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Dr. Pramen Shrestha
Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Department, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA

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0 Asset Management
0 Construction Management
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0 Project Delivery Methods
0 Sustainable project management

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Earlycite article
Published: 18 June 2021 in Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
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Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the barriers and constraints executive decision-makers have to face during the delivery method selection stage of water and wastewater projects using alternative project delivery (APD) methods, e.g. design-build (DB), design-build-operate (DBO) and construction management-at-risk (CMAR). Design/methodology/approach Structured interviews were conducted with 18 executive decision-makers from public agencies to identify the reasons for transitioning to APD from the design-bid-build (DBB) method. Respondents were also asked about the major obstacles they faced during the decision-making process, as well as key positive and negative factors in using APD methods. The executive decision-makers were also asked about their lessons learned during this process. In addition, this study collected key steps in making APD water and wastewater projects successful. All of the findings from the interview phase were validated by seven public agency executive decision-makers of water and wastewater industries. Findings One major study finding was that executive decision-makers chose the APD method because it provided cost and schedule benefits and the owner could also choose the designer or builder based on qualifications. The study also found that the main obstacles executive decision-makers faced were: (1) difficulty in implementing APD methods because they do not follow the low-bid process, (2) reluctance to use DB/CMAR because of the status quo and (3) unfamiliarity of city councils/elected commissions with the DB/CMAR process. The validation survey found that most findings from the initial phase of interviews were confirmed by the executives who took part in validation phase. Research limitations/implications The major limitation of this research is the small sample size. As the executive decision-makers are very hard to reach for interviews, the authors failed to get interviews from a large number of them, despite repeated efforts made by the authors. Another limitation of this study is that the authors contacted most of the executive decision-makers listed in the WDBC list. These executive decision-makers worked for public agencies and, therefore, the views from private agencies could not be included in this research. The authors understand that the validation of the study findings is very important. However, due to the scope and limited time available for the research, the authors could not validate the findings of this study with other public agencies. Practical implications Selecting APD methods instead of DBB methods in water and wastewater projects for public agencies is a crucial issue during the project planning phase. Agencies' executive decision-makers need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of APD methods, along with the transition process in order to smoothly deliver projects. The findings of this study will assist public agency executive decision-makers to mitigate risks, overcome obstacles and become more educated about the APD method process, so that these projects can be successfully delivered within budget and on time. Originality/value This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge by identifying lessons learned related to various APD method issues, which can be utilized by municipal executive decision-makers to successfully complete future APD projects.

ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Jacimaria R. Batista. Transition from traditional to alternative project delivery methods in water and wastewater project: executive decision-makers' perspective. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 2021, ahead-of-p, 1 .

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Jacimaria R. Batista. Transition from traditional to alternative project delivery methods in water and wastewater project: executive decision-makers' perspective. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 2021; ahead-of-p (ahead-of-p):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Jacimaria R. Batista. 2021. "Transition from traditional to alternative project delivery methods in water and wastewater project: executive decision-makers' perspective." Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management ahead-of-p, no. ahead-of-p: 1.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2020 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Brandon Davis; Ghada M. Gad. Investigation of Legal Issues in Construction-Manager-at-Risk Projects: Case Study of Airport Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2020, 12, 04520022 .

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Brandon Davis, Ghada M. Gad. Investigation of Legal Issues in Construction-Manager-at-Risk Projects: Case Study of Airport Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2020; 12 (3):04520022.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Brandon Davis; Ghada M. Gad. 2020. "Investigation of Legal Issues in Construction-Manager-at-Risk Projects: Case Study of Airport Projects." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 12, no. 3: 04520022.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2020 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha. Legal Issues and Lessons Learned with Project Delivery Systems. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2020, 12, 02020002 .

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha. Legal Issues and Lessons Learned with Project Delivery Systems. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2020; 12 (3):02020002.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha. 2020. "Legal Issues and Lessons Learned with Project Delivery Systems." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 12, no. 3: 02020002.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2020 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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ACS Style

Krishna P. Kisi; Rujan Kayastha; Pramen P. Shrestha. Back Charges in Construction Contract: Case Study of Airport Project. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2020, 12, 05020010 .

AMA Style

Krishna P. Kisi, Rujan Kayastha, Pramen P. Shrestha. Back Charges in Construction Contract: Case Study of Airport Project. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2020; 12 (3):05020010.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Krishna P. Kisi; Rujan Kayastha; Pramen P. Shrestha. 2020. "Back Charges in Construction Contract: Case Study of Airport Project." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 12, no. 3: 05020010.

