SEM-Based Decision Support Model for Cost-Quality Impact Analysis on a Fast-Track Project’s Duration
Downloads
The fast-track technique was introduced to mitigate time overruns and meet project deadlines; however, limited understanding exists regarding how cost and quality-related decisions influence the duration of such projects. This study aims to analyze the impact of cost and quality variances on project duration, ultimately proposing a decision support model tailored for fast-track high-rise building projects. Data were collected from 159 respondents and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), through which four hypotheses were formulated. The findings reveal that both cost and quality variances significantly affect project duration, with quality variance also exerting a notable influence on project cost. Mediation analysis further demonstrated that cost variance serves as a statistically significant mediator between quality variation and project duration. The R² values of the proposed model indicate that 78.4% of the variation in project duration can be attributed to changes in cost and quality, while 72.9% of the variation in project cost is linked to quality changes. The Importance–Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) identified the early procurement of long-lead-time items, the adoption of a scope-freeze approach during the early design phase, and the over-design of facilities as the most critical and best-performing decisions. The model introduces novel β-values and confirms the statistically significant relationships among cost, quality, and time. Additionally, model validation metrics—including Q², RMSE, MAE, and CVPAT—demonstrated strong out-of-sample predictive power of the proposed framework.
Downloads
[1] Rasul, N., Malik, M. S. A., Bakhtawar, B., & Thaheem, M. J. (2021). Risk assessment of fast-track projects: a systems-based approach. International Journal of Construction Management, 21(11), 1099-1114. doi:10.1080/15623599.2019.1602587.
[2] Emuze, F., & Oladokun, M. (2020). Exploring the Quality Management Methods Adopted by Contractors in Fast-Track Construction Projects in Eastern Cape. The Construction Industry in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 477–484. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-26528-1_48.
[3] Taghaddos, M., Mousaei, A., Taghaddos, H., Hermann, U., Mohamed, Y., & AbouRizk, S. (2024). Optimized variable resource allocation framework for scheduling of fast-track industrial construction projects. Automation in Construction, 158, 105208. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2023.105208.
[4] Project Management Institute. (2023). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® guide) (7th Ed.). Project Management Institute, Pennsylvania, United States.
[5] El-Far, M. E., Kotb, M., & Sabry, R. (2023). Controlling fast-track construction method variables (time, cost and quality). Infrastructure Asset Management, 10(2), 103–112. doi:10.1680/jinam.23.00001.
[6] Prawirawati, R., Suharyanto, A., & Pujiraharjo, A. (2022). Comparison of What If, Fast Track and Crash Program Methods for Acceleration of Project Delay. Rekayasa Sipil, 16(2), 101–109. doi:10.21776/ub.rekayasasipil.2022.016.02.5.
[7] Cho, K., Hyun, C., Koo, K., & Hong, T. (2010). Partnering Process Model for Public-Sector Fast-Track Design-Build Projects in Korea. Journal of Management in Engineering, 26(1), 19–29. doi:10.1061/(asce)0742-597x(2010)26:1(19).
[8] Skaik, S. (2014). Beware fast tracking complex high-rise buildings. Mastering Complex Projects Conference, 1 January 2014, Barton, Australia.
[9] Mubarak, S. A. (2015). Construction project scheduling and control. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, United States.
[10] Austin, R. B., Pishdad-Bozorgi, P., & de la Garza, J. M. (2016). Identifying and Prioritizing Best Practices to Achieve Flash Track Projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 142(2), 4015077. doi:10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0001061.
[11] Williams, G. V. (1995). Fast Track Pros and Cons: Considerations for Industrial Projects. Journal of Management in Engineering, 11(5), 24–32. doi:10.1061/(asce)0742-597x(1995)11:5(24).
[12] Cho, K., & Hastak, M. (2013). Time and Cost–Optimized Decision Support Model for Fast-Track Projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 139(1), 90–101. doi:10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0000570.
[13] Alhomadi, A. A., Dehghan, R., & Ruwanpura, J. Y. (2011). The predictability of fast-track projects. Procedia engineering, 14, 1966-1972. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.07.247.
[14] Ballesteros-Pérez, P. (2017). Modelling the boundaries of project fast-tracking. Automation in Construction, 84, 231–241. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2017.09.006.
[15] Dehghan, R., & Ruwanpura, J. Y. (2011). The mechanism of design activity overlapping in construction projects and the time-cost tradeoff function. Procedia Engineering, 14, 1959–1965. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.07.246.
