An Empirical Study of Schedule Delay Causes Based on Taiwan's Litigation Cases

Abstract

Many uncertainties can cause construction projects to be delayed, resulting in conflicts between the two parties to a construction contract. Using case study and content analysis methodologies, this study analyzed 79 litigation cases in Taiwan to identify the main causes of schedule delays in construction projects, which are “change orders,” “changed scope of the work,” “delayed site handover,” and “weather.” In this study, these causes are organized into a causation model to provide a reference for preventing schedule delay. The employed approach can be implemented for assessments of other regions, as schedule delays are common features in most construction projects.