Journal article
Published: 01 July 2020 in Journal of Management in Engineering
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The construction industry has insufficient interest and participation from women, as well as an existing gender wage gap. To address these issues, a better understanding of the recent situation regarding gender workforce biases and income differences is required. Therefore, this study analyzes employment levels and wage distributions in 2015 by gender through data collected from reputable sources, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Data USA, and the US Census Bureau, on employment and wage gaps related to gender in the construction industry. This data was normalized, and an analysis was conducted to compare males and females versus the total population and median wages. The analysis confirms the existence of gaps in both of these areas, reports that this trend has remained steady over the years, and identifies the top ten construction occupations in which discernable gaps from Data USA can be observed. The purpose is to emphasize the latest status of construction industry employment and wage discrepancy related to gender. This study will contribute to the area of workplace diversity and discrimination by drawing the attention of decision-makers to the problem and encouraging them to develop approaches to reduce disparities. Subsequently, with the attainment of the preceding objectives, the researchers hope this technical note can help increase the interest and sustain participation of women across the construction industry.

ACS Style

Binit K. Shrestha; Jin Ouk Choi; Pramen P. Shrestha; Jaewon Lim; Saba Nikkhah Manesh. Employment and Wage Distribution Investigation in the Construction Industry by Gender. Journal of Management in Engineering 2020, 36, 06020001 .

AMA Style

Binit K. Shrestha, Jin Ouk Choi, Pramen P. Shrestha, Jaewon Lim, Saba Nikkhah Manesh. Employment and Wage Distribution Investigation in the Construction Industry by Gender. Journal of Management in Engineering. 2020; 36 (4):06020001.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Binit K. Shrestha; Jin Ouk Choi; Pramen P. Shrestha; Jaewon Lim; Saba Nikkhah Manesh. 2020. "Employment and Wage Distribution Investigation in the Construction Industry by Gender." Journal of Management in Engineering 36, no. 4: 06020001.

Journal article
Published: 01 July 2020 in Journal of Management in Engineering
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Over the last recent decades, the economic status of women has been changed significantly. Gender segregation levels have decreased, and women have started participating in male-dominated occupations like construction occupations. Nevertheless, the gender wage gap in construction occupations persists, which is one of the issues related to attracting more females to the construction industry. So far, no comprehensive study has been conducted on the gender wage gap in the construction occupation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to portray the gender wage gap in construction occupations. Additionally, the spatial analysis of the gender wage gap is of paramount importance not only for its academic interest but also for its major role in area-based public policies that are targeted at eliminating inequalities. The researchers used recent survey data and commercially available software for spatial analysis. Analyses were performed at global (Moran’s I) and local [local indicators of spatial association (LISA)] levels to test for the presence of spatial patterns. The results of the LISA analysis have shown spatial autocorrelation at local levels, which highlights the status of gender wage gaps in construction-related occupations in various states. This study will contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the area of labor and personnel issues, specifically workplace diversity and discrimination, and help the construction industry to better understand the wage gap, further investigate the problem, and make an effort to decrease it, which will help the industry attract more females.

ACS Style

Saba Nikkhah Manesh; Jin Ouk Choi; Binit Kumar Shrestha; Jaewon Lim; Pramen P. Shrestha. Spatial Analysis of the Gender Wage Gap in Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Construction Occupations in the United States. Journal of Management in Engineering 2020, 36, 04020023 .

AMA Style

Saba Nikkhah Manesh, Jin Ouk Choi, Binit Kumar Shrestha, Jaewon Lim, Pramen P. Shrestha. Spatial Analysis of the Gender Wage Gap in Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Construction Occupations in the United States. Journal of Management in Engineering. 2020; 36 (4):04020023.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Saba Nikkhah Manesh; Jin Ouk Choi; Binit Kumar Shrestha; Jaewon Lim; Pramen P. Shrestha. 2020. "Spatial Analysis of the Gender Wage Gap in Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Construction Occupations in the United States." Journal of Management in Engineering 36, no. 4: 04020023.

