Research Paper (Sunil KR Thappa)
Research Paper (Sunil KR Thappa)
11 Pages 1.5MB
Summary
"CRITICAL STUDY ALONG WITH TIME
COST OVERRUN ON SMART TUNNEL
CONSTRUCTION (USBRL PROJECT)
INDIA"
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Sunil Kumar Thappa, Research Scholar, Civil Engineering Department, ITM University Gwalior,
Madhya Pradesh, India
Mukesh Pandey, Professor, Civil Engineering Department, ITM University Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh,
India
Aditya Sharma, Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Department, ITM University Gwalior,
Madhya Pradesh, India
Shashank Gupta, Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Department, ITM University Gwalior,
Madhya Pradesh, India
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Farhan-Ul-Rahman, Lecturer, Civil Engineering Department, ITM University Gwalior,
Madhya Pradesh, India
Abstract
India is an agricultural country but civil industry helps to solve the biggest problem of unemployment by
providing two-square meals to 5 crore people. The entire civil sector has seen the worst time ever in the
history. The Covid-19 came as a deadly blow which crippled the civil construction by due sudden and
long lockdown.
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The biggest drawback of construction industry is the delay and cost overrun.
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This paper is based on the
desk study of the civil projects in India to investigate the actual causes of the time and cost overrun. The
success of the project is estimated on the basis of Iron triangle. The three sides of the triangle are time,
cost and the scope. The projects are driven by the national interest and the profit. It is in the national
favour to find out the cost of overrun in time and the cost. The projects are selected in the domain like
building construction, irrigation and transportation. The most of the research is conducted on the basis of
survey. The vital clues regarding the delay are identified. More than sixty causes for the delay are
discussed by one of the research scholar. The finance related issues are the root cause of the delays. Many
time the delay in the payment to contractors trigger the delay cycle. Most of the contractors are weak in
finance and they are not able to deliver the work as they do not have buffer finance. The telephonic
interviews were conducted and a set of questions was sent to different experts of the construction industry.
The solution to causes of overrun have been suggested and the risk of time delay and cost escalation can
be reduced by putting these suggestions in practice at the different stages of the project implementation.
The improper design, wrong estimation, poor planning and implementation, sluggish Supply Chain
management, improper choice of technology, low quality machines, inefficient human resources, illegal
management of labour, lack of facilities to work-force, strikes, demonstration, theft, natural calamities
like Covid-19 Pandemic are some of the factors which cause the delays and cost escalation.
The worldwide trend shows the enhancement in the construction of tunnels. The root cause is quick
expansion in the road network and railways in mountain region. The tunnel construction is gaining
popularity and there are many impediments in the progress. There is a lack of expertise and experience in
the Indian companies. Many a time this triggers the ripple of cost escalation and delays.
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The success of the project depends on the proper selection of the contractors who have ample of
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experience. The robust planning and estimation of the risk can help to complete the projects in time and
within the budget. The chief aim of this paper is to judge the risk involved in the project. The exhaustive
literature survey and telephonic interview of the experts has been made the basis of the research. These
experts were involved in the Case study of Udhampur-Srinagar –Baramulla _Rail Link (USBRL).
Keywords— Infrastructure, Budget Overrun, Cost overrun, Schedule Overrun, transportation
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Construction Projects, Covid-19 Pandemic Risk Analysis, IMP.I, Risk Matrix, Risk Register,
Tunnelling Projects
I. INTRODUCTION
The transportation bridges and tunnels are essential component and the entire domain is vulnerable to
accidents. There always a high level risk to man-force, property which exists in the close vicinity of tunnel
site. The common phenomena is heavy cost escalation and ample of repeated time delays. This is mainly
due to lack of proper survey, soil and rock testing. The surveys are conducted aerially this leads to
unrealistic project planning and proves to be fatal for the projects. Most of the civil projects are delayed
and over delayed in India. There is a lack of expertise at managerial level. The project planning does not
consider the risk factors in factual manner. The technical errors can be guessed and eliminated at planning
level. There is need of identifying the non-technical risk factors like mismanagement, strikes, natural
disaster etc.
II. OBJECTIVES
The major aims of the project are:
The objective is finding the factors responsible for the delay in tunnel construction
To evaluate risk factors responsible for cost escalation
To formulate the frame work for effective risk management
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III. LITERATURE SURVEY
Rakhi Arora et al. (2016)The case study based work says that the ground truth is that the geological
survey is the most important and this is not done in most of the cases. This puts the projects in higher
risk.
