Design–construction interface problems in large building construction projects

Abstract

Interface management is one of the major keys for a successful construction project. During the project, many interface problems may arise, and their severities may vary and affect the overall project performance. This research was conducted to identify the causes of design–construction interface problems in large building construction projects in Palestine. To achieve the research objectives, a comprehensive literature review, pilot study and questionnaire survey were carried out to collect information on these causes. Responses from 34 consultants and 30 contractors were analysed. The results revealed that the top 10 extreme significant causes are ‘unstable client requirements’, ‘lack of proper coordination between various disciplines of the design team’, ‘awarding the contract to the lowest price regardless of the quality of services’, ‘lack of skilled and experienced human resources in the design firms’, ‘lack of skilled human resources at the construction site’, ‘delaying of dues payments’, ‘lack of specialized quality-control team’, ‘lack of professional construction management’, ‘delaying the approval of completed tasks’ and ‘vague and deficient drawings and specifications’. Spearman's rho coefficient was 0.64, which indicates that the overall level of correlation between Palestinian consultants and contractors in the context of this research can be identified as moderate.

Keywords:

• design
• construction
• interface management
• contractors
• consultants
• design–construction

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals for providing time and space for conducting this research.