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Understanding the Root Causes of Construction Claims: A Narrative Review of Causal Patterns and Preventive Strategies

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 4, 1157 - 1170, 30.12.2025

Mehmet Kürşad Bahat , Sema Ergönül

https://doi.org/10.24012/dumf.1759763

Öz

Construction projects are inherently vulnerable to claims due to their multifaceted nature, involvement of multiple stakeholders, complex contracts, and dynamic site conditions. Claims are common issues within the construction industry, often leading to disputes and significantly impacting the successful delivery of projects. Facing many claims increases the resource requirements necessary for project completion, resulting in resource wastage. This research undertakes a narrative review to identify, classify, and interpret the determinants of construction claims by aggregating evidence from 21 peer-reviewed papers and graduate theses published between 2006 and 2024. The sources were selected through non-systematic searches from Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Türkiye's National Thesis Center, with priority given to research that had examined claim causation and resolution explicitly. The analysis demonstrated that the most common reasons for the generation of claims were ambiguities in the contracts, deficiencies in designs, delayed payments, and inadequate communication among the stakeholders. Particular roles were often overlapping or shared among the consultants (defective or incomplete designs), the contractors (mismanagement of the site, resource deficiencies), and the employers (scheduling expectations that could not possibly be met, financial constraints). While no single party could be held solely accountable in many cases, the data emphasized the interdependent nature of claim triggers. The research concludes that the reciprocal mitigation of claim generation necessitates a systems-based approach involving strong frameworks for contracts, improved coordination among stakeholders, planning during the preliminary stages, and the integration of advanced technologies.

Anahtar Kelimeler

construction claims construction disputes claim cause claim prevention claim resolution

