Causes of Construction Delays in Different Buildings Typology in Portugal

The construction represents the sector with the higher impact in the world economy, representing 13.4 %. This sector, crucial to the socioeconomic stability of a country, has been several affected due to the successive construction delays in the design as well as execution phases. Additionally, in comparison with other sectors, the construction industries present lower receptivity in the development of new methodologies and technologies to increase the competitiveness as well as workers incomes and profits increasing the attention from the industry and academia. This study focusing the identification of the constructions processes, which leaves to their delays. Thus, three different buildings typology use were studied (in a real ambient), to identify the delays by groups, type and category to achieve a deep understanding and recommendations to help companies and owners to reduce the risk of delay during the execution phase. Regarding the findings the management domain scheduling work is a simple way to predict the length of deadline and to carry out its control. However, the issue with higher impact in the overall construction delay is related with the lack of a detailed planning as well as works programs and constraints study leading to a several issues in the execution phase that could been previously avoided. As a final conclusion the critical path analysis system is the most used for project management in construction, however new softwares to optimise these programs in order to reduce the extension of deadlines, increase the competitiveness of the sector and consequently its profits is paramount of importance.