%0 Journal Article
%T Causes of Variation Orders in Road Construction Projects in Sri Lanka
%A R. U. Halwatura
%A N. P. N. P. Ranasinghe
%J ISRN Construction Engineering
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/381670
%X One of the most important problems in the construction industry is variations. They occur in every construction project and the magnitude of these variations varies considerably from project to project. Hence, the variations orders bear great importance right from the inception to completion in the construction industry. Most of the road construction projects in Sri Lanka have experienced a large number of variation orders. The client had to spend more than what was initially estimated in most cases. Sometimes, disputes and unnecessary delays occur due to variations. This study attempted to reveal the possible causes of variation orders in the road construction projects in Sri Lanka. The data were collected through a literature review, a case study analysis focused on 11 road construction projects, and a questionnaire administered to professionals in the road construction industry in Sri Lanka. The study found out that the causes in the local context differ from those in the international context. According to the questionnaire survey, poor estimation was the most significant cause of variation orders. Unforeseen site conditions, political pressure during construction stage, poor investigation, and client-initiated variations occupy the 2nd to 5th places, respectively, in the ranking. This ranking was further proven through the case study analysis. 1. Introduction The cost of a construction project is one of the most important factors in the construction industry. Due to many reasons, the total cost of a project can significantly vary from the initial estimated cost. The reasons could be changes in scope of work, specifications, or any other contract documents. In the construction industry, variation orders are created when changes occur. It is an official document that states the changes made into the original agreement between the client and the contractor. When a variation order is created, it brings several negative effects to both the client and the contractor. The study discussed in this paper was aimed at investigating possible causes of variation orders in the road construction projects in Sri Lanka. The data for the analysis were collected using three methods. The causes of variation orders in general in the road construction industry and their ranking were identified based on a literature review. Then the findings were surveyed based on a questionnaire administered to the professionals in the industry in Sri Lanka and selective case studies were analyzed to understand the degree of occurrence and their impact. This paper first provides a brief
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.construction.engineering/2013/381670/