Prioritizing of Risk Factors by using Failure Mode and Effect Analysis in the Iraqi Construction Industry

The main aim of the study is to demonstrate the qualitative risk analysis method by using failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) in the construction industry in Iraq .The questionnaires considered as an important method of gathering field information about the risk management in the Iraqi construction industry .The numbers of the questionnaire forms which was distributed between the private and state sectors were 75 forms which consider the sample size. A total numbers of 69 forms from the distributed forms were returned with a returning percentage of (92%). Results show that 21.15% of the the risk factors are categorized as a Low risks. Also, a percentage of 44.23% shows that gathered risks factors of the construction projects are categorized as Moderate risks while a percentage of 21.15% are classified as major risk factors .Also, a percentage of 13.46% are classified as significant risk factors .Extreme risk factors are found to be only 0% from the data obtained by analyzing the questionnaire results.


INTRODUCTION
onstruction industry always have different types of challenge that may affect the main project goals . Meeting these objectives (time, cost, quality safety requirements).They are considered the essential performance measurement to assess construction projects, therefore managing project risks are considered as a valuable tool to achieve project objectives. [5] FMEA was the first used for military operations purposes back in 1949, [2]. In 1963 it has been proposed by NASA for reliability requirements. Since that time till now it is considered as an important technique for system risk management and safety [1].Failure mode and effects analysis can be defined as techniques for identifying and eliminating the possible causes of failure and prioritize potential failures within the projects. This needs disciplined and sequential method to achieve effective assessment to the products objectives. FMEA involves establishing the modes of failure and the effects of failure on a objectives This will insure that all kinds of failure modes are identified and ranked according to their priorities [6]. FMEA is widely used as a risk qualitative assessment approach, it Could be used as a design tool to systematically analyze postulated component failures and define the total impact on the project objectives. Failure at low levels could cause big failure on higher levels [8]. FMEA main components can be summarized as follows [6]  Extremely unlick-management processes will almost certainly not detect the potential failure before it occurs 4 Reasonably probable Very high severity -open innovation network performance severity affected. Members very dissatisfied. Network member will be able to correct the failure with some constraints.
Remote likelihood-management process more likely will not detect the existence of the potential failure before it occurs 3 Occasional Moderate-reduced performance with gradual performance degradation.
Network members dissatisfied. Network member will be able to correct the failure with some constraints.
Moderate -management process may detect the existence of the potential failure before it occurs 2 Remote