Analysis of Cost Performance Indicators in Reconstruction Projects: A Comparative Study of Low vs High Level Damages

With the increase in frequency and intensity of natural disasters, the number of transportation infrastructures needing reconstruction is also increasing. Insufficient financial resources and cost overruns are among the major limitations that affect the reconstruction works of the transportation infrastructure after a disaster; however, there are few resources to help practitioners monitor the cost of reconstruction and keep it within the allocated budget. This study aims to provide a comprehensive list of the critical factors that affect the reconstruction cost (CFRC) of transportation infrastructures after a disaster, and to categorize them, based on the level of damage incurred. A survey was conducted to determine the importance of 30 potential CFRCs, and the survey results were statistically analyzed. It was found that effective coordination plays a critical role in completing a project within the budget limitations, a slow decision-making process slows the reconstruction efforts and increases the probability of cost overruns, and the reconstruction cost of transportation infrastructures with a high level of damage are dependent on more factors than infrastructures with a low level of damage. For example, when the damage level is low, fewer disruptions to traffic are necessary during the reconstruction than if the damage level is high. When the damage level is high, the likelihood of more traffic disturbance is greater, which has the potential to create unforeseen costs and/or cost overruns. The outcome of this paper will be of value to the authorities who are responsible for controlling budget overruns during post-disaster reconstruction projects. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Budapest University of Technology and Economics & Diamond Congress Ltd Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2020.