Contractual provisions inducing construction waste generation: an analysis of Sri Lankan standard forms of contract

Abstract

Construction waste remains a major challenge in the construction industry due to its environmental, economic, and resource implications. While previous studies have mainly focused on operational and site management practices as causes of construction waste, limited attention has been given to the role of contractual provisions in influencing waste generation. This study investigates how contractual clauses may contribute to construction waste during project execution. A qualitative document analysis was conducted on CIDA/SBD/02 (Section 3) to examine the potential mechanisms through which contractual clauses may lead to waste generation. The analysis identified several contractual provisions related to the priority of documents, Engineer’s instructions, inspection requirements, rejection of materials or workmanship, and variations. The findings reveal that these provisions may create circumstances that lead to demolition, rework, replacement of materials, and material obsolesce during construction. Discrepancies among contract documents, late instructions, rejection of non-compliant materials, and design changes introduced through variations were identified as key contractual processes that may contribute to waste generation. The study demonstrates that contractual governance mechanisms embedded within standard forms of contract can unintentionally create conditions that lead to material waste. By revealing the relationship between contract administration processes and waste generation, the research contributes to expanding construction waste management beyond managerial and operational site practices towards governance dimensions.