scholarly journals Cost Overruns in Tunnelling Projects: Investigating the Impact of Geological and Geotechnical Uncertainty Using Case Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Chrysothemis Paraskevopoulou ◽  
Georgios Boutsis
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Construction Cost ◽  
Cost Overrun ◽  
Cost Overruns ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Ground Investigation ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Tunnelling projects seldom meet the initial budget requirements. Commonly, these types of projects suffer from cost overruns, which subsequently lead to project delivery delays mainly due to unsuccessful ground investigation as specified in the literature. The presented work scrutinises the effect of ground investigation in cost overruns. More specifically, various cost figures (total cost, construction cost, tunnel cost) are analysed for two case studies i) the Channel tunnel in the UK and ii) the Olmos Tunnel in Peru. Clayton’s relation between ground investigation and the construction cost is utilised and further investigated. In the Channel tunnel, the main problems faced led to a cost overrun of 78% for the total cost, 66% for the construction cost and 77% for the tunnelling cost. In the Olmos tunnel, two main geological scenarios are analysed and the construction cost overrun is calculated at 9.6% and 6.7%. Drawing on the conclusions, this research work proves that ground investigation can be one of the major factors influencing the tunnel cost.

Investigation of Cost-Influencing Factors Potentially ‎Controllable by Main Contractors in Construction Projects in ‎Iraq

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (7A) ◽  
pp. 1069-1076
Author(s):  
Layth T. Ali ◽  
Raid S. Abid Ali ◽  
Zeyad S. M. Khaled
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Cost Overrun ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
Labor Recruitment ◽  
Supply Planning ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Cost overrun in construction projects is a common phenomenon in Iraq. This might occur due to diversity of factors. This study aims to identify the factors influencing construction projects cost that are potentially controllable by main contractors. A field study through a questionnaire survey was directed to a sample of related Iraqi professional engineers from general contracting companies at both public and private sectors. Their opinions on the impact and frequency of each factor were investigated. The questionnaire offered (59) factors classified in (8) categories namely; legislations, financial and economic, design, contractual, site management, material, labor and equipment. The factors were ranked according to the highest Relative Importance Index (RII). The study revealed (10) major factors that are potentially controllable by main contractors namely; labor productivity, sub-contractors and suppliers performance, equipment productivity, site organization and distribution of equipment, experience and training of project managers, scheduling and control techniques, planning for materials supply, planning for equipment supply, materials delivery and planning for skilled labor recruitment. Recommendations to aid contractors and owners in early identification of these factors are also included in this study.

scholarly journals Defending the media from itself: Reforming media regulations to minimise the impact of misinformation

European View ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-219
Author(s):  
Juha-Pekka Nurvala ◽  
Amelia Buckell
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Behavioural Changes ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

This article argues that media regulations on correcting incorrect articles are in dire need of reform due to technological and behavioural changes. By using case studies from the UK, the authors demonstrate the huge difference between the number of people who were reached by the original article before the Independent Press Standards Organisation (the regulator in the UK) ruled it incorrect and the number reached by the correction or corrected article. The authors argue that media regulations must be reformed to ensure that corrections reach the same people as the original incorrect article to avoid misinformation impacting peoples’ decision-making, and that reforms must include social media platforms and search engines.

scholarly journals General practitioners and emergency departments (GPED)—efficient models of care: a mixed-methods study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. e024012
Author(s):  
Katherine Morton ◽  
Sarah Voss ◽  
Joy Adamson ◽  
Helen Baxter ◽  
Karen Bloor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Public Involvement ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Urgent Care ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionPressure continues to grow on emergency departments in the UK and throughout the world, with declining performance and adverse effects on patient outcome, safety and experience. One proposed solution is to locate general practitioners to work in or alongside the emergency department (GPED). Several GPED models have been introduced, however, evidence of effectiveness is weak. This study aims to evaluate the impact of GPED on patient care, the primary care and acute hospital team and the wider urgent care system.Methods and analysisThe study will be divided into three work packages (WPs). WP-A; Mapping and Taxonomy: mapping, description and classification of current models of GPED in all emergency departments in England and interviews with key informants to examine the hypotheses that underpin GPED. WP-B; Quantitative Analysis of National Data: measurement of the effectiveness, costs and consequences of the GPED models identified in WP-A, compared with a no-GPED model, using retrospective analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics Data. WP-C; Case Studies: detailed case studies of different GPED models using a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods including: non-participant observation of clinical care, semistructured interviews with staff, patients and carers; workforce surveys with emergency department staff and analysis of available local routinely collected hospital data. Prospective case study sites will be identified by completing telephone interviews with sites awarded capital funding by the UK government to implement GPED initiatives. The study has a strong patient and public involvement group that has contributed to study design and materials, and which will be closely involved in data interpretation and dissemination.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the National Health Service East Midlands—Leicester South Research Ethics Committee: 17/EM/0312. The results of the study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conferences and a planned programme of knowledge mobilisation.Trial registration numberISRCTN51780222.

