KNN based knowledge-sharing model for severe change order disputes in construction

Changes during a construction project are inevitable but many projects are also plagued by severe construction disputes triggered by such changes. These disputes can become time consuming and costly problems which may require litigation to resolve. The objective of this research is to develop a knowledge-sharing model for information sharing that will effectively aid the interested parties to avoid litigious construction change disputes. This model is developed by first establishing a comprehensive database, followed by K Nearest Neighbor (KNN) pattern classification. The data used for the modeling is collected from a nationwide investigation of U.S.A. court records. The model is designed to provide knowledge-sharing linking to the behaviors of similar construction participants with the goal of facing possible serious disputes caused by changes in construction orders. The benefits of this research are not only the development of knowledge modeling but also to help construction practitioners utilize knowledge sharing to prevent unnecessary expense and loss. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.