Management of Delays Incurred by Contractors in Road Construction Projects in Sri Lanka

Construction industry plays a very important role in the economy of a country. A major problem faced by the industry is the delays incurred in construction, which cause all project participants, including the contractors, to suffer. To manage the delays, their causes and effects need to be studied. The aim of this research was to identify the strategies that can manage the significant delays incurred by the contractors in road construction projects implemented in Sri Lanka. The study included a literature review, expert inter views and a questionnaire survey to gather data. The data gathered were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using manual content analysis and relative importance index (RII), respectively. The findings of the study revealed that the problems associated with the subcontractors and shortage of material cause the most significant contractor-related delays in road construction projects and that lengthy litigation is the most significant effect of those delays. The most significant strategy for the management of these delays is the use of an efficient quality management system. Moreover, it was found to be important to minimize the delays and to enhance the efficiency of construction during the planning and construction stages of the project.