal of Civil Engineering
    JF  - American Journal of Civil Engineering
    JO  - American Journal of Civil Engineering
    SP  - 51
    EP  - 63
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8737
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajce.20150303.11
    AB  - The majority of road construction projects in Kenya do not get completed within the initially set targets of time. Project delays frustrate the process of development, have an immeasurable cost implication to the society, and also lead to loss of reputation of the parties involved in the projects’ execution. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors causing delays in road construction projects in Kenya. Project delays are a common problem internationally in the construction industry in modern times. Investigating the reasons for delay has become an important contribution to improved construction industry performance. Over seventy percent of projects initiated in Kenya are likely to escalate in time with a magnitude of over fifty percent. The study used purposive sampling technique and survey design. Data was collected using questionnaires which were distributed to consultants and contractors. The data was analyzed using the Relative Importance Index and Spearman’s rank correlation. The top five causes of project delays were observed to be payment by client, slow decision making and bureaucracy in client organization, inadequate planning and scheduling, and rain. It is recommended that clients should improve their financial management systems so that they are able to pay contractors in a timely manner. Bureaucracy and red tape should be reduced in client organizations in order to speed up the slow decision making process. Efficient management of the construction process will also lead to a reduction in incidences of claims. Contractors should prepare adequate plans and schedules which can also be used to minimize the effects of rain.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Education and External Studies, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Sections