Cagatay, (2015) The authors have supported the importance of the Hazard Analysis before applying
the Tunnel Boring Method (TBM). There be great risk due to weak rock, weak support and poor
geological conditions.
Vishal Kumar Gupta et al. (2017).The authors have conducted a case study for understanding the
risk involved in the tunnelling projects. The Indian companies suffer the losses triggered by the
improper estimation of the different type of risks. The Monte Carlo Simulation and the Judgemental
Risk Analysis methods have been tested.
Surabhi Mishra et.al. (2016)The work is based on the study of the different hazards which are
encountered while executing the tunnel projects. The technical risks can be estimated but non-technical
risks cannot
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be estimated. Both the type of risks must be evaluated so as to nullify the negative impact
on the cost and time performance.
Soren Degn Eskesen et al. (2004)The work proposes the strict guidelines to manage the risk during
the execution phase the authors are of the opinion that the risk handling must be conceived at every
level including the design, tendering, award of contract and execution.
IV. RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
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The transport infra-structure development needs the proper analysis of the risks involved in the
building of the subway. All the possible risks are estimated during the planning 10
phase and the
solution is guessed so that the corrective measures are taken at right time. The Risk management
process is schematically shown in fig.1.
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RISK ANALYSIS
V. HAZARD DOCUMENTATION
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The hazard finding is the process of locating negatives that affect the performance of the project at all
stages of planning, execution and control. This is initiated by planning team and further strengthened by
the stake holders of the project. In this work the causes of the hazard associated with the tunnel project
has been studied by telephonic interviews, literature survey of the similar projects and a case study of
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USBRL Project. The risks recognized are shown in the Table 1.
VI. THE HAZARD ANALYSIS
The hazards are classified and listed in the order of their importance. The priority is fixed on the intensity
of the impact on the targets of the project. The Importance Index (IMP.I) is used here.
Feedback form Study
The feedback form method is used to study the project details. The experts related to the particular
projects are contacted and their opinion is evaluated on the merit basis.
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A total 25 query forms were sent and response from 15 experts were collected. as shown in the Table
VII below.
Dangerous hazards are those that have the uppermost influence indices. The Dangerous hazards as seen
from the Hazard Table are graphed in figures Fig.5 and Fig.6 as below:
The critical hazards have the negative impact on the time and cost escalation this is inference drawn from
the comparison of the two tables. There are minor reasons like policy reversals on the part of government
agencies, labour troubles, technical errors etc.
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Fig. 3 Extreme risks affecting Project Cost
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TABLE X. PROJECT RISK REGISTER
Risk Risk details Position Position Risk Response
Notation based on based on Owner Approach Particulars
cost Time
Poor site and
weak soil
R5 1 1 Owner Moderate Geological testing and reporting .
• quality monitoring
R7 9 13 Owner Transfer
• get Governments guarantees to adjust
• Flexibility in the timeline.
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17. The audit revealed that, the time taken for obtaining forest clearance ranged from 10 to 56
months; due to delayed acquisition/forest clearance, contracts for 8 tunnels and 14 bridges in
IRCON portion had to be foreclosed and the progress of works at 12 tunnel sites and 8 bridge
sites in KRCL area was hampered by 9 to 35 months. due to non finalisation of Final Location
Survey in the stretch from Km 31 to 38, Km 53 to 56, Km 58 to 87 and Km 110 to 125, the land
requirement could not be identified.
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18. As can be seen from the above illustrative instances, delay in decision making was one of the
important reasons for the delays in the execution of the USBRL project.
Fig.6 Steel Arch Assembling to bridge the Gap over the Chenab River Gorge 30 Month after
launching the first Arch Element November 2017; again the Works have come to a Halt, this
time due to COVID-19 Virus. The latest news is that the arch closure has just been finished on
20th February 2021.
IX . HAZARD RESPONSE MONITORING AND CONTROL
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The Hazard identification at early stage with remedial solution is very important for the project
development and success. The smart risk management is the key to success.
The Concluding Framework for the Tunnel Project on the basis of the study of the USBRL
Project
1. The Engineering Code of Indian Railways must be strictly followed and it should be updated with
the example designs of Steel Bridges, Tunnel Construction Procedure should be illustrated with
similar infrastructure already existing in the world. The Detailed Project Reports must be prepared
by competent Design Panels. The railways technical staff must be trained to conduct the actual
surveys like Pir Panjal Mountain Range and work order should be awarded without checking the
real work.
