CONSTRUCTION ERROR TYPES - THE EXECUTION STAGE OF DUBAI PROJECTS

Construction errors can have significant effects on project performance. Yet, any attempt to tackle error should be driven by the ability to understand its archetypal nature. This study aims to analyze a variety of construction errors at the execution stage, in order to develop a comprehensive set of categories that shall provide insights about the effect of different error types on the industry. We investigate a database provided by an authoritative source, which includes a number of 256 construction errors that occurred in the year 2009 in Dubai construction industry. Results from this study reveal that the most common error arose from 'poor workmanship' which accounted for 21% of the total encountered faults. The next most common types arose from the 'usage of impaired materials', followed by the 'deviation from an intended dimension'. These observations infer that the majority of construction errors are driven by workers' lack of skill or competence. Moreover, it suggests that execution-oriented errors are the major cause of faults and accidents rather than design errors.