The following part is intended to review more than hundred research papers, thesis and books that published from 1998, to 2018 and tackled the topic of this research which provided different topics related to mega construction projects .
1.1. The Nature of Mega Construction Projects
In this subsection, different aspects of MCPs which include a list of definitions , characteristics, factors, challenges and benefits of mega have been introduced .
1.1.1. Definition of Mega Construction Projects
In the construction communities, one could hear the terminology ”Mega Construction Project” (MCP). The first question that could raise up to your mind is simple, when do we call a certain project a mega project? There are different approaches one can follow to define the mega projects. The literature is rich in this discipline, the divergences between different definitions depends on the researchers’ perspective and their approaches in analyzing these projects. In Table 1, we are providing a brief summary for the different seven approaches that can be followed to define mega projects. In every approach, we are listing number of authors who followed that approach and some quotations from their publications that support this definition.
Table 1. Approaches of MCPs Definitions. “Source: Authors based on literature sources”
| Author | Definition | Critical analysis of the definition |
| (Crosby 2017) (Sun, et al., 2011) (Marrewijk, 2007) | “Mega construction projects are usually described as substantial investment (more than 1 billion dollars) long schedule (over two years) public infrastructures, which usually have long life time of 50 years and more, and generate multiple social impact and invested or commissioned by governments” | Project nature, Objective, Location, Duration and the Cost of the project ( PN.O.L.D.C) Approach . |
| (Mok, Shen and Yang 2015) | “MCP often involve various stakeholders of diverse occupational and professional backgrounds who have different levels and types of interests in the project” | Stakeholder Approach according to the stakeholder and performing organization structure. |
| (Flyvbjerg, Bruzelius and Rothengatter 2003) | “ many countries take mega project as an important tool to lift the status in global political and economic systems.” | Economic Business Approach focused on defining mega construction projects as an important tool to lift the status of economic systems. |
| (Flyvbjerg, Bruzelius and Rothengatter 2003) | “ the world of megaproject preparation and implementation is a highly risky one where things happen only with a certain probability and rarely turn out as originally intended. | Risk Approach depends on defining them as including many risk factors that can cause delays or failures during the project life cycle. |
| (Albishri, 2015) | “ mega-project’s process contains project phase transitions and milestones which connect, by providing spatial and temporal platforms, the interests of project actors, interest groups and constructors”. | Project Process and Technical Requirements (PP.TR ) Approach . |
| (Mok, Shen and Yang 2015) | “ MCP play three major roles in the strategic development of a society: (1) satisfying human, economic and societal needs; (2) elevating a country's social image; and (3) delivering leading international events”. | Political, Society and Environment (P.S.E )Approach |
| (Gerald, 2009) | “complexity is something’ undesirable that made a project unique, more complicated and more difficult to execute, manage and control or even an ‘excuse’ for mistakes. | Complexity Approach leans on investigating the complexity and constraints associated with the project and their consequences. |
Different approaches for defining mega construction projects have been introduced. It can be noticed that some approaches have received more attention in the literature than other approaches. For instance PN.O.L.D.C and Complexity are the most common approaches in defining mega construction projects.
1.1.2. Characteristics of Mega Construction Projects
In this sub subsection, different features and characteristics
of mega projects have been studied . These features are the reason behind the
existence of different approaches for defining mega projects. This Research
also detailed every feature with supported literature. Table 2 summarizes these
characteristics and the relevant literature
Table 2. Characteristics of Mega Construction Projects with respect to different approaches. “Source: Authors based on literature sources”
| Approach | Author | Characteristics of the Approach |
| P N.O.L.D.C Approach | (Mackhaphonh and Jia 2017) (T. Zidanea, Johansenb and Ekambaramb 2013) (Othman 2013) (Diaz Orueta and S. Fainstein 2009) (Marrewijk 2006) | A large-scale system is usually perceived to be large and made up of a large number of system components with complex interconnections among these components. Capital asset in order to plan, design, finance and build. Located in remote and or inhospitable large areas. Long duration but program urgency Project with a total budget more than $1 billion |
| Stakeholder Approach | (Kardes, et al. 2013) (Jia, Chen, et al. 2011) | The construction of MCPs involves many stakeholders that exists complicated interest relationship and Ineffective communications between them. |
| Economic Business Approach | (Flyvbjerg 2014) | They are keep the economic viability of the country as a whole by making large amount of money Attracting visitors and investment to help in achieving community benefits, this is due to their heavy and delegated impacts. |
| Risk Approach | (Gyoo Kim 2011) (Flyvbjerg, Bruzelius and Rothengatter 2003) | Increase of costs and the duration which are often due to inadequate estimates of the initial cost. |
| PP.TR Approach | (Flyvbjerg 2014)(T. Zidanea, Johansenb and Ekambaramb 2013) (Kardes, et al. 2013) | High design knowledge and Quality front-planning with unprecedented integration effort. Professional technological skills and highly trained employees especially in the field of the project management Logistical support. |
| P.S.E Approach | (Othman 2013) (Jia, Chen , et al. 2011)(Bornstein 2010) | Attract external capital and redefine a city as a whole. A higher quality of life for residents. Undervalued environmental impacts |
| Complexity Approach | (Thomas and Mengel 2008) (Duy Long, et al. 2004) | They distinguished by their huge size and unique nature, these bring more complexity to them. They are susceptible to the risk of increase in budget and schedule overruns which adds an additional complexity to the projects. |
Characteristics of mega construction projects make them special projects with unique nature which need an efficient management with a lot of effort in different directions starting from resolving conflicts and contradictions to resources allocation, managing schedules and human power required to accomplish these types of projects and lead them to success.
