Theft and vandalism in infrastructure construction: a review of sustainability impacts

Abstract

Infrastructure construction projects are complex and resource-intensive systems that significantly influence economic development, environmental sustainability, and societal well-being. Despite their importance, such projects remain highly vulnerable to operational risks, particularly theft and vandalism arising from inadequate site security. While existing research has extensively examined cost overruns and delays, limited attention has been given to the broader sustainability implications of security-related incidents, especially within developing economies. This study adopts a narrative literature review approach to examine how theft and vandalism influence the sustainability performance of infrastructure construction projects in developing countries. The review identifies key environmental, economic, and social impact pathways resulting from security breaches, drawing upon both international and Sri Lankan literature. Furthermore, the study synthesises mitigation strategies, including technological, managerial, contractual, and governance-based interventions. Based on these insights, a conceptual framework is developed to illustrate the relationship between infrastructure vulnerabilities, security risks, and sustainability degradation mechanisms. The findings highlight the importance of integrating security considerations into sustainability assessment practices to enhance the resilience and long-term performance of infrastructure projects. The study provides practical guidance for construction practitioners in developing more robust security and sustainability strategies and identifies avenues for further empirical research to validate and expand the proposed framework.