The Use of Design-Build Method in the Construction of Highways Projects - Dissertation Example

There exist several methods that can be used in contracting highway construction projects. The methods are segregated by the way the roles are assigned to them. For example, the Design-Bid-Build method (DBB) is a method used in the construction of infrastructures in which roles are segregated to two bidders, a constructer and design (Ling, Chan, Chong, & Ee 2004). Conversely, in some methods, the roles in the project are not segregated. One contractor is awarded the contract and entitled to all the roles in the project (Transportation Research Board 1991).

This method is referred to as the Design-Build method. One can refer to it as the advancement of the traditional DBD. According to the Design-Build Institute of America (1994), the DB method of project delivery involves a process of contracting in which one party is given the responsibility to conduct both engineering and architectural and the construction process in one contract. This method differs from the DBB method because in the DBB method two parties are contracted, unlike the DB, in which one party is contracted.

DB method is mostly used by the private and armed services in the delivery of large capital projects. This causes the limitation of the benefits obtained from the use of the DB method because it may be limited by government requirements. This has made the use of the DB method in the construction of highways a new concept, which requires careful implementation and higher persuasion to convince the government before it is used in the delivery of a construction project. According to the Federal Highway Administration (2006), the DB method appears as a new concept in the construction of highway projects as a result of the perceptions attached to it.

These perceptions are as explained below: • The DB method is perceived to change the relationships of the traditional roles that exist between a designer and a constructing contractor.

The change of relationship is assumed to affect the designer’s independence during the process of inspecting and testing of the project functions. The method is said to broaden the criteria for selecting a contractor because it does not consider initial cost as a means of selecting contractors. Therefore, it is seen to award contracts to larger contractors ignoring the smaller ones. Constructers assume that the method interferes with the time frame to commit the available funds because it emphasizes the award of the designing and construction roles on one bidder.

The BD method is seen to favour large constructing firms, which have the ability to carry numerous roles than the smaller firms. It makes it had to cater for unit price payments because it is difficult to conduct quantity survey before the award of the contract. Last, the method is perceived to trigger regulatory measures from the governments that need to be persuaded before the method can be applied in a construction project. It is important for one to understand that these are perceptions held toward this method and therefore, they are not proved to be true.

Comparison of DB and DBB method in construction Projects As mentioned above, DBB method can be used instead of the DB method in the construction projects. Each method has got its own requirements, advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, the importance of the DB method is not fully explored because its use is not wide in many projects, especially highway construction projects (Federal Highway Administration 2006). This can be associated with the existence of other methods used in the construction industries, which have been valued for a long time.

There value is still held because they have been seen to produce desirable results, though they also do not meet some of the clients’ demands. In the United States, some of these methods get the approval to be used from the federal or the state laws. The federal or the states statutes mostly prescribe the use of the DBB (Beard, Loulakis, & Wundram 2001). Such prescription using DBB as the best method, denies DB an opportunity to be used in the construction of highways. The prescription by the federal or the state statues to the construction industries to use certain methods in contracting does not put a stop to the challenges brought by a certain method of procuring and delivery of the project.

According to Friedlander (2002), most of the readily available methods are feared to jeopardize the quality of the project and at the same time interfere with the allocated project life, which is feared to result into legal problems. It is important for constructers to test the different available methods and find the best method, which suits the needs of the client. This implies that there should be no limitation to use of a certain methods in a particular project. However, limitation can be put in place if the method has been tested and found ineffective.

This study was put forward because the current study shows that the DB method is segregated in the construction industries especially by the governments. Surprisingly, this method has not been used in some construction projects, specifically in highway construction (Federal Highway 2006). Therefore, there is a need to promote the use of this method in highway construction projects to help realize the benefits that comes with its use (Molenaar & Gransberg 2001). Historically, DB method existed before the emergence of the traditional DBB Method (Beard et al. 2001). In earlier times, an infrastructure delivery project was delivered by one master builder, who played both the roles of a builder and designer.

According to Beard, et al. (2001), this method was used in the construction of temples, major public buildings and pyramids. As the use of DB method spread, there was a need to emphasize the use of a project designer in the construction projects. This was to ensure that the project plans were well executed. It was seen that the integration of a master builder and the project designer was essential in the phase of developing the project.