Alliancing in Complex Infrastructure Projects

The demands of complex infrastructure project management have shown substantial changes in the transition from the 20th to the 21st century. It is characterized as having many social and technical elements on different levels that are interconnected and independent serving the economy of an area. As projects get more complex and with higher risks, the need for a relational model is required to optimize and manage the risk. The alliance contracting model is a new project delivery method specially for delivering complex infrastructure project. It is the most complete form of relational contracting and has been developed to solve the challenges that complex infrastructure project faces. This thesis explores the concept of alliancing in complex infrastructure project by comparing the results from the literature study with the ones obtained from the real-life case alliance projects. Quantitative analysis method was used for the study. Questionnaires, which were prepared based on the findings from literature, was analyzed using the Microsoft Excel. This research point outs 14 complexities factors in infrastructure projects. Also, the study identifies 14 project qualities that makes a project suitable for alliancing along with 14 hard elements of alliancing. Existing success factors and barriers to alliancing were studied, their relevance was cross-checked with the practical context there by generating new success factors and barriers. The findings obtained will help new practitioners and academics to fully understand what alliancing is, when and how to use alliancing, what to consider and how to make it effective and successful. Keywords: Alliancing, Complexities, Infrastructure, Alliance Element, Success Factors, Barriers, Project Delivery Method.