2. Railways do not seriously prepare the DPR. The simulation software’s must be used to simulate
the geological conditions of the site. The aerial surveys should be counter checked by conducting
field surveys. The concerned survey teams must be penalised for any gross errors.
3. The Project feasibility studies must be made before approving the alignments and actual
performance. The sample construction must be done before launching the actual work and
contractors must pass these tests.
4. The railways must R& D department and must work under the Civil Engineering Department eg .
IIT Roorkee. The Survey and designs must be counter checked by the experts form IITs.
5. The existing Gap between the Construction Agencies and Design experts must be resolved as soon
as possible. The responsibility should be fixed at every level to check the errors in the initial stage.
The scale down of the steel and RCC structures can be constructed at academic level. The
structures must be simulated using Software like Staad –Pro, Etabs, Sap2000 etc. and results must
be verified against the scale down model.
6. There should be conflict resolving system within the railways. The conflicts might arise between
Construction Agencies and the Division of Railways.
7. The folly on the part of any high official or team of officials must be penalised for breaking any
technical procedures eg. Passing the alignments without conducting the actual surveys.
8. The contracts must be awarded only after the completion of survey and the design work.
9. In case of the difference of opinion of the Railways Board and Construction Companies must be
resolved through a permanent Expert Committee. The consultancy of international consultants
must be considered instead of sitting on the problem
10. The financial impacts on the Railways can be reduced by modifying the contracts. The contracts
must address the problems like penalty for wrong designs, delays in the construction schedules, the
delays due to the Act of God like Covid -19 Pandemic must be borne by all the stake holders.
11. The proper designs must be supported by quality planning. The planning managers and team must
be experienced and they should plan the projects using Project Management Tools like MS Project
or Primavera as per the PMBOK guidelines.
12. One of the biggest source of delay like Land Acquisition can be expedited by using one window
concept. If necessary the Central Government can pass a law which will force the state
governments to provide the land for the Public Projects.
The external risk management is extremely important and this requires the proper risk transfer. The risk
management
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should be include in the planning and should be scheduled and rescheduled as and when
required. The cost of avoiding the risk should be below the cost of the risk.
The future work can be the inclusion of the quantitative analysis. There were many physical limitations
therefore, the proposed model could be verified on the ground. But personal visit of the site and the
discussion with the authorities supports many claims.
REFERENCES
[1] Rakhi Arora, Ujjwal Daga. (2016) "Problems faced in Tunnelling.” International Journal of
Engineering, Applied Science and Technology Vol 1 Issue 8 :2455-2143
[2] Pamukcu, Cagatay. (2015)"Analysis and management of risks experienced in tunnel construction."
Acta Montanistica Slovaca 20.4.
[3] Mishra, Surabhi, and Brajesh Mishra. (2016) "A study on risk factors involved in the construction
projects." International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology 5.2 :
11901196.
[4] Gupta, Vishal Kumar, and Jitesh J. Thakkar. (2018) "A quantitative risk assessment methodology for
construction project." Sādhanā 43.7 : 116.
[5] Eskesen, Soren Degn, Tengborg. (2004) "Guidelines for tunnelling risk management: international
tunnelling association, working group No. 2." Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 19.3:
217-237. [6] Kožíšek, F., Weyessa Gari, D., Pumann, P., Runštuk, J., Šašek, J., Tuhovčák, L., ... &
Papírník, V. (2008). Risk assessment case study– Březnice, Czech Republic. Nieuwegein, the
Netherlands: TECHNEAU.
[7] Rajgor, M., Paresh, C., Dhruv, P., Chirag, P., & Dhrmesh, B. (2016). RII & IMPI: effective techniques
for finding delay in construction project. International Research Journal of Engineering and
Technology, 3(1), 1173-1177
[8] A Guide to the Project Management Book of Knowledge
[9] Zavadskas, Edmundas Kazimieras, Zenonas Turskis, and Jolanta Tamošaitiene. (2010) "Risk
assessment of construction projects." Journal of civil engineering and management 16.1 (2010): 33-46.
[10] Gafari, Mohammad Ali, and Rahim Aminzadeh. (2015) "Identify and Analyze the Risks Involved in
Tunnel Projects." Current World Environment 10 : 1102-1108.
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