Effective management of EOT claims in Sri Lankan road projects under pandemic context

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant surge in Extension of Time (EOT) claims in Sri Lankan road construction projects, primarily due to unprecedented disruptions, limited documentation, and a lack of prior experience in managing pandemic-related delays and claims. The approval process for EOT claims became prolonged and complex, resulting in disputes, project delays, and operational inefficiencies within the industry. Despite these challenges, there is a lack of research addressing effective mechanisms for evaluating and administering EOT claims in a pandemic context. This study aims to explore pandemic-related delay causes, assess weaknesses in the current EOT claim process, and develop an improved framework for managing EOT claims in road construction projects under a pandemic context. A mixed methods research approach was adopted, involving an open-ended questionnaire survey administered to industry professionals to identify existing issues and potential improvement strategies regarding EOT claims. The findings were further validated through an expert panel interview to ensure industry relevance and practical feasibility. Statistical analysis, including the use of SPSS where appropriate, was employed to interpret and validate the survey results. The study identifies the implementation of an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) as the most suitable and effective proposal for enhancing EOT claim management practices under pandemic conditions when compared to the other proposed recommendations. The proposed mechanism is expected to improve documentation handling, transparency, tracking efficiency, and timely decision- making, thereby strengthening the overall EOT claim process within the Sri Lankan road construction sector in the pandemic context. Overall, this study provides key insights into the factors contributing to construction project delays, notification, and EOT approval issues during the pandemic, and proposes some other mitigation strategies and mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of the EOT claim process in Sri Lankan road projects under pandemic conditions