Journal article
Published: 01 May 2020 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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Changes made during the construction period generally generate claims, cost overruns, and schedule delays. Although there are publications relating to these concerns, because of geotechnical reasons on transportation projects there is a dearth of studies specifically focusing on bridge projects. Therefore, this study aims to learn the causes of claims, change orders, and cost overruns associated with geotechnical reasons for bridge projects. It also focuses on the impacts of geotechnical-related problems and identifies measures for their mitigation. For this study, survey questionnaires were received from 53 state DOTs engineers and from 43 engineer consultants. Through the survey, nine geotechnical-related problems from the design phase were identified. Based on analysis, the top four geotechnical-related problems with negative impacts on the costs, schedules, and claims of bridge projects were found as lack of sufficient boring locations, misclassified or mischaracterized soil, dewatering due to seepage problem, and design change in superstructure. The survey results also showed that the three major preventive measures to reduce geotechnical-related change orders were reported as the designer should have detailed knowledge about the geotechnical information of the project site, detailed site investigation with a experienced consultant, and development and implementation of minimum standards for subsurface investigation and site characterization.

ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Krishna P. Neupane. Identification of Geotechnical-Related Problems Impacting Cost, Schedule, and Claims on Bridge Construction Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2020, 12, 04520005 .

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Krishna P. Neupane. Identification of Geotechnical-Related Problems Impacting Cost, Schedule, and Claims on Bridge Construction Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2020; 12 (2):04520005.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Krishna P. Neupane. 2020. "Identification of Geotechnical-Related Problems Impacting Cost, Schedule, and Claims on Bridge Construction Projects." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 12, no. 2: 04520005.

Journal article
Published: 01 May 2020 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Jacimaria Batista. Lessons Learned in Design-Build and Construction-Manager-at-Risk Water and Wastewater Project. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2020, 12, 04520002 .

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Jacimaria Batista. Lessons Learned in Design-Build and Construction-Manager-at-Risk Water and Wastewater Project. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2020; 12 (2):04520002.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Jacimaria Batista. 2020. "Lessons Learned in Design-Build and Construction-Manager-at-Risk Water and Wastewater Project." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 12, no. 2: 04520002.

Journal article
Published: 01 May 2020 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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State DOTs have been using traditional contracts with prescriptive specifications to procure road maintenance work. However, performance-based contracts (PBCs) have been used for design-build (DB) projects after the DB project delivery method was introduced in the construction of highways. However, state DOTs are lagging behind in using PBCs in road maintenance work. Therefore, there is a knowledge gap about how to prepare, procure, and implement PBCs for road maintenance work. To fill this gap, the authors conducted a series of interviews with state DOT maintenance engineers, as well as professional experts in this area, to develop a framework for striping maintenance contracts. The framework consists of three phases: contract document preparation, contract procurement, and contract implementation. The step-by-step process of how to create contract documents as well as how to procure PBC for maintenance works and implement them are laid out in this study. A panel of 42 members, consisting of state DOT engineers and professional experts, was created to conduct a Delphi study to investigate various issues related to PBCs for striping maintenance work. The study developed a visual representation framework to prepare, procure, and implement performance-based striping maintenance contracts. The results of this study are presented in the framework, which consists of 15 common issues in PBC striping contracts. Recommendations related to legal issues arising from this type of contract are also highlighted.

ACS Style

Kishor Shrestha; Pramen P. Shrestha. Framework Development of Performance-Based Striping Maintenance Contracts. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2020, 12, 04520014 .

AMA Style

Kishor Shrestha, Pramen P. Shrestha. Framework Development of Performance-Based Striping Maintenance Contracts. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2020; 12 (2):04520014.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kishor Shrestha; Pramen P. Shrestha. 2020. "Framework Development of Performance-Based Striping Maintenance Contracts." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 12, no. 2: 04520014.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2020 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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Changes in legislation and increases in the complexity of airport projects have led owners to expand the use of alternative project delivery methods, such as the lump-sum design-build (DB) method. The objective of this study was to investigate and present lessons learned from the use of lump-sum DB on large-scale airport projects during planning, procurement, closeout, and operations. To achieve this objective, a literature review was conducted in order to examine primary procurement, contractual, and legal issues pertinent to lump-sum DB in airport projects. A case study of a lump-sum DB central utility plant project is presented, which included construction of new maintenance facilities, replacement and construction of new piping for utility distribution, and electrical and communication systems. The lessons learned from the case study include the importance of maintaining an adequate management involvement level, which can help the design-builder avoid project delays but still protects the owner from design liabilities. Another key lesson learned is the provision of adequate training to management and staff in procurement and management of lump-sum DB projects in order to avoid potential claims. The study’s main contribution is in shedding light on the use of lump-sum DB by addressing untapped legal and contractual issues associated with large-scale airport capital programs.

