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Understanding and preventing construction conflict, claims and disputes: a critical in-depth study into their causes and recommendations to control in the United Arab Emirates
No full textConstruction claims are considered by many project participants as one of the most disruptive and unpleasant events of a project (Ho & Liu, 2004). Researchers like Kumaraswamy (1996) argue that claims managers should focus not merely on the significant claims categories but also on the avoidable ones, to minimize the damaging effects on a given project. It becomes apparent that the causes underlying different claims categories have to be identified so that controllability and avoidability may be established.
This research examines the issues by looking at the construction industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the second largest single industry after oil and gas sector, where claims and disputes are a major problem in the country.
51 leading construction participants including clients, consultants and contractors alike in the UAE were sampled for the study. The analytical results of the survey were further examined, compared and validated via the analysis of the data collected from 45 construction projects.
The main findings of the first phase of study lead to the establishment of an index system called Claim Focus Index (CFI) that further establishes the finding of the 16 most significant types of claims and disputes in the UAE. The study continues to examine the underlying causes of the most significant types of claims and disputes and has identified unique sets of the root causes specific to each significant type of claims and disputes. These shall establish the basis to formulate strategies to focus on avoidability and minimization of claims and disputes
The establishment of performance criteria for the evaluation of procurement of senior staff and private housing projects in the state of Qatar
Get PDFA study by the Supreme Planning Council called the attention of problems during the
procurement of Senior Staff Housing projects leading to less effective project
outcomes. The SPC report put the blame on the current regulations of the scheme.
This research evaluated SSH projects in comparison with Private Housing (PH)
projects, which were not affected by SSH regulations. A model was developed as part
of this research study. The model sets out to embrace the relationships between the
variables in the building process. The model takes six main groups of independent
variables, namely those that affect the client, the land acquisition, the design phase,
the construction phase, disputes and SSH regulations. The effectiveness of the housing
projects was measured against quantitative and qualitative performance indicators.
The performance variables tested were unit cost; percentage of cost overrun; speed of
construction; percentage of time overrun; client's satisfaction with cost and time;
client's overall satisfaction; client's rating on quality; aesthetic quality and technical
quality.
As this study is the first of its kind, exploratory interviews with industry participants
were conducted to gain a better understanding of construction practice in Qatar as well
as to firm up the design of the client's questionnaire, aesthetic and technical quality
evaluation techniques. The main field study resulted in 61 SSH projects and 34 PH
projects.
The research revealed that PH projects are more effective than SSH projects. It was
found that SSH regulations are not the main reason for a less effective outcome. The
main reasons were the unclear objectives and bad decisions made by the SSH clients.
The research also revealed poor quality workmanship, old construction techniques and
the use of inadequate construction materials. Also, a lack of, proper contract forms and
means of dispute resolution. There are no institutions for consultants or contractors
and a lack of training and development. Together, these factors contribute to the
client's poor image of the industry.
The research provides recommendations for reorganising the industry to improve its
output. These include establishing Construction Industry Council, forming institutions for consultants and contractors, and establishing Housing Council
Stabilisation of sulphide rich soil: problems and solutions
Get PDFThe research presented in this thesis can be split into two well-defined areas.
Firstly, the effects of the addition of lime (either 2%, 4%, 6% or 8%Ca(OH)2 or 1.5%, 3%,
4.5% or 6%CaO) on various engineering properties of a sulphide (pyrites) rich, naturally
occurring clay - Lower Oxford Clay (LOC) - were studied. Experimental tests representing,
or relating to, tests outlined in the Design and Construction of Lime Stabilised Capping
Specification (DoT, 1995) were utilised and consisted of Atterberg (consistency) tests,
compaction tests, unconfined compressive strength tests, linear expansion measurements
and durability tests. Also, sulphate (S03) analyses, pH measurements, differential
thermogravinietric (DTG) analyses and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests were employed to
confirm experimental data. Environmental conditions were chosen to reflect temperatures
experienced in the UK - between 5*C, 10'C and 201C. The majority of samples were
mellowed (the time delay between initial mixing and compaction) for 3 days at 201C prior
to testing. The results show that small additions of lime (i. e. 2%Ca(OH)2 or 1.5%CaO)
modify the engineering properties of LOC by causing flocculation, and also increase S03
levels due to increased gypsum levels via pyrites oxidation. However, strength
development is poor as little cementitious bonding is formed. Mellowing further modifies
the engineering properties as the increased time allows greater flocculation leading to a less
dense, more porous material. Also ettringite forms during mellowing allowing expansive
reactions to occur prior to compaction, consuming both calcium and sulphate in the process
and leading to slightly reduced pH levels compared to similar unmellowed samples. Further
additions of lime give further change to the engineering properties of the LOC, up to an
addition of 6%Ca(OH)2 or 4.5%CaO. Further additions result only in supplying an excess
of calcium. Strength development is improved with increasing lime additions, especially
after 4 weeks of curing at higher curing temperatures (20'C); however linear expansion
increases and durability worsens. However, a period of mellowing prior to compaction
reduces linear expansion and improves durability. Sulphate (S03) levels are also increased
with increasing additions of lime due to pyrites oxidation. In samples containing
>2%Ca(OH)2 or 1.5%CaO, pH levels are maintained to a level where ettringite formation is
sustained rather than gypsum formation.
