Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on construction work progress: an on-site analysis from the Sarawak Construction Project, Malaysia

Abstract

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the economy of the world as well as the construction industry in Malaysia. Many projects were plagued with time and cost overruns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Site work progress came to an abrupt halt, and productivity stagnated. With that in mind, this study was conducted on the basis of first-hand experience in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has affected the construction industry. This study investigated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on construction projects in Sarawak, Malaysia. The target respondents were the clients, consultants, and contractors involved in projects under the purview of the Public Works Department Sarawak. The purpose of the research was to obtain a better understanding of the current situation, in readiness for a similar situation in future. To achieve the objectives of the research, a questionnaire survey of current ongoing projects was used for this study’s data collection purpose. To analyse the data, SPSS version 26 and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method were used to achieve frequency analysis and to determine the priority importance of the effects of this pandemic on those construction projects. The findings of this study provide necessary information to construction stakeholders in Sarawak on how to deal with such pandemics in the future and to create awareness, foster resiliency, connote preventive measures, avert delays, and manage progress control.