[16] Abdelbary, M., Edkins, A., & Dorra, E. M. (2020). Reducing CRR in fast-track projects through BIM. Journal of Information Technology in Construction, 25, 140–160. doi:10.36680/j.itcon.2020.009.
[17] Dehghan, R., & Ruwnapura, J. Y. (2014). Model of Trade-Off between Overlapping and Rework of Design Activities. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 140(2), 4013043. doi:10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0000786.
[18] Laryea, S., & Watermeyer, R. (2020). Managing uncertainty in fast-track construction projects: Case study from South Africa. Proceedings of Institution of Civil Engineers: Management, Procurement and Law, 173(2), 49–63. doi:10.1680/jmapl.19.00039.
[19] Khatale, S., & Aher, M. (2017). Cost and Risk Analysis and Its Control of Fast Track Construction to Sadhugram in Kumbhmela 2015 at Nashik. International Journal of Innovative Research in Science and Engineering, 3(3), 360-368.
[20] Tengler, M. T. (1973). Fast-track method saves time, cuts costs in construction. Hospital Topics, 51(2), 21–24. doi:10.1080/00185868.1973.12083848.
[21] Afify, A. M. (2025). the Relationship Between Design and Construction in Project Delivery Methods and Its Impact on Fast-Track Projects. Journal of Al-Azhar University Engineering Sector, 384–400. doi:10.21608/auej.2024.284917.1650.
[22] Kasim, N. B., Anumba, C. J., & Dainty, A. R. J. (2005). Improving materials management practices on fast-track construction projects. 21st Annual ARCOM Conference, SOAS, 7-9 September, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
[23] Elmalky, A., Dokhan, S., & El-Dash, K. (2024). Adoption of Lean Approach to Enhance Performance of Fast-Track Construction Projects. Engineering Research Journal, 182(2), 20–46. doi:10.21608/erj.2024.358308.
[24] Attar, A., Boudjakdji, M. A., Bhuiyan, N., Grine, K., Kenai, S., & Aoubed, A. (2009). Integrating numerical tools in underground construction process. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 16(4), 376–391. doi:10.1108/09699980910970851.
[25] Khoueiry, Y., Srour, I., & Yassine, A. (2013). An optimization-based model for maximizing the benefits of fast-track construction activities. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 64(8), 1137–1146. doi:10.1057/jors.2013.30.
[26] Srour, I. M., Abdul-Malak, M. A. U., Yassine, A. A., & Ramadan, M. (2013). A methodology for scheduling overlapped design activities based on dependency information. Automation in Construction, 29, 1–11. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2012.08.001.
[27] Peña-Mora, F., & Li, M. (2001). Dynamic Planning and Control Methodology for Design/Build Fast-Track Construction Projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 127(1), 1–17. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9364(2001)127:1(1).
[28] Kalach, M., Abdul-Malak, M.-A., & Srour, I. (2021). BIM-Enabled Streaming of Changes and Potential Claims Induced by Fast-Tracking Design-Build Projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction, 13(1), 4520042. doi:10.1061/(asce)la.1943-4170.0000450.
[29] Fazio, P., Théberge, P., revay, S., & Moselhi, O. (1988). Design impact of construction fast-track. Construction Management and Economics, 6(3), 195–208. doi:10.1080/01446198800000018.
[30] Bogus, S. M., Molenaar, K. R., & Diekmann, J. E. (2006). Strategies for overlapping dependent design activities. Construction Management and Economics, 24(8), 829–837. doi:10.1080/01446190600658529.
[31] Squires, W. R., & Murphy, M. J. (1983). The Impact of Fast Track Construction and Construction Management on Subcontractors. Law and Contemporary Problems, 46(1), 55. doi:10.2307/1191579.
[32] Lalu, M., Tiong, I., & Shidqul, A. M. (2019). Application of Fast Track Method to Accelerate Project Implementation Time in the Hospital Construction. International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Science, 3(11), 49–53.
[33] Dey, P. K. (2000). Managing projects in fast track – A case of public sector organization in India. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 13(7), 588–609. doi:10.1108/09513550010362677.
[34] Moazzami, M., Dehghan, R., & Ruwanpura, J. Y. (2011). Contractual risks in fast-track projects. Procedia Engineering, 14, 2552–2557. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.07.321.
[35] Tighe, J. J. (1991). Benefits of fast tracking are a myth. International Journal of Project Management, 9(1), 49–51. doi:10.1016/0263-7863(91)90056-2.
