Delay claims are one of the most complex and contentious issues in construction projects. When delays occur, all parties want to understand who is responsible and how much extra time or money is justified. Delay analysis is the forensic discipline that uses project data and scheduling techniques to uncover the truth objectively.
Main Types of Delay Analysis Techniques:
- As-Planned vs As-Built Analysis: Compares the original baseline schedule with actual progress to identify variances and delays. Useful for simple cases but limited when multiple delays overlap.
- Time Impact Analysis (TIA): Simulates the schedule by inserting delay events one at a time and assessing their impact on the critical path. This method quantifies how specific events changed the project duration.
- Window Analysis: Divides the project into time “windows” (e.g., monthly) and analyzes delays in each window separately. Helps isolate the timing and impact of multiple concurrent delays.
- Collapsed As-Built (But-For) Analysis: Hypothetical scenario removing delay events to show how the project would have finished without them, proving the delay’s impact.
How to Conduct Delay Analysis:
- Collect comprehensive data: schedules, progress reports, correspondence, daily logs, meeting minutes, photos.
- Identify delay events with dates and durations.
- Analyze effects on the critical path(s) using scheduling software simulations.
- Assign responsibility based on contract terms and factual analysis.
- Quantify delay durations and prepare substantiated claims or defenses.
Why Facts Matter: Courts and dispute boards rely on factual, documented evidence rather than opinions or hearsay. Meticulous documentation of delay events, their timing, and their impacts is essential for a credible claim.
Example:
A contractor claims a 15-day extension due to late delivery of steel. Time Impact Analysis was used to insert the delivery delay into the schedule, demonstrating the critical path shifted by exactly 15 days. This justified the contractor’s extension request.
Final Advice: Delay analysis is a specialized skill requiring expertise in scheduling, contracts, and forensic investigation. Invest in qualified analysts to protect your interests and support claims with hard evidence.