Kaynakça

  • [1] M. Stan, “Issues concerning the dynamics of labor productivity at the level of the companies in Constanta County operating in the ‘Construction’ sector before and after the COVID-19 pandemic”, Technium Soc. Sci. J., vol. 25, pp. 225–241, 2021, DOI: 10.47577/tssj.v25i1.5095.
  • [2] C. S. Lean, “Empirical tests to discern linkages between construction and other economic sectors in Singapore”, Constr. Manag. Econ., vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 355–363, 2001, DOI: 10.1080/01446190010022686.
  • [3] H. Ren, H. Folmer, and A. J. Van Der Vlist, “What role does the real estate–construction sector play in China’s regional economy?” Ann. Reg. Sci., vol. 52, no. 3, pp. 839–857, 2014, DOI: 10.1007/s00168-014-0613-5.
  • [4] B. Ilhan and H. Yaman, “A comparative input‐output analysis of the construction sector in Turkey and EU countries”, Eng. Constr. Archit. Manag., vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 248–265, 2011, DOI: 10.1108/09699981111126160.
  • [5] E. Cakmak and P. I. Cakmak, “An analysis of the causes of disputes in the construction industry using the analytical network process”, Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci., vol. 109, pp. 183–187, 2014, DOI: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.441.
  • [6] E. K. Zaneldin, “Construction claims in United Arab Emirates: Types, causes, and frequency”, Int. J. Proj. Manag., vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 453–459, 2006, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2006.02.006.
  • [7] B. A. Apte and S. P. Pathak, “Review of types and causes of construction claims”, Int. J. Res. Civ. Eng., Architecture & Design, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 43–50, 2016, https://iaeme.com/MasterAdmin/Journal_uploads/IJRCEAD/VOLUME_4_ISSUE_2/IJRCEAD_04_02_008.pdf.
  • [8] P. M. Silva, N. Domingo, and N. Ali, “Causes of disputes in the construction industry – a systematic literature review”, J. Financ. Manag. Prop. Constr., vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 193–210, 2023, DOI: 10.1108/jfmpc-03-2023-0012.
  • [9] N. N. Muhammuddin, M. Danuri , H. Hanid, and M. Mahanim, “Dispute occurrences during construction stages of building project: A systematic literature review”, J. Proj. Manag. Pract., vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1–22, 2022, DOI: 10.22452/jpmp.vol2no2.1.
  • [10] M. T. A. Qershi, “Leading factors contributing to the generation of claims in the Indian Construction Industry- Consultant’s perception”, Civ. Eng. Res. J., vol. 4, no. 4, 2018, DOI: 10.19080/cerj.2018.04.555642.
  • [11] A. Adeyemi and O. Segwabe, “Rank-Order analysis of factors causing claims on road construction projects in Botswana”, J. Adv. Perform. Inf. Value, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 58, 2016, DOI: 10.37265/japiv.v8i2.64.
  • [12] G. J. Kikwasi, “Claims in construction projects: how causes are linked to effects?”, J. Eng. Des. Technol., vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 1710–1724, 2023, DOI: 10.1108/JEDT-06-2021-0312.
  • [13] H. H. Shaikh, N. Y. Zainun, and S. H. Khahro, “Claims in construction projects: A comprehensive literature review”, in IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 498, no. 1, pp. 012095, 2020 , DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/498/1/012095.
  • [14] R. Asadi, J. O. B. Rotimi, and S. Wilkinson, “Investigating the relationship between reworks and contractual claims: The salience of contract conditions”, J. Leg. Aff. Disput. Resolut. Eng. Constr., vol. 14, no. 1, 2021, DOI: 10.1061/(asce)la.1943-4170.0000519.
  • [15] A. A. Olanrewaju and P. J. Anavhe, “Perceived claim sources in the Nigerian construction industry”, Built Environ. Proj. Asset Manag., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 281–295, 2014, DOI: 10.1108/bepam-05-2013-0014.
  • [16] H. Doloi, A. Sawhney, K. Iyer, and S. Rentala, “Analysing factors affecting delays in Indian construction projects”, Int. J. Proj. Manag., vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 479–489, 2012, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2011.10.004.
  • [17] B. H. W. Hadikusumo and S. Tobgay, “Construction claim types and causes for a large-scale hydropower project in Bhutan”, J. Constr. Dev. Ctries., vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 49–63, 2015, https://doaj.org/article/0b3e6298066b494485e6f13b0987669b.
  • [18] M. Mishmish and S. M. El-Sayegh, “Causes of claims in road construction projects in the UAE”, Int. J. Constr. Manag., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 26–33, 2016, DOI: 10.1080/15623599.2016.1230959.
  • [19] S. Yildizel, E. Dogan, G. Kaplan, and A. Ergut, “Major constructional dispute causes in Turkey”, Arch. Civ. Eng., vol. 62, no. 4, pp. 193–204, 2016, DOI: 10.1515/ace-2015-0116.
  • [20] K. C. Ataker, “İnşaat projelerinde oyun teorisi yaklaşımıyla hak taleplerinin yönetimi”, Yüksek lisans tezi, İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü, 2018.
  • [21] S. Assaf, M. A. Hassanain, A. Abdallah, A. M. Sayed, and A. Alshahrani, “Significant causes of claims and disputes in construction projects in Saudi Arabia”, Built Environ. Proj. Asset Manag., vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 597–615, 2019, DOI: 10.1108/bepam-09-2018-0113.
  • [22] Y. M. A. Malki and M. S. Alam, “Construction claims, their types and causes in the private construction industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain”, Asian J. Civ. Eng., vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 477–484, 2020, DOI: 10.1007/s42107-020-00326-z.
  • [23] E. Temiz, “Türkiye’deki yapım projelerinde anlaşmazlıklara neden olan faktörlerin analizi”, Yüksek lisans tezi, İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, 2020.
  • [24] M. T. Alqershy and R. Kishore, “Construction claims prediction using ANN models: a case study of the Indian construction industry”, Int. J. Constr. Manag., vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 1097–1108, 2021, DOI: 10.1080/15623599.2021.1955322.
  • [25] C. Tanriverdi, G. Atasoy, I. Dikmen, and M. T. Birgonul, “Causal mapping to explore emergence of construction disputes”, J. Civ. Eng. Manag., vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 288–302, 2021, DOI: 10.3846/jcem.2021.14900.
  • [26] A. H. Tuna, “İnşaat projelerinde hak talepleri”, Bitirme projesi, MEF Üniversitesi, 2021.
  • [27] J. Wang, S. Zhang, P. Fenn, X. Luo, Y. Liu, and L. Zhao, “Adopting BIM to facilitate dispute management in the construction industry: A conceptual framework development”, J. Constr. Eng. Manag., vol. 149, no. 1, 2022, DOI: 10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0002419.
  • [28] A. Sherif and A. M. Abdelalim, “Delay analysis techniques and claim assessment in construction projects”, Int. J. Manag. Commerce Innov., vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 316–325, 2023, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7509156.
  • [29] F. Antoniou and A. V. Tsioulpa, “Assessing the delay, cost, and quality risks of claims on construction contract performance”, Buildings, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 333, 2024, DOI: 10.3390/buildings14020333
  • [30] M. Çevikbaş, “Identification of dispute sources in the construction industry via court files,” Turk. J. Civ. Eng., vol. 57, pp. 57–75, 2023, DOI: 10.18400/tjce.1224425.
  • [31] F. S. Demirci, O. Okudan, G. Demirdoğan, and Z. Işık, “Identifying and assessing suspension risks of public infrastructure projects,” Turk. J. Civ. Eng., vol. 37, no. 1, 2026, DOI: 10.18400/tjce.1647446.
  • [32] M. T. Alqershy and R. Kishore, “Claim causes and types in Indian construction industry – contractor’s perspective,” Am. J. Civ. Eng. Archit., vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 196–203, 2017, DOI: 10.12691/ajcea-5-5-3

