SCHEMATIC ESTIMATING MODEL FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS -USING PRICIPLE COMPONENT ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL EQUATION METHOD

In the construction industry, Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) is considered to be the most suitable approach and determining the attribute weights is an important CBR problem. In this paper, a method is proposed for determining attribute weights that are calculated with attribute relation. The basic items of consideration were qualitative and quantitative influence factors. These quantitative factors were related to the qualitative factors to develop a Cost Drivers-structural equation model which can be used to estimate construction cost by considering attribute weight. The process of determining the attribute weight-structural equation model consists o 4 phases: selecting the predominant Cost Drivers for the SEM, applying the Cost Driers in the SEM, determining and verifying the attribute weights and deriving the Cost Estimation Equation. This study develops a cost estimating technique that complements the CBR method with a Cost Drivers-structural equation model which can be actively used during the schematic estimating phases of construction.