Educating for the Cooperative Society

2019 ◽  
pp. 355-373
Author(s):  
Suzanna Tomassi
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Public Institution ◽  
The West ◽  
Cooperative Society ◽  
West Midlands ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter investigates the relationship between industry and academia from the perspective of industry. In addition to the theoretical review, it is based on feedback from industry leaders on how they see the role of their organizations in wider society. This chapter utilizes case studies to examine the relationship between specific companies, their academic partners, and the wider society. It focuses on the UK experience reflecting the location of its author. It specifically looks at the links between Coventry University, a British public institution located in the West Midlands, and its selected partners: the Unipart Group, Horiba MIRA, Interserve, and KPIT in India. It also refers to a bespoke Global Leaders Programme which is an exclusive, extra-curricular offering, designed to enhance students’ leadership and soft skills and prepare them for future employment after graduation. Wherever possible, the author aimed to obtain feedback from the industry representatives to assess their views on the impact of their companies on the wider society. In the same spirit, relevant colleagues from Coventry University were asked for their feedback to ensure that both perspectives were fairly captured. The examples given, and indeed, the philosophy behind the projects could be transferred to other countries and applied to other industries.

scholarly journals A Review of Building Construction Cost Research: Current Status, Gaps and Green Buildings

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Ming Hu ◽  
Miroslaw Jan Skibniewski
Keyword(s):  
Cost Estimation ◽  
Construction Cost ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Cost Overrun ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Cost Overruns ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Parametric Cost Estimation

An overall scoping review was conducted to examine research on building construction costs in the past decades. The aim is to provide a better understanding of conventional building construction cost estimation methods, gaps and potential improvement strategies that may mitigate the high risk of the cost overrun in conventional and sustainable building. This study first examined the components included in a building's construction cost and the commonly used calculation methods for cost estimation. Then, additional components included for sustainable buildings were identified and explained. The causal factors for construction cost overruns in sustainable building werediscussed as well. The findings concluded the following: (a) there is no consistent cost definition used in the industry; (b) a variety of cost estimation methods create ambiguity and confusion; and (c) newer cost estimating methods and tools, such as parametric cost estimation, which integrate risk and uncertainties have not been broadly adopted by the building industry. The current practice used to determine a sustainable building's cost estimation is the same traditional method that has been used over several decades, which is based on the material and labor costs. Such a conventional approach does not consider other factors, including the complexity of the sustainable building system, an organization's environment, and the capability of teams, among others. To respond to such a knowledge gap, a comprehensive and consistent cost estimation framework was proposed to integrate risk and uncertainty consideration, which is particularly prevalent in sustainable building.

scholarly journals The European Parliament Elections 2014

2014 ◽  
pp. 5-20
Author(s):  
A. Avilova ◽  
A. Gutnick ◽  
Y. Kvashnin ◽  
V. Olenchenko ◽  
N. Toganova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Uk ◽  
European Parliament Elections ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