[36] Russell, A. D., & Ranasinghe, M. (1991). Decision framework for fast-track construction: A deterministic analysis. Construction Management and Economics, 9(5), 467–479. doi:10.1080/01446199100000035.
[37] Egbelakin, T., Ogunmakinde, O. E., Teshich, B., & Omotayo, T. (2021). Managing fast-track construction project in Qatar: Challenges and opportunities. Buildings, 11(12), 640. doi:10.3390/buildings11120640.
[38] Elvin, G. (2007). Integrated practice in architecture: mastering design-build, fast-track, and building information modeling. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, United States.
[39] Park, M. (1999). Robust control of cost impact on fast-tracking building construction projects. Ph.D. Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.
[40] Das, K. (2018). Strategies of fast-track mode of construction. International. Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 5(4), 4995–4999.
[41] Deshpande, A. S., Salem, O. M., & Miller, R. A. (2012). Analysis of the Higher-Order Partial Correlation between CII Best Practices and Performance of the Design Phase in Fast-Track Industrial Projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 138(6), 716–724. doi:10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0000487.
[42] Arefazar, Y., Nazari, A., Hafezi, M. R., & Maghool, S. A. H. (2022). Prioritizing agile project management strategies as a change management tool in construction projects. International Journal of Construction Management, 22(4), 678–689. doi:10.1080/15623599.2019.1644757.
[43] Kalirajan, L., & Sivagnana, T. (2010, January). Fast-track construction–the need of the hour. International Conference on Advances in Materials and Techniques, 7-9 January 2010, Coimbatore, India.
[44] Bouhmoud, H., & Loudyi, D. (2022). Building information modeling (BIM) framework, potential and challenges. International Journal of Information Science and Technology, 5(3), 24-35. doi:10.57675/IMIST.PRSM/ijist-v5i3.173.
[45] Malik, Q., Nasir, A. R., Muhammad, R., Thaheem, M. J., Ullah, F., Khan, K. I. A., & Hassan, M. U. (2021). Bimp-chart—a global decision support system for measuring bim implementation level in construction organizations. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(16), 9270. doi:10.3390/su13169270.
[46] Bouhmoud, H., Loudyi, D., & Azhar, S. (2022). BIM for Fast-track Construction under COVID-19 Circumstances: A Comparative Case Study in the African Context. EPiC Series in Built Environment. Presented at the ASC2022. 58th Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference, 20-23 April 2022, Atlanta, United States. doi:10.29007/h5tv.
[47] Vijayan, D., & Johny, M. A. (2019). A Study of Implementing Lean & Fast Tracking in Construction Project Management. International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 6(6), 1454–1458. doi:10.12652/Ksce.2022.42.1.0095.
[48] Kim, H. S., Hwang, J. Y., Kang, H. J., Park, S. M., Lee, J. H., & Kang, L. S. (2022). Application Method of Phase Division of Fast Track for Construction Project with Complex Structures. KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research, 42(1), 95–105.
[49] de la Garza, J. M., & Pishdad-Bozorgi, P. (2018). Workflow Process Model for Flash Track Projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 144(6), 6018001. doi:10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0001501.
[50] Alp, N., & Stack, B. (2012). Scope management and change control process study for project-based companies in the construction and engineering industries. 2012 Proceedings of PICMET'12: Technology management for emerging technologies, 29 July-2 August 2012, Vancouver, Canada.
[51] Dash, G., & Paul, J. (2021). CB-SEM vs PLS-SEM methods for research in social sciences and technology forecasting. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 173, 121092. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121092.
[52] Memon, M. A., Ramayah, T., Cheah, J. H., Ting, H., Chuah, F., & Cham, T. H. (2021). PLS-SEM statistical programs: a review. Journal of Applied Structural Equation Modeling, 5(1), 1-14.
[53] Ali, A. H., Kineber, A. F., Elyamany, A., Ibrahim, A. H., & Daoud, A. O. (2023). Modelling the role of modular construction’s critical success factors in the overall sustainable success of Egyptian housing projects. Journal of Building Engineering, 71, 106467. doi:10.1016/j.jobe.2023.106467.
[54] Molwus, J. J., Erdogan, B., & Ogunlana, S. (2017). Using structural equation modelling (SEM) to understand the relationships among critical success factors (CSFs) for stakeholder management in construction. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 24(3), 426–450. doi:10.1108/ECAM-10-2015-0161.