Understanding the Root Causes of Construction Claims: A Narrative Review of Determinants and Preventive Strategies

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 4, 1157 - 1170, 30.12.2025

Mehmet Kürşad Bahat , Sema Ergönül

https://doi.org/10.24012/dumf.1759763

Öz

Construction projects are inherently vulnerable to claims due to their multifaceted nature, involvement of multiple stakeholders, complex contracts, and dynamic site conditions. Claims are common issues within the construction industry, often leading to disputes and significantly impacting the successful delivery of projects. Facing many claims increases the resource requirements necessary for project completion, resulting in resource wastage. This research undertakes a narrative review to identify, classify, and interpret the determinants of construction claims by aggregating evidence from 21 peer-reviewed papers and graduate theses published between 2006 and 2024. The sources were selected through non-systematic searches from Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Türkiye's National Thesis Center, with priority given to research that had examined claim causation and resolution explicitly. The analysis demonstrated that the most common reasons for the generation of claims were ambiguities in the contracts, deficiencies in designs, delayed payments, and inadequate communication among the stakeholders. Particular roles were often overlapping or shared among the consultants (defective or incomplete designs), the contractors (mismanagement of the site, resource deficiencies), and the employers (scheduling expectations that could not possibly be met, financial constraints). While no single party could be held solely accountable in many cases, the data emphasized the interdependent nature of claim triggers. The research concludes that the reciprocal mitigation of claim generation necessitates a systems-based approach involving strong frameworks for contracts, improved coordination among stakeholders, planning during the preliminary stages, and the integration of advanced technologies.

Anahtar Kelimeler

construction claims construction disputes claim cause claim prevention claim resolution

Etik Beyan

Ethics committee approval and conflict of interest statement "There is no need to obtain permission from the ethics committee for the article prepared" "There is no conflict of interest with any person / institution in the article prepared"

