| Summary: | When executing construction projects, delays are among the challenges that must be faced. In Saudi Arabia, numerous public construction projects have been undertaken as part of the government’s national development plans over the last three decades. One of the critical problems concerning these projects is the frequent and lengthy delay that occurs. This paper investigates the causes of delays in Saudi public construction projects. The causes of delay were categorized based on the different stages of a construction project, namely (1) factors before the award of tenders, (2) factors during the award of tenders, (3) factors after the award of tenders, and (4) general factors. This study identified 50 delay factors by conducting a focus group. A questionnaire was administered and distributed to 211 participants from construction industry. The top 20 causes of delay were identified. A final simplified formula was developed to calculate the effect of each cause of delay on site. A case study was carried out to show the time delay percentage compared with its master schedule using the developed simplified formula. The findings of the study are intended to provide those involved in public construction projects with appropriate solutions for countering any delays. Keywords: Delay factors, Public projects, Construction delay, Saudi Arabia
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