ACS Style

Ghada M. Gad; Brandon Davis; Pramen P. Shrestha; Medya Fathi. Legal and Contractual Issues in Lump-Sum Design-Build Implementation on Large-Scale Airport Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2020, 12, 05019011 .

AMA Style

Ghada M. Gad, Brandon Davis, Pramen P. Shrestha, Medya Fathi. Legal and Contractual Issues in Lump-Sum Design-Build Implementation on Large-Scale Airport Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2020; 12 (1):05019011.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ghada M. Gad; Brandon Davis; Pramen P. Shrestha; Medya Fathi. 2020. "Legal and Contractual Issues in Lump-Sum Design-Build Implementation on Large-Scale Airport Projects." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 12, no. 1: 05019011.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2020 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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According to previous studies, change orders in general lead to delays in design-bid-build (DBB) projects. However, none of the studies have determined such a relationship in design-build (DB) projects. To address this issue, the current paper focuses on change-order- and schedule-related performance differences in highway and water and wastewater projects built using the DB method. To do so, this study collected data from 53 DB highway and 44 DB water and wastewater projects and compared change orders and schedule performance. The average project cost of highway and water and wastewater projects were $128 million and $58 million, respectively, converted to base costs of 2018. In addition, 98% of the highway and 68% of water and wastewater projects used a best value procurement method to select a design-builder and 93% of the projects used a lump sum contract. The t-test results showed that change orders, which are the percentage of extra costs added to the original contract amounts, were significantly higher in DB highway projects (4.5%) than those in DB water and wastewater projects (0.43%). In contrast to this, the construction intensity of DB highway projects was found to be significantly higher than that of water and wastewater projects. The results also showed that the percentage of DB highway projects having positive change orders (76%) was higher than the percentage of DB water and wastewater projects with positive change orders (41%). When the total cost of change orders was calculated, it was found that $123 million of change orders were added in highway projects, whereas in water and wastewater projects only $0.94 million of change orders were added. These findings indicate that DB water and wastewater projects received greater benefits in terms of change orders compared to highway projects. In contrast, DB highway projects were designed and built faster than DB water and wastewater projects. The primary contribution of this study is that in comparison to DB highway projects, DB water and wastewater projects had fewer change orders but lower construction intensity. This finding is opposite to that of DBB projects in the sense that the projects that had fewer change orders had better schedule performance. The authors would recommend conducting similar types of studies with larger sample sizes and with other types of projects, such as residential buildings, commercial buildings, and railroad projects.

ACS Style

Medya Fathi; Pramen P. Shrestha; Binita Shakya. Change Orders and Schedule Performance of Design-Build Infrastructure Projects: Comparison between Highway and Water and Wastewater Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2020, 12, 04519043 .

AMA Style

Medya Fathi, Pramen P. Shrestha, Binita Shakya. Change Orders and Schedule Performance of Design-Build Infrastructure Projects: Comparison between Highway and Water and Wastewater Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2020; 12 (1):04519043.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Medya Fathi; Pramen P. Shrestha; Binita Shakya. 2020. "Change Orders and Schedule Performance of Design-Build Infrastructure Projects: Comparison between Highway and Water and Wastewater Projects." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 12, no. 1: 04519043.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2019 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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Over the last decade, with legislation changes and increased project complexity, some airports started using progressive design-build (DB) project delivery, a variation of the traditional DB model. This is because it allows owners to hire a designer-builder without a price commitment until reasonable design details are defined. This paper, thus, aims at investigating and presenting lessons learned in planning, procurement, contract formation, and management of progressive DB. The methodology incorporated a comprehensive literature review of major procurement, contractual, and legal issues pertinent to delivering airport projects using progressive DB. Ten overarching aspects were identified and were further investigated on a California terminal expansion project case study, encompassing two progressive DB contracts. Results show that owners select progressive DB for schedule compression and delayed locking of contract price reasons. Lessons learned encompassed moving project handover responsibility to the designer-builder, closely tracking and participating in the design development process, and vigilantly handling cost-saving provisions so as not to jeopardize project quality.

ACS Style

Ghada M. Gad; Brandon Davis; Pramen P. Shrestha; Patrick Harder. Lessons Learned from Progressive Design-Build Implementation on Airport Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2019, 11, 04519020 .