Secondly, the effects of a secondary stabilising agent (ground granulated blast furnace slag
- GGBS - incorporated at various percentage additions (2%, 4%, 6% or 8%)) on the
strength development, linear expansion and durability of mellowed, lime-modified LOC is
presented. For comparative purposes, Portland cement (PC) is also used. The results show
that although LOC-lime-PC samples exhibit greater strengths (especially when cured for
long periods at 20"C), linear expansion is lower and durability is higher in similar LOClime-
GGBS samples. As the hydration process of PC produces lime, and as lime is usually
consumed during GGBS hydration, then samples containing the former stabiliser will
maintain pH levels well above samples containing the latter. Therefore, on soaking
disruption and expansion due to the formation of ettringite (which is unstable at pH levels
<10.5) is common to LOC-lime-PC samples but not in similar GGBS samples. In
conclusion, the findings from this thesis indicate that soil stabilisation with lime and GGBS
is particularly effective for naturally occurring sulphide rich clay soils (such as the LOC)
and is an environmentally friendly alternative to PC-stabilised soils
Termination of pregnancy : a review of psychological effects on women
No full textTermination of pregnancy may have psychological consequences that are greater than its physical impact.Following a literature search and appraisal, this article explores some of the main themes arising from studies on the psychological impact. The results demonstrate that negative psychological eff
Giving houseroom to our waifs and strays: questions for the writing workshop and the writing self
No full textStarting from a practical session aimed at granting a written work autonomy to reply to its author, this paper points up choices individuals make in constructing a ‘voice’, a writing self. It takes the case of the creative piece rejected or distrusted by its author for reasons other an that of quality, and uses it to map some disputable parts of the borderline between the critic’s and the writer’s use of theory, with implications for the practice of the writing teacher too
Comment: Portraying Wales in television drama
No full textThis comment piece offers a brief report on our current research with BBC Audience Council Wales. Although considering a range of portrayals of Wales on TV, the project uses Doctor Who and Torchwood as a case study to investigate these issues. Given the ongoing debate over the status of both English and Welsh-language broadcasting in Wales, the movement of more dramatic production from London to the regions, and arguments over whether BBC Wales’ recent successes with shows such as Doctor Who and Torchwood are positive for the country’s position as a producer of quality television programming, issues of portrayal look set to remain on the agenda
IMS: a development and deployment perspectives
No full textProviding a holistic approach to IMS technologies, the book explores service architecture for development and delivery of IMS services. Approaching IMS from the perspective of the user and the service provider it examines both the current state of deployment and future trends. The book offers a realistic view of IMS deployment to operators and service providers, giving practical examples, application cases and business models. It also presents IMS deployment strategies based on real-life deployment statistics from a live IMS test bed connected to an operator network and proof-of-concept applications including inter-operability trials and results. Focusing on IMS potential in terms of service creation, service composition and service provision the book discusses the ability of IMS to act not only as a service delivery framework, but also as a service integration framework. It presents the possible future of IMS in terms of convergence with Internet services, including discussions about integration with web technologies including the WIMS 2.0 initiative. The book enables a better understanding of how web technologies can complement the IMS service architecture and pioneer the post-IMS progress and success. • Presents a novel service-oriented approach to IMS services and applications from a deployment perspective • Places IMS in the context of the current telecom environment providing business models through WIMS 2.0 initiative • Predicts the trends and potential future for the IMS evolution • Provides a technical foundation to IMS principles and architecture • Gives examples and solutions to the challenges of service creation and implementation and analyses deployment hurdles and interoperability trials • Describes trends of convergence based on IMS and Web technologie
