The system dynamics analysis of cost overrun causations in UK rail projects in a COVID-19 epidemic era.

Abstract

Cost overrun is a global issue plaguing transportation infrastructure projects and the rail industry in the United Kingdom is no exception. This industry plays a significant role in stimulating the country's economic development and growth. Understanding the factors contributing to cost overruns in rail projects is vital for ensuring the viability and sustainability of such projects, especially in the COVID-19 epidemic era. This study analyzed and predicted the impact of cost overruns on rail projects in the UK in a COVID-19 pandemic era through a sparse network and system dynamics approach. It leverages a review of existing literature and perceptions of 80 construction professionals purposively, to establish the factors affecting cost overruns in the UK rail construction sector. Findings reveal a web of causations, which highlights labor productivity, delay in the supply of construction materials and equipment, and access to the site as fundamental predictors of cost overruns during a COVID-19 pandemic era. The resulting findings have the potential to assist project managers in strategically planning for and mitigating the potential rise in cost overruns of rail projects in the UK during the pandemic.

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This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221097923

Repository URI

https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1674008