AMA Style

Ghada M. Gad, Brandon Davis, Pramen P. Shrestha, Patrick Harder. Lessons Learned from Progressive Design-Build Implementation on Airport Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2019; 11 (4):04519020.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ghada M. Gad; Brandon Davis; Pramen P. Shrestha; Patrick Harder. 2019. "Lessons Learned from Progressive Design-Build Implementation on Airport Projects." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 11, no. 4: 04519020.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2019 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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For design-bid-build (DBB) projects, the assumption is that because the bid cost of the lowest bidder is usually below the estimated cost of the project, change orders during construction will increase. This study collected data on 615 small highway DBB projects (with costs of less than $1 million) from the Florida DOT (FDOT) related to the construction of roads and structures, and determined the correlation between these two variables. The study determined whether change orders affected cost and schedule performance; for projects that had no change orders or negative change orders, cost and schedule performance were significantly better than for of projects that had positive change orders. The results of this study demonstrate that projects that had positive change orders were those in which the contractors submitted bids significantly higher than those submitted for projects that had no change orders or negative change orders, even though—in both groups—the bids were lower than the estimated costs. An in-depth analysis showed that the projects that had no change orders or negative change orders had significantly lower cost and schedule growth as well as higher construction intensity compared to those of projects that had positive change orders. These results indicate that change orders have detrimental effects on cost and schedule growth, as well as construction intensity in small highway projects. The researchers recommend using a change order management process in order to reduce the effects of change orders on project costs and schedule performance. The researchers also recommend conducting a similar study with the data of all state DOTs in order to test whether the effect of change orders on cost and schedule performance of highway projects is similar to this study. The major contributions of this study to the body of knowledge are that the low bid had no effect on change orders, and positive change orders increased the cost and schedule growth as well as decreased the construction intensity of the small highway projects.

ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Ruiko Maharjan. Effect of Change Orders on Cost and Schedule for Small Low-Bid Highway Contracts. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2019, 11, 04519025 .

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Ruiko Maharjan. Effect of Change Orders on Cost and Schedule for Small Low-Bid Highway Contracts. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2019; 11 (4):04519025.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Ruiko Maharjan. 2019. "Effect of Change Orders on Cost and Schedule for Small Low-Bid Highway Contracts." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 11, no. 4: 04519025.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2019 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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A Delphi study was conducted with maintenance engineers of state DOTs in the United States to identify the causes and preventive measures of change orders (COs) in road maintenance projects. Five road maintenance activities that are frequently conducted were selected in order to identify the causes and preventive measures of COs; these were chip seal, striping, asphalt overlay, slope repairs, and debris removal. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values, which showed the overall agreement of the respondents as to the causes and preventive measures of COs, were determined. It was found that the respondents had excellent agreement with the causes of change orders for all activities (ICC>0.75), except for the causes of change orders for chip seal. This study found that the main causes of COs on maintenance projects were due to incorrect work scope, errors in the estimate, changes in the original plan, and changes in specifications for materials, as well as failure to verify the work site conditions before signing a contract. In addition, the respondents showed a high level of agreement with the preventative measures of COs for all types of maintenance activities (ICC>0.82). Some important preventive measures to reduce COs that were identified included reviewing the specifications before bid solicitation, preparing accurate estimates, reviewing design drawings, measuring the work done with the contractor, and performing a thorough geotechnical site investigation before designing. Identifying the causes and preventive measures of COs in road maintenance projects can provide valuable information for maintenance engineers to help them plan maintenance work so that a significant amount of COs can be reduced in these types of projects. This paper will also provide a summary of causes and measures to minimize COs in a format that can be easily used by state DOT engineers in their road maintenance contracts.

ACS Style

Kabindra K. Shrestha; Pramen P. Shrestha. Change Orders on Road Maintenance Contracts: Causes and Preventive Measures. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2019, 11, 04519009 .

