PROJECT MANAGEMENT: INVESTIGATION ON CAUSES OF DELAY IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN BENGHAZI MUNICIPILITY - LIBYA

Abstract

Benghazi Municipality has a problem in finishing the construction projects in due time which has a negative impact on the success of these projects such as, exceeding the time limit, increasing the cost estimates. These negative effects reflect themselves on the different spheres of life and the whole society in general. It is important to investigate this phenomenon in the period between 2013-2017 through studying the causes behind it. This research aimed to investigate the main causes of delay in the completion of construction projects in Benghazi Municipality in Libya, and to identify the average of time overrun. It also analyzed and ranked the most important causes of delay according to their FI, SI and the importance index II from the point of view of contractors and consultants. The method used for the analysis was mixed method research design (quantitative & qualitative) as a research approach for this research, while the interview tool and case study were selected to collect qualitative data and a questionnaire tool has been designed to collect the quantitative data. The field survey of a questionnaire contained 69 possible causes for the delay categorized into four major groups. The questionnaire was distributed to the sample of the study that included 54 participants, which is at the same time the population. The population included 36 contractors and 18 consultants which represents two main parties in construction projects, and the interview tool was selected to study one case with a project exposed to time and cost overrun. The research showed delay in many construction projects conducted for BM during the period between 2013-2017, where there was a delay in 54 projects out of 104, and this represent 51.9% of the projects. Moreover, the study indicated that the average of time overrun is between (10% and 30%) of the original time of the projects. The study also showed that 41.7% of the respondents believe that the main reason of the delay is the contractor. However, the results concluded that the following are the top five delay causes arranged according to the II:

• The delay in paying the financial dues to contractors by the client. • Award project to lowest bid price (the contractor who has the lowest bid). • The delay in due payments to the suppliers by contractor. • Difficulties in financing the project by the contractor. • Dispute with neighbors.