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Power plant projects are very complex and encounter serious cost overruns worldwide. Their cost overrun risks are not independent but interrelated in many cases, having structural relationships among each other. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to establish the complex structural relationships of risks involved.

In total, 76 published articles from the previous literature are reviewed using the content analysis method. Three risk networks in different phases of power plant projects are depicted based on literature review and case studies. The possible methods of solving these risk networks are also discussed.

The study finds critical cost overrun risks and develops risk networks for the procurement, civil and mechanical works of power plant projects. It identifies potential models to assess cost overrun risks based on the developed risk networks. The literature review also revealed some research gaps in the cost overrun risk management of power plants and similar infrastructure projects.

This study will assist project risk managers to understand the potential risks and their relationships to prevent and mitigate cost overruns for future power plant projects. It will also facilitate decision-makers developing a risk management framework and controlling projects’ cost overruns.

The study presents conceptual risk networks in different phases of power plant projects for comprehending the root causes of cost overruns. A comparative discussion of the relevant models available in the literature is presented, where their potential applications, limitations and further improvement areas are discussed to solve the developed risk networks for modeling cost overrun risks.

The purpose of this paper is to varied a conceptual model for e-Tendering readiness in any construction organisation prior of implementing e-Tendering system.

Based on conceptual model called e-Tendering readiness model (e-TRM), this paper empirically examines the e-TRM’s interactions and causal relationships between e-Tendering constructs and e-Tendering readiness. The paper uses the structural equation modelling technique to test the hypothesised positive inter-relationships. A questionnaire survey is conducted for respondents of construction organisations in Saudi Arabia to understand their current e-Tendering readiness and importance of e-Tendering variables.

Supported by empirical evidence, this paper recognised that three out of nine constructs have direct influences on the e-Tendering readiness. However, one of the constructs, which is for the first time hypothesised and tested has the most effect.

Ultimately, the empirical test for the e-TRM is conducted in certain case (Saudi Arabia); however, the e-TRM needs to be tested in other case area for more verification.

The study findings update previous information technology/information system models in construction by adding this tested model to the research literature on traditional and electronic tendering and the body of knowledge in the construction industry.

The service providers construct is proposed and tested for the first time, which is necessary to support the successful e-Tendering implementation.

With the increasing complexity of public–private partnership (PPP) projects, the amount of data generated during the construction process is massive. This paper aims to develop a new information management method to cope with the risk problems involved in dealing with such data, based on domain ontologies of the construction industry, to help manage PPP risks, share and reuse risk knowledge.

Risk knowledge concepts are acquired and summarized through PPP failure cases and an extensive literature review to establish a domain framework for risk knowledge using ontology technology to help manage PPP risks.

The results indicate that the risk ontology is capable of capturing key concepts and relationships involved in managing PPP risks and can be used to facilitate knowledge reuse and storage beneficial to risk management.

The classes in the risk knowledge ontology model constructed in this research do not yet cover all the information in PPP project risks and need to be further extended. Moreover, only the framework and basic methods needed are developed, while the construction of a working ontology model and the relationship between implicit and explicit knowledge is a complicated process that requires repeated modifications and evaluations before it can be implemented.

The ontology provides a basis for turning PPP risk information into risk knowledge to allow the effective sharing and communication of project risks between different project stakeholders. It can also have the potential to help reduce the dependence on subjectivity by mining, using and storing tacit knowledge in the risk management process.

The apparent suitability of the nine classes of PPP risk knowledge (project model, risk type, risk occurrence stage, risk source, risk consequence, risk likelihood, risk carrier, risk management measures and risk case) is identified, and the proposed construction method and steps for a complete domain ontology for PPP risk management are unique. A combination of criteria- and task-based evaluations is also developed for assessing the PPP risk ontology for the first time.

Downtime (DT) caused by non‐availability of equipment and equipment breakdown has non‐trivial impact on the performance of construction projects. Earlier research has often addressed this fact, but it has rarely explained the causes and consequences of DT – especially in the context of developing countries. This paper presents a DT model to address this issue. Using this model, the generic factors and processes related to DT are identified, and the impact of DT is quantified. By applying the model framework to nine road projects in Nepal, the impact of DT is explored in terms of its duration and cost. The research findings highlight how various factors and processes interact with each other to create DT, and mitigate or exacerbate its impact on project performance. It is suggested that construction companies need to adopt proactive equipment management and maintenance programs to minimize the impact of DT.

The purpose of this paper is to show the complexity in dealing with climate change adaptation at the local level, and to show how social and institutional factors in addition to the ecological challenges contribute to that complexity.

This paper examines four institutional climate change activities and reveals how institutions currently address climate change, and how the Sherpas are involved in the process. It draws on three sorts of material: the interviews and observations conducted during my field research in 2010 and 2011; my personal experiences as a Sherpa woman; my recent participation in Sherpa face-to-face and online communities.

Organizing institutional climate change activities to draw international attention alone are not sufficient to address climate change adaptation issues. Communities at the local level cannot be assumed to be homogeneous entities. Institutional climate change adaptation efforts cannot assume that by reaching out to a few individuals in the region they will benefit the whole. Institutional activities have increased receptivity to scientific climate change knowledge, but it has also increased fear of an impending doom, and anger over the continuous discussion of climate change without concrete actions.

Future research in the Everest region should include residents from all ethnic groups considering their historical contacts and interactions.

It is crucial that not only the Sherpa agency (or lack of agency) or understandings are examined but the institutional engagements and delivery are also assessed to practically, effectively, and sustainably address the challenges of climate change adaptation.