1.1.3. Factors Affecting Mega Construction Projects
In this sub subsection, The most common and highly considered factors that affect mega construction projects have been discussed. These features have been obtained by conduction a wide literature survey. It’s important to note that there are some factors with great importance and they need to be considered by most of the projects. On the other hand, there are some features of less importance and they are considered based on the project itself.
For instance. The contract term is an important factor that affects the projects because it is involved in every single detail in the project starting from determining the owner of the project up to the flow of funds and the role of every single individual participating in the project.
Risk management system has been found to be as important as the contract itself. Risk management allows for smooth accomplishment of the required tasks without delay and cost efficiently. Failure in managing the risk could case unexpected delays or increase in the estimated cost of the project. Technology is a crucial factor as well, engaging new technologies has a huge impact on the performance of mega projects. Nevertheless, project’s member need to allocate sufficient time and resources to plan and execute the integration of new or unproven technologies.
Communications management is a factor that shouldn’t be forgotten since good communication skills lead to the success of the project. In the following table 6, we are summarizing the factors that have been discussed in the considered literature.
There is also another way to classify the factors of mega projects. Specifically, factors can be classified into Qualitative and Quantitative . To classify a certain feature as a Qualitative and Quantitative, one need to differentiate between these two classes. Qualitative factors are factors that can be intangibles which are not purely numbers driven but they are as important as crunching the numbers., however, Quantitative factors are the ones that are related to actual numbers, financial metrics and ratios.
Thus, after studying the factors affecting mega construction projects, it is important to note that despite the many factors affecting mega construction projects, we can derive that risk management, contracts and technology are the most important factors affecting mega construction projects.
1.1.4. Challenges of Mega Construction projects
Overcoming the challenges that hinder the development of (MCPS) is very crucial for many large construction companies, but they first need to identify these challenges and prioritize them in order to minimize their impact on the progress of the project and smooth the project flow. Some of the challenges that face mega projects will be discussed and elaborated. Fig 1 shows the challenges iceberg which face mega construction projects from the very early stages. In Table 3, we are summarizing these challenges
Figure 1. The challenges of the MCPs “Source: Authors based on literature sources”
Table 3.Challenges of Mega construction Projects with respect to different approaches “Source: Authors based on literature sources”
| Approach | Author | Challenges of the Approach |
| P N.O.L.D.C Approach | (Gupta 2015) (He, et al. 2014) (T. Zidanea, Johansenb and Ekambaramb 2013) (Jia, Chen, et al. 2011) | Challenges due to the unique nature that conclude to increase of the size of the project. Difficult to define and achieve the program objectives and their alignment with the organizations' strategies. Unfamiliar location . Schedule overruns Huge and expensive cost |
| Stakeholder Approach | (Mackhaphonh and JIA 2017) (Gupta 2015) (Othman 2013) | Variety of cultural differences and backgrounds Complexity organization lack of efficiency, effectiveness behavior and performance especially in project management process Inadvisable communication skills which decrease the required coordination to achieve the project objectives |
| Economic Business Approach | (C.Esty 2004) | Challenges associated with bad performing project could have a negative impact on the society due to their fail to achieve the intended financial and operating objectives. |
| Risk Approach | (Flyvbjerg, Bruzelius and Rothengatter 2003) | Efforts to reduce the possible harm that may occur such as an increase in the project’s cost, unplanned elongation in the execution duration of the project. |
| PP.TR Approach | (Othman 2013) (Sun and Zhang 2011) | Lack of design knowledge and experience on practicing good skills and concepts that improve chances of success on the project. Lack of technological knowledge and application requirement |
| P.S.E Approach | (Mok, Shen and Yang 2015) (Flyvbjerg 2014) (Othman 2014) | Political imperatives and authority misuse Public acceptance is against the social impact lack of considering environmental requirements, preserving historical sites, and natural reserve |
| Complexity Approach | (Giezen 2012) | Managing complexities that bring a lot of difficulties and challenges in implementing and constructing |
Mega construction projects face different challenges and each challenge has its own impacts and concerns. Thus, we cannot conclude that some challenges are more important or have huge impacts than other challenges and every challenge has to be considered independently and inclusively for each project.