Kaynakça

  • [1] M. Stan, “Issues concerning the dynamics of labor productivity at the level of the companies in Constanta County operating in the ‘Construction’ sector before and after the COVID-19 pandemic”, Technium Soc. Sci. J., vol. 25, pp. 225–241, 2021, DOI: 10.47577/tssj.v25i1.5095.
  • [2] C. S. Lean, “Empirical tests to discern linkages between construction and other economic sectors in Singapore”, Constr. Manag. Econ., vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 355–363, 2001, DOI: 10.1080/01446190010022686.
  • [3] H. Ren, H. Folmer, and A. J. Van Der Vlist, “What role does the real estate–construction sector play in China’s regional economy?” Ann. Reg. Sci., vol. 52, no. 3, pp. 839–857, 2014, DOI: 10.1007/s00168-014-0613-5.
  • [4] B. Ilhan and H. Yaman, “A comparative input‐output analysis of the construction sector in Turkey and EU countries”, Eng. Constr. Archit. Manag., vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 248–265, 2011, DOI: 10.1108/09699981111126160.
  • [5] E. Cakmak and P. I. Cakmak, “An analysis of the causes of disputes in the construction industry using the analytical network process”, Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci., vol. 109, pp. 183–187, 2014, DOI: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.441.
  • [6] E. K. Zaneldin, “Construction claims in United Arab Emirates: Types, causes, and frequency”, Int. J. Proj. Manag., vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 453–459, 2006, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2006.02.006.
  • [7] B. A. Apte and S. P. Pathak, “Review of types and causes of construction claims”, Int. J. Res. Civ. Eng., Architecture & Design, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 43–50, 2016, https://iaeme.com/MasterAdmin/Journal_uploads/IJRCEAD/VOLUME_4_ISSUE_2/IJRCEAD_04_02_008.pdf.
  • [8] P. M. Silva, N. Domingo, and N. Ali, “Causes of disputes in the construction industry – a systematic literature review”, J. Financ. Manag. Prop. Constr., vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 193–210, 2023, DOI: 10.1108/jfmpc-03-2023-0012.
  • [9] N. N. Muhammuddin, M. Danuri , H. Hanid, and M. Mahanim, “Dispute occurrences during construction stages of building project: A systematic literature review”, J. Proj. Manag. Pract., vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1–22, 2022, DOI: 10.22452/jpmp.vol2no2.1.
  • [10] M. T. A. Qershi, “Leading factors contributing to the generation of claims in the Indian Construction Industry- Consultant’s perception”, Civ. Eng. Res. J., vol. 4, no. 4, 2018, DOI: 10.19080/cerj.2018.04.555642.
  • [11] A. Adeyemi and O. Segwabe, “Rank-Order analysis of factors causing claims on road construction projects in Botswana”, J. Adv. Perform. Inf. Value, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 58, 2016, DOI: 10.37265/japiv.v8i2.64.
  • [12] G. J. Kikwasi, “Claims in construction projects: how causes are linked to effects?”, J. Eng. Des. Technol., vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 1710–1724, 2023, DOI: 10.1108/JEDT-06-2021-0312.
  • [13] H. H. Shaikh, N. Y. Zainun, and S. H. Khahro, “Claims in construction projects: A comprehensive literature review”, in IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 498, no. 1, pp. 012095, 2020 , DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/498/1/012095.
  • [14] R. Asadi, J. O. B. Rotimi, and S. Wilkinson, “Investigating the relationship between reworks and contractual claims: The salience of contract conditions”, J. Leg. Aff. Disput. Resolut. Eng. Constr., vol. 14, no. 1, 2021, DOI: 10.1061/(asce)la.1943-4170.0000519.
  • [15] A. A. Olanrewaju and P. J. Anavhe, “Perceived claim sources in the Nigerian construction industry”, Built Environ. Proj. Asset Manag., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 281–295, 2014, DOI: 10.1108/bepam-05-2013-0014.
  • [16] H. Doloi, A. Sawhney, K. Iyer, and S. Rentala, “Analysing factors affecting delays in Indian construction projects”, Int. J. Proj. Manag., vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 479–489, 2012, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2011.10.004.
  • [17] B. H. W. Hadikusumo and S. Tobgay, “Construction claim types and causes for a large-scale hydropower project in Bhutan”, J. Constr. Dev. Ctries., vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 49–63, 2015, https://doaj.org/article/0b3e6298066b494485e6f13b0987669b.
