Design impact of construction fast-track

Abstract

Phased construction and fast-tracking have received considerable attention in recent years and have been synonymous with the development of new project delivery systems under the professional construction management approach. Many articles and even textbooks have described only the advantages of these popular methods. Despite the differences between the two approaches, outlined in this paper, they are still being referred to interchangeably by construction professionals. Through a case study, this paper also identifies the potential disadvantages of the fast-track technique. Problem areas associated with the implementation of this technique are identified and further ranked with respect to their frequency observed on 28 fast-track construction contracts. A delay analysis shows the impact of this accelerated technique on construction activities. The far-reaching effects of mistakes during the early design/engineering phase in a fast-track programme are usually underrated. Accelerating a project through fast-tracking is a major decision, and construction professionals are often not aware of its implications. Based on the case study examined in this paper and other fast-track constructions previously analysed, trouble areas requiring special attention have been depicted and recommendations with regard to the effective use of this technique are presented. It has also been shown that unless considerable attention is directed to problem areas, particularly those related to design, such a popular accelerated technique could result in unexpected delays.

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