1.1.5. Benefits of Mega Construction projects
Mega projects have become a key part of the wider project ecosystem due to their impacts on their surroundings. Fulfilling business, social and environmental objectives for a huge number of stakeholders by creating a product or a service, to serve to the community or to yield benefits are the main benefits of the mega construction projects. In this subsection, different benefits based on the approaches we have selected before will be introduced in order to show the importance of constructing these types of projects Table 4 summarizes all these benefits.
Table 4. Benefits of Mega Construction Projects with respect to different approaches “Source: Authors based on literature sources”
| Approach | Author | Benefits of the Approach |
| P N.O.L.D.C Approach | (Jia, Chen , et al.) (Diaz Orueta and S. Fainstein) | Benefits of projects that don’t have a direct impact or return These projects impact the society and the country in a way Benefits and value of mega construction projects |
| Stakeholder Approach | (Gupta 2015) (Flyvbjerg) (Duy Long, et al. 2004) | Cooperation between stakeholders and different governmental agencies Experience exchange between different participating parties New and efficient communication tools could be invented. |
| Economic Business Approach | (Flyvbjerg, 2014) (C.Esty 2004) | There is significant cash flow between different governmental agencies. The cooperation between governmental agencies and the private sector leads to a significant improvement to the economic status of the society while strengthening it. |
| Risk Approach | (Kimiagari and Keivanpourb 2018) (Gyoo Kim 2011) | Developing new management techniques and tools that aim at keeping the construction process smooth and flawless which helps the project to satisfy its deadline and hence maintain its objective which typically leads to the project’s success. |
| PP.TR Approach | (Zhou, Whyte and Sacks 2012) (Zidane, Johansen and Ekambaram 2012) | New knowledge and tools. New technologies. Knowledge transfer |
| P.S.E Approach | (Bornstein 2010) (C.Esty 2004) | Brings harmony between different agencies in the country Bring comfortable life for residents. Projects that target the environment To achieve sustainable projects. |
Mega construction projects have a lot of positive impacts on different life aspects. However, the most remarkable and recognizable ones are their social and economic impacts.
1.2. The Root Causes of Accidents in Mega Construction Projects
The construction industry is considered as one of the most dangerous and hazardous industries in the world due to the high number of persons who have died on the construction sites and the other many who suffered from occupational diseases.
1.2.1. Contributing Factors to Accidents in Mega Construction Projects
Accidents avoidance requires the development of a clear understanding of the factors involved in the causation of these accidents. Accidents and their causes have been studied in literature which reveals that there are common factors that mostly cause most of the accidents occurring in mega construction projects. One of the most important approaches in identifying the root causes of accidents in Mega construction projects is based on information aggregation. Figure 2. shows the factors causing accidents based on the previous studies.
Figure 2. The root causes of accidents in Mega construction projects. “Source: Authors”
In this part factors affecting accidents in Mega construction sites have been discussed and analyzed. By identifying these root causes, proper measures and considerations can be developed to approach the root causes of accidents and prevent their occurrence. This study is so critical and represents one of the main component of this research. Since we are interested in studying health and safety in Mega construction projects.
1.2.2. Types of Construction Accidents
Analyzing the accidents is very crucial in order to orientate safety practitioners and adopt appropriate measures in all construction stages that include different scenarios of accidents and to develop new, and concrete safety regulations that could prevent possible accidents. Figure 3 summarizes the main types of Accidents
Figure 3.The main types of Accidents “Source: Authors”
Identification of the accident types raise our ability in developing methods and procedures to prevent these accidents. Predicting the type of accidents is critical since we can utilize these predictions to provide the workers with efficient ways to apply health and safety considerations.
1.3. The Consequences of Poor Health and Safety Management in Mega Construction Sites
Over the last 20 years, there has been an increase on the rate of accidents occurring in construction projects, this increase is due to the increase on the construction and expansion capacity along with the poor health and safety regulations that fail to manage the tremendous number of workers, large and heavy plants, huge amount of material, complicated construction operation and multi-interface between different entities.
1.3.1. Standards of Occupational Health and Safety Management System.
Quality ratings of previous studies have discussed the standards of the safety management systems in construction industry and they concluded to divide them into two main categories. The first category includes standards related to organization level, while the other category is linked to standards related to the project level. Figure 4 summarizes the categories representing the occupational health and safety management systems and show different trends in each category, this categorization has been studied in the work of Chia-Fen Chi.
Figure 4. Health and Safety considerations based on literature review “Source: Authors”
The Advantages of applying the standards of occupational health and safety management system in their organization and project levels at Mega construction Projects are including a safer workplace, improved employee behaviors, reduced costs related with accidents and compensation and stakeholder confidence.