Membah, J and Asa, E (2015) Estimating cost for transportation tunnel projects: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Construction Management, 15(3), pp. 196-218. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
Estimating the cost of transportation tunnel projects during the feasibility stage is highly complex and challenging for state/federal agencies. The use of traditional methods to estimate tunnel project costs has led to significant cost underestimation because of limited information/data to compare different alternatives. To address cost underestimation, 40 cost estimating factors were identified by conducting a systematic literature review. Seven electronic databases were searched and articles were screened based on pre-established criteria. Of the 788 articles retrieved, 39 articles published from 1988 to 2013 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The resulting data was analysed using descriptive and Anderson-Darling statistical methods. The results of the analysis showed that the top five factors contributing to cost underestimation were engineering and construction complexities, geological conditions, cost estimation, market conditions, and environmental requirements. The findings from the review showed the importance of incorporating the effect of each determined estimating factor by state/federal agencies or metropolitan planning organizations when preparing initial estimates to avoid cost underestimation and/or to reduce the errors associated with such estimates. Future research may be warranted to explore the possibility of weighting the factors.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cost drivers; cost estimation; cost estimation models; cost overrun; cost underestimation; risks; tunnels |
| Index terms: | tunnel, complexity, estimating, systematic literature review, market condition, cost overrun, database, agency, statistical method, estimate, cost estimating, project cost |
| Subjects: | economic and policy analysis, data management, systems engineering, sociology, infrastructure and transport systems, statistical analysis, research evaluation and metrics, financial and cost management, economics |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Cost Management, Digital Applications, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here