Nonconformity Assessment in Building Construction Projects: A Fuzzy Group Decision-Making Approach

Construction nonconformity assessment of buildings is critical to ensure the anticipated quality and living safety for their future occupants. Previous studies have paid less attention to identifying and analyzing building construction nonconformities (BCNs) in the design and construction (D&C) phases. They considered expert judgments in nonconformity assessment, which are critiqued for human bias, uncertainty, and imprecision. In a BCN assessment, previous studies also did not consider the specific time frame to detect construction nonconformities. This study aims to prioritize nonconformities in the D&C phases, addressing the limitations of expert judgment by applying the fuzzy group decision-making approach (FGDMA). The FGDMA computes the defuzzified scores of the nonconformities to prioritize and identify critical nonconformities. The defuzzified scores are explained further by associating them with the corresponding fuzzy numbers to address the limitations involved in expert judgments. The study also identifies the detection time of BCNs and analyzes 15 different Bangladeshi project scenarios to understand their context better. The critical nonconformities identified include premature stressing on concrete, inaccurate water-cement ratios, insufficient concrete compaction, lack of full-time site supervision, and the absence of stirrups in beam-column joints. Critical nonconformities are mostly identified during construction, and residential, commercial, and multipurpose buildings, regardless of ownership (i.e., public or private) and size, have experienced poor quality construction. This study will assist major stakeholders (owner, contractor, consultant, and regulatory authorities) to fully understand the critical nonconformities in different building projects from their preconstruction to construction phases for better quality assurance in providing a safe living and working environment for their future occupants.