AMA Style

Kabindra K. Shrestha, Pramen P. Shrestha. Change Orders on Road Maintenance Contracts: Causes and Preventive Measures. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2019; 11 (3):04519009.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kabindra K. Shrestha; Pramen P. Shrestha. 2019. "Change Orders on Road Maintenance Contracts: Causes and Preventive Measures." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 11, no. 3: 04519009.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2019 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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Few studies have been conducted to evaluate change orders in design-build (DB) projects, examining their impacts on cost and schedule performance, and their relationship with project size. This study analyzed cost, schedule, and change order data for 125 DB building projects to check whether the number of change orders for DB projects was higher than for design-bid-build (DBB) projects. All of the DB projects considered in this study had fixed their final guaranteed maximum price (GMP) before the design was 100% completed. One of the advantages of the DB delivery method is constructability, in which the designer can solicit feedback from construction personnel during the design phase; this can reduce the number of change orders. Results indicated that there were fewer change orders during DB building projects compared with DBB building projects. In addition, the percentage of projects that had cost overruns (21%) was significantly lower than that for projects that had cost underruns or were completed on budget (79%). In addition, the percentage of change orders in projects that had schedule overruns was not significantly higher than that in projects that had no schedule overruns; among other findings, the number of change orders increased as the size of the project increased (r=0.59).

ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Medya Fathi. Impacts of Change Orders on Cost and Schedule Performance and the Correlation with Project Size of DB Building Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2019, 11, 04519010 .

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Medya Fathi. Impacts of Change Orders on Cost and Schedule Performance and the Correlation with Project Size of DB Building Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2019; 11 (3):04519010.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Medya Fathi. 2019. "Impacts of Change Orders on Cost and Schedule Performance and the Correlation with Project Size of DB Building Projects." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 11, no. 3: 04519010.

Journal article
Published: 11 April 2019 in Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
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Purpose Change orders (COs) adversely affect the cost and schedule of projects, specifically during the construction phase. COs of 95 new public school building projects contracted by the Clark County School District (CCSD) of Nevada were analyzed to quantify the cost and schedule growth as well as to determine the effect of COs on cost and schedule growth. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from CCSD through questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics and statistical tests were conducted to determine the effect of COs on cost and schedule growth. Findings It was found that the average amount of COs as well as cost and schedule overruns were 5.9, 3.0 and 7.4 percent, respectively. Statistical tests showed that the amount of COs had an adverse effect on schedule growth; schedule overruns in projects with less than 4 percent COs were significantly lower than projects with more than 4 percent COs. Cost overruns did not significantly differ in those two types of projects. The primary contribution of this study is that it provides the tools and the framework for school district engineers to determine the probability of the occurrence of COs as well as the optimum percentage of COs for a minimum effect on cost and schedule growth of new public school buildings. Probability curves were also developed to determine the likelihood of the occurrence of COs, cost growth and schedule growth in these projects. These findings could be used by school districts to avoid or reduce COs in future projects, minimizing the effect on cost and schedule growth during the construction phase. Research limitations/implications The findings and the probabilities curves developed in this study should be used carefully in other cases. These data were specific to the owner, location and types of buildings and generalizing these findings may have negative consequences. Practical implications The practical implications are that this study could provide a tool to school building administrators to determine the probability of having COs as well as cost and schedule overruns and the effects of COs on cost and schedule overruns. To the authors’ best knowledge, no other studies of this type have been conducted previously. Social implications The social implication of this study is it will help to efficiently use the tax payers’ money while building new school buildings. Originality/value This study has collected the hard data of COs, cost and schedule data of CCSD new school building projects. Therefore, the data are from the projects completed by CCSD. So, the paper is written from the original data received from CCSD.

ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Kabindra Kumar Shrestha; Haileab B. Zeleke. Probability of change orders and the effect on cost and schedule for new public school buildings. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 2019, 26, 1087 -1104.

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Kabindra Kumar Shrestha, Haileab B. Zeleke. Probability of change orders and the effect on cost and schedule for new public school buildings. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 2019; 26 (6):1087-1104.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Kabindra Kumar Shrestha; Haileab B. Zeleke. 2019. "Probability of change orders and the effect on cost and schedule for new public school buildings." Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 26, no. 6: 1087-1104.

Journal article
Published: 11 February 2019 in Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
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Purpose To maintain road systems in the USA, state departments of transportation (DOTs) generally use in-house workers or private contractors. Limited studies have calculated the cost savings of hiring private contractors; however, most of them have not calculated cost savings based on life-cycle costs (LCCs). The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the LCC of chip seal and stripping maintenance activities performed by in-house workers are cheaper than those performed by private contractors. Design/methodology/approach The paper collected the hard cost data of chip seal and stripping maintenance activities performed by state DOT in-house workers, as well as private contractors, from 2003 to 2016 from the Nevada DOT Maintenance and Asset Management division. Statistical tests were conducted to test the research hypothesis that the LCC of chip seal and stripping activities performed by in-house workers are significantly less than those performed by private contractors. Findings The study results showed that the cost per unit and LCC of chip seal and striping work performed by in-house workers were significantly less than those performed by private contractors in Nevada. Research limitations/implications The study only collected data from Nevada DOT, so readers should use caution in generalizing the findings of this study. Additionally, factors affecting the cost of these maintenance activities for private contractors are significantly different compared to in-house contractors. Therefore, these differences may be some of the potential reasons for cost difference between these two methods. Practical implications The practical implications of this study are that state DOT engineers need to plan for outsourcing chip seal and stripping maintenance activities only to private contractors that are cost effective, based on life-cycle cost. Originality/value The LCC analysis framework developed in this study will help state DOT engineers to determine cost savings by using in-house workers for road maintenance works.

ACS Style

Kishor Shrestha; Pramen Shrestha; Mylinh Lidder. Life-cycle cost comparison of chip seal and striping: in-house workers versus private contractors. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 2019, 26, 927 -944.

AMA Style

Kishor Shrestha, Pramen Shrestha, Mylinh Lidder. Life-cycle cost comparison of chip seal and striping: in-house workers versus private contractors. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 2019; 26 (6):927-944.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kishor Shrestha; Pramen Shrestha; Mylinh Lidder. 2019. "Life-cycle cost comparison of chip seal and striping: in-house workers versus private contractors." Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 26, no. 6: 927-944.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2019 in Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
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ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Ruiko Maharjan; Jacimaria R. Batista. Performance of Design-Build and Construction Manager-at-Risk Methods in Water and Wastewater Projects. Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction 2019, 24, 04018029 .

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Ruiko Maharjan, Jacimaria R. Batista. Performance of Design-Build and Construction Manager-at-Risk Methods in Water and Wastewater Projects. Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction. 2019; 24 (1):04018029.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Ruiko Maharjan; Jacimaria R. Batista. 2019. "Performance of Design-Build and Construction Manager-at-Risk Methods in Water and Wastewater Projects." Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction 24, no. 1: 04018029.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2018 in Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
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Change orders are common problems in construction projects, and the effect of change orders on cost and schedule have been studied. However, few studies have considered the effect of change orders on cost and schedule overruns of school building renovation projects. This study analyzes data for 161 school building renovation projects, worth $1 billion, constructed in the Las Vegas Valley in southern Nevada. The results show that, on average, the change orders increased the project cost by 3.56% of the total contract cost for these projects and that three-fourths of the project cost growth was due to change orders. In addition, about 40% of these projects faced schedule overruns due to change orders. The study also finds that change orders related to unforeseen conditions (1.45%) and design (1.36%) were significantly more costly than were owner-initiated change orders (0.75%). The results of statistical tests show that the percentage of change orders for projects that had schedule overruns (5.26%) was significantly higher than for projects that had no schedule overruns (2.51%). This study finds that unforeseen, owner-initiated, and design-related change orders significantly increased schedule overruns of these projects. In addition, the study finds that change orders increased as the size of the renovation projects increased over $5 million, contradictory to what is found for new construction projects. It is recommended that school district administrators control these change orders in order to minimize cost and schedule overruns on school building renovation projects.

ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Haileab Zeleke. Effect of Change Orders on Cost and Schedule Overruns of School Building Renovation Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 2018, 10, 04518018 .

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Haileab Zeleke. Effect of Change Orders on Cost and Schedule Overruns of School Building Renovation Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction. 2018; 10 (4):04518018.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Haileab Zeleke. 2018. "Effect of Change Orders on Cost and Schedule Overruns of School Building Renovation Projects." Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction 10, no. 4: 04518018.

Journal article
Published: 09 October 2018 in Work
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The study concluded that the injury rate for these mechanical contractors was found to be higher than that reported by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for specialty trade contractors.

ACS Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Kishor Shrestha; Eric Becerra. Types and factors affecting injury rates of mechanical contractors. Work 2018, 61, 135 -148.

AMA Style

Pramen P. Shrestha, Kishor Shrestha, Eric Becerra. Types and factors affecting injury rates of mechanical contractors. Work. 2018; 61 (1):135-148.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pramen P. Shrestha; Kishor Shrestha; Eric Becerra. 2018. "Types and factors affecting injury rates of mechanical contractors." Work 61, no. 1: 135-148.