The article is devoted to the European Parliament elections held in May 2014. Their results are analyzed on two levels – national and pan-European. On the national one the authors provide case studies of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, Italy and Greece. The impact of economic crisis and later the severe public debt crisis in Eurozone countries on the EU Parliament elections is estimated. Another factor examined in the study is the public awareness of the EU’s institutions in everyday life. The authors point out the contradiction between the public opinion on these institutions and the ongoing process of further integration due to the crises in such fields as finances and government expenditures. The latest process is viewed by the experts as a positive one, but the lack of public understanding resulted in abstention, protest voting and the rise of right-wing and populist parties. The national case studies showed that the situation varied from country to country. In some of them the pan-European agenda has played a greater role, in others it influenced the elections, but in the end they were mainly a referendum on the national government performance. The case of the UK illustrated the first tendency, but partly also the second one: the elections not only put the question about the country’s role in the EU, but also reflected the citizens’ discontent in mainstream politics. France, Greece and partly Italy showed that the voters disapprove the EU politics, especially concerning such fields as immigration and economic and debt crisis. The Polish case demonstrates that the lack of information on the EU’s institutions can jeopardize the positions of centrist parties even in a very pro-European country. The election results in FRG confirm that the Germans are trying to identify their country’s role in the European institutions and find the right attitude toward its growing responsibility for the integration process.

FACTORS AFFECTING COST OVERRUN IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Algahtany
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Cost Overrun ◽  
Cost Overruns ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Public Projects ◽  
Low Performance ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Public Construction ◽  
The Cost

Public construction projects in Saudi Arabia have been suffering from low performance for the past decade. Cost overrun is one of the most important issues in project’s performance and is nearly associated with most of public projects. The aim of this study is to identify and assess the major factors leading to cost overruns in education construction projects in the Northern Province of Saudi Arabia to minimize the risks’ effects in future projects. The research methodology started by identifying cost overrun factors through literature review, project’s documentations, and experts’ interviews. Professionals who worked at the construction projects undertook a questionnaire survey to investigate the importance of the cost overrun factors. The top factors of cost overrun were identified through the analysis of the factors’ occurrence and severity. The study main results included the top causes of cost overrun which are delay in contractors’ progress payment by client, difficulties in financing project by contractor, delays in sub-contractor’s work, additions of quantities such as excavation, backfill, and concrete works, and bid award for lowest price. The investigated risks in the study should be evaluated and mitigated in future projects to minimize their effects and enhance the industry performance.

scholarly journals An Ecosystem Model of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Publisher ‘Tiers’: Publisher Size, Sustainability and Cultural Policy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Squires ◽  
Helena Markou
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Cultural Policy ◽  
Ecosystem Model ◽  
Qualitative Model ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Developmental Sense ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Support Model

AbstractThis article establishes a quantitative and qualitative model of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) publisher ‘Tiers’, in order to enable researchers and cultural policy makers to have a more granular understanding of the impact of publisher size. Through an aggregated set of case studies deriving from the UK, the article also develops an understanding of how to build a cultural support model for publishing based on publisher size, sustainability and company life cycle. What the Tiers model underpins in terms of cultural policy funding for publishers is a rigorous and developmental sense of a publishing ecosystem, offering a framework which is attendant to industry and broader contexts, and enables cultural policy funding to take into account publisher development, challenge and growth.

Minimisation des surcoûts dans un contexte hors délai : cas des projets de construction dans les pays en développement

2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 1180-1191
Author(s):  
Paul Louzolo-Kimbembé ◽  
Chrispin Pettang ◽  
Thomas Tamo Tatiétsé
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Completion Time ◽  
Cost Overrun ◽  
Financial Problem ◽  
Cost Overruns ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Normal Duration ◽  
Optimisation Model ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Reference Cost

Cost overruns are frequent in the construction industry. They become greater the more the construction project is delayed. In developing countries, this situation is recurring and constitutes a significant financial problem. In a time-overrun context, our objective is to find a method that can enable us to reduce the delay while minimizing the subsequent cost overruns. We thus developed a mathematical model named CCOMTOC (construction cost optimisation model in time-overrun context). The model was tested and results reveal that the reduction of cost overruns is effective. We showed that in a time-overrun context, according to the importance of delay penalties, we obtain two distinct situations. On the basis of the reference cost calculated for a maximum compression of tasks within the normal duration, we note that, for low delay penalties, the total cost after further delays to the estimated completion time decreases as we deviate from the initial completion time. On the other hand, for relatively high delay penalties, the cost first passes by a minimum before increasing regularly during the further delays to the estimated completion time.Key words: time overrun, optimization, linear programming, time skid, delay make-up, cost overrun.

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