Assessment Of The Challenges Of Bridge Construction Projects Performance: A Case Of Southwest Ethiopia Peoples Region

Abstract

This study was conducted to discover and to capture the existing challenges of bridge construction projects that were being built in the Southwest Ethiopia Peoples Region, in order to minimize challenges of performance. Bridge construction projects are complex and challenging endeavors that require careful planning and execution to ensure success. Performing projects at the allocated cost, quality, and schedule is difficult. Bridge construction projects face several challenges that could affect their performance. Addressed these challenges lead to more efficient and successful construction of bridges. This study aims to discover the challenges occurrences and main significant factors causing challenges in bridge construction performance. This study was a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach, using descriptive research methods and purposive sampling techniques. Basic information about the bridge construction projects, such as the main challenges observed during the construction performance process and the factors contributing to bridge construction performance challenges, was found. The research identified the main challenges through a literature review and questionnaire survey to achieve the study's goal. Based on this, the questionnaires were developed in the Likert five-point scale form and distributed to respondents to collect data from construction stakeholders; it was analyzed by using the relative importance index to give weight to the challenges of identifying the major challenges of bridge construction projects in the Southwest Ethiopia Peoples (SWEPR). Stakeholders provided quantitative data via questionnaires, then analyzed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) with Microsoft Excel. As a result from the findings, there are challenges occurring in bridge construction projects' performance.These included: cost, environment, availability of resource, maintainability, safety, reliability, security, health, and politics. And the study also discovered the sixty challenges caused to the performance of bridge construction projects. Bridge construction projects often face various challenges that hinder their performance; to reduce these challenges, project managers should develop effective risk management strategies to address issues. All stakeholders participants in bridge construction projects should collaborate to enhance the project’s performance and minimize the negative impacts.