[55] Kineber, A. F., Massoud, M. M., Hamed, M. M., & Qaralleh, T. J. O. (2023). Exploring Sustainable Interior Design Implementation Barriers: A Partial Least Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(5), 4663. doi:10.3390/su15054663.
[56] Al-Mekhlafi, A. B. A., Isha, A. S. N., Chileshe, N., Abdulrab, M., Kineber, A. F., & Ajmal, M. (2021). Impact of safety culture implementation on driving performance among oil and gas tanker drivers: A partial least squares structural equation modelling (pls-sem) approach. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(16), 8886. doi:10.3390/su13168886.
[57] Hair Jr, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N. P., Ray, S. (2021). Evaluation of formative measurement models. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling Using R: A Workbook, 91-113, Springer, Cham, Switzerland. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-80519-7.
[58] Xiong, B., Skitmore, M., & Xia, B. (2015). A critical review of structural equation modeling applications in construction research. Automation in Construction, 49, 59-70. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2014.09.006.
[59] Kineber, A. F., Oke, A., Hamed, M. M., Alyanbaawi, A., Elmansoury, A., & Daoud, A. O. (2023). Decision Making Model for Identifying the Cyber Technology Implementation Benefits for Sustainable Residential Building: A Mathematical PLS-SEM Approach. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(3), 2458. doi:10.3390/su15032458.
[60] Rosli, M. F., Muhammad Tamyez, P. F., & Zahari, A. R. (2023). The effects of suitability and acceptability of lean principles in the flow of waste management on construction project performance. International Journal of Construction Management, 23(1), 114–125. doi:10.1080/15623599.2020.1853006.
[61] Attia, E. A., Alarjani, A., Uddin, M. S., & Kineber, A. F. (2023). Examining the Influence of Sustainable Construction Supply Chain Drivers on Sustainable Building Projects Using Mathematical Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(13), 10671. doi:10.3390/su151310671.
[62] Waqar, A., Othman, I., & Pomares, J. C. (2023). Impact of 3D Printing on the Overall Project Success of Residential Construction Projects Using Structural Equation Modelling. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 3800. doi:10.3390/ijerph20053800.
[63] AL-Khatib, A. W., & Ramayah, T. (2023). Big data analytics capabilities and supply chain performance: testing a moderated mediation model using partial least squares approach. Business Process Management Journal, 29(2), 393–412. doi:10.1108/BPMJ-04-2022-0179.
[64] Soper, D. D. (2024). A-priori Sample Size Calculator for Structural Equation Models. Free Statistics Calculators (Version 4). Available online: https://www.danielsoper.com/statcalc/calculator.aspx?id=89 (accessed on June 2025).
[65] Paraschi, E. P., Georgopoulos, A., & Papanikou, M. (2022). Safety and security implications of crisis-driven austerity HRM practices in commercial aviation: A structural equation modelling approach. Safety Science, 147, 105570. doi:10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105570.
[66] Shahzad, M. F., Xu, S., Liu, H., & Zahid, H. (2025). Generative Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT-4) and Social Media Impact on Academic Performance and Psychological Well-Being in China’s Higher Education. European Journal of Education, 60(1), 12835. doi:10.1111/ejed.12835.
[67] Permana, T. W., Yudoko, G., & Prasetio, E. A. (2025). Manufacturing cycle prediction using structural equation model toward industrial early warning system simulation: The Indonesian case. Heliyon, 11(1), e41522. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41522.
[68] Chopra, A., Sahoo, C. K., & Patel, G. (2024). Exploring the relationship between employer branding and talent retention: the mediation effect of employee engagement. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 32(4), 702–720. doi:10.1108/IJOA-02-2023-3638.
[69] Aghimien, D., Aigbavboa, C., & Matabane, K. (2023). Dynamic capabilities for construction organizations in the fourth industrial revolution era. International Journal of Construction Management, 23(5), 855–864. doi:10.1080/15623599.2021.1940745.
[70] Shafaay, M., Alqahtani, F. K., Alsharef, A., & Chen, G. (2025). Modeling construction cost overrun risks at the FEED stage for mining projects using PLS-SEM. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 1–17. doi:10.1080/13467581.2025.2481242.
[71] Kumar, P., Islam, M. A., Pillai, R., & Sharif, T. (2023). Analysing the behavioural, psychological, and demographic determinants of financial decision making of household investors. Heliyon, 9(2), e13085. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13085.
- Authors retain all copyrights. It is noticeable that authors will not be forced to sign any copyright transfer agreements.
- This work (including HTML and PDF Files) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