  • [18] M. Mishmish and S. M. El-Sayegh, “Causes of claims in road construction projects in the UAE”, Int. J. Constr. Manag., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 26–33, 2016, DOI: 10.1080/15623599.2016.1230959.
  • [19] S. Yildizel, E. Dogan, G. Kaplan, and A. Ergut, “Major constructional dispute causes in Turkey”, Arch. Civ. Eng., vol. 62, no. 4, pp. 193–204, 2016, DOI: 10.1515/ace-2015-0116.
  • [20] K. C. Ataker, “İnşaat projelerinde oyun teorisi yaklaşımıyla hak taleplerinin yönetimi”, Yüksek lisans tezi, İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü, 2018.
  • [21] S. Assaf, M. A. Hassanain, A. Abdallah, A. M. Sayed, and A. Alshahrani, “Significant causes of claims and disputes in construction projects in Saudi Arabia”, Built Environ. Proj. Asset Manag., vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 597–615, 2019, DOI: 10.1108/bepam-09-2018-0113.
  • [22] Y. M. A. Malki and M. S. Alam, “Construction claims, their types and causes in the private construction industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain”, Asian J. Civ. Eng., vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 477–484, 2020, DOI: 10.1007/s42107-020-00326-z.
  • [23] E. Temiz, “Türkiye’deki yapım projelerinde anlaşmazlıklara neden olan faktörlerin analizi”, Yüksek lisans tezi, İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, 2020.
  • [24] M. T. Alqershy and R. Kishore, “Construction claims prediction using ANN models: a case study of the Indian construction industry”, Int. J. Constr. Manag., vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 1097–1108, 2021, DOI: 10.1080/15623599.2021.1955322.
  • [25] C. Tanriverdi, G. Atasoy, I. Dikmen, and M. T. Birgonul, “Causal mapping to explore emergence of construction disputes”, J. Civ. Eng. Manag., vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 288–302, 2021, DOI: 10.3846/jcem.2021.14900.
  • [26] A. H. Tuna, “İnşaat projelerinde hak talepleri”, Bitirme projesi, MEF Üniversitesi, 2021.
  • [27] J. Wang, S. Zhang, P. Fenn, X. Luo, Y. Liu, and L. Zhao, “Adopting BIM to facilitate dispute management in the construction industry: A conceptual framework development”, J. Constr. Eng. Manag., vol. 149, no. 1, 2022, DOI: 10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0002419.
  • [28] A. Sherif and A. M. Abdelalim, “Delay analysis techniques and claim assessment in construction projects”, Int. J. Manag. Commerce Innov., vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 316–325, 2023, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7509156.
  • [29] F. Antoniou and A. V. Tsioulpa, “Assessing the delay, cost, and quality risks of claims on construction contract performance”, Buildings, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 333, 2024, DOI: 10.3390/buildings14020333
  • [30] M. Çevikbaş, “Identification of dispute sources in the construction industry via court files,” Turk. J. Civ. Eng., vol. 57, pp. 57–75, 2023, DOI: 10.18400/tjce.1224425.
  • [31] F. S. Demirci, O. Okudan, G. Demirdoğan, and Z. Işık, “Identifying and assessing suspension risks of public infrastructure projects,” Turk. J. Civ. Eng., vol. 37, no. 1, 2026, DOI: 10.18400/tjce.1647446.
  • [32] M. T. Alqershy and R. Kishore, “Claim causes and types in Indian construction industry – contractor’s perspective,” Am. J. Civ. Eng. Archit., vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 196–203, 2017, DOI: 10.12691/ajcea-5-5-3
Toplam 32 adet kaynakça vardır.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil İngilizce
Konular İnşaat Yapım Mühendisliği, Yapı İşletmesi
Bölüm Derleme
Yazarlar

Mehmet Kürşad Bahat 0009-0008-8600-8279

Sema Ergönül 0000-0002-8222-4694

Gönderilme Tarihi 6 Ağustos 2025
Kabul Tarihi 29 Ekim 2025
Yayımlanma Tarihi 30 Aralık 2025
Yayımlandığı Sayı Yıl 2025 Cilt: 16 Sayı: 4

Kaynak Göster

IEEE M. K. Bahat ve S. Ergönül, “Understanding the Root Causes of Construction Claims: A Narrative Review of Determinants and Preventive Strategies”, DÜMF MD, c. 16, sy. 4, ss. 1157–1170, 2025, doi: 10.24012/dumf.1759763.
DUJE tarafından yayınlanan tüm makaleler, Creative Commons Atıf 4.0 Uluslararası Lisansı ile lisanslanmıştır. Bu, orijinal eser ve kaynağın uygun şekilde belirtilmesi koşuluyla, herkesin eseri kopyalamasına, yeniden dağıtmasına, yeniden düzenlemesine, iletmesine ve uyarlamasına izin verir. 24456