In the construction industry, since differences in perceptions among the participants of the projects, conflicts are inevitable. If conflicts are not well managed, they are quickly turn into disputes. Disputes are one of the main factors which prevent the successfully completion of the construction project. Thus, it is important to be aware of the causes of disputes in order to complete the construction project in the desired time, budget and quality. This paper aims to analyze the main causes of disputes which occur in the construction industry. In order to reach this aim, a literature review was undertaken to identify the common construction disputes. The disputes derived from a cross-section of the literature, were classified into main categories and the main causes of construction disputes were determined. Finally, an analysis was carried out using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) approach to determine their relative importance.

Purpose: While a considerable amount of research has been conducted on construction disputes, disputes remain prevalent in the construction industry and have still been a crucial problem in the Turkish construction industry as well. The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of different stakeholders on key factors that contribute to construction disputes by adopting a qualitative approach. Design/methodology/approach: The qualitative approach adopted for the study provided gathering in-depth and rich information about the topic. To explore the phenomenon in-depth information, semi-structured interviews were conducted. A total of 38 interviews were conducted among experts and practitioners who engaged in construction disputes. Findings: Content analysis of interview data resulted in the emergence of varying categories relevant to the problems which result in construction disputes. By grouping related themes into main categories, the analysis yielded five major ones: clarity of the contract form, errors in contract documents, payments, changes, delays and not granting extension of time. Research limitations/implications: The major limitations are having interviewees from one country and results limited to the Turkish construction industry. Practical implications: The findings provide insight on the factors contributing to construction disputes as perceived by different stakeholders, which should provide guidance to determine the associated risks for dispute occurrence, make effort to mitigate disputes once they happen, take proper precautions for minimizing the effects and after all make a significant contribution in the successful accomplishment of completed construction projects. Originality/value: The findings of the study contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors contributing to construction disputes through a qualitative approach which is limited in the related literature. Although the qualitative exploration only focuses on the Turkish construction industry, the study has added significantly to the body of knowledge within the subject area.

Purpose: This paper aims to fill the research gap on digital twin technology and its broad applicability during construction by shedding light on its interaction with Building Information Modeling (BIM) from a construction project management perspective. It presented the true potential of the digital twins in the construction phase of the project lifecycle. Design/methodology/approach: The paper employed a two-step methodology that included a comprehensive synthesis of the literature on digital twins through the construction management lens and a questionnaire survey to assess the impact of digital twin services brought to light on parallel BIM uses. Findings: The paper provides validated applications and many advantages of the digital twin on construction project management. It suggests that the industry should take advantage of 10 digital twin services introduced to eliminate the low efficiency and lack of productivity that the construction industry is still facing. Research limitations/implications: The paper is one of the rare and pioneering studies that addresses the interaction between the digital twin and BIM from a construction management perspective with a quantitative approach examining the reflection of academic publications on the industry and their reception among industry professionals. Practical implications: The paper provides a meaningful definition for the industry by grounding the concept of digital twin in existing technologies and their practical applications. This provides a roadmap for managers to approach the problems and BIM limitations they need to overcome in their companies or projects with tailor-made solutions. Originality/value: The paper is one of the pioneering quantitative studies that fulfills an identified need to investigate digital twin technology for construction management and its extensive applicability for quickly evolving construction sites.

Recently, with the rapid development of information technology, old methods have been superseded by web-based building product information systems that speak the same language as the international building product manufacturers. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the necessity of an environment that enables building product information sharing across today’s global world and that provides access to any kind of up-to-date and accurate building product information in the building production process. To achieve this purpose, two large-scale field surveys were conducted among the supply side and the demand side in the Turkish construction industry. According to the survey results, the demand side’s existing practices, desires, and expectations differ from the supply side’s existing methods and practices. The major differences are about the usage of web-based building product information systems and their desires and expectations from the characteristics of a web-based system. The field survey findings will help to determine the behaviors and perspectives of the supply side and the demand side on building product information to find out the problem areas in building product information acquisition, and to offer recommendations for a more rational process for building product selection. The survey findings will also be used to develop a web-based building product information system that will enable building product information sharing and introduce all the characteristics of the building products produced in Turkey to the international construction industry. This web-based system will not only enable global building information sharing, but also will provide an introductive tool for international companies planning to enter the Turkish construction industry. Furthermore, the findings of this study can be regarded as an alternative model for the other developing countries that need to develop a similar system to solve similar problems.

Construction projects are well known to be prone to a high level of risk that cannot be ignored but can be managed. Researchers have studied numerous aspects of risk management including identification, analysis/assessment, response and control. Despite the fact that studies focused on risk management in construction projects have been increasing, there seems to be a limited number of published studies that summarize what has already been presented in the literature. In this regard, this chapter aims to present the existing literature on risk management from a holistic perspective and provide a guide for future directions. With this aim, a systematic literature review has been undertaken by presenting the areas focused on by researchers as well as neglected ones, by indicating the trends in research through the years and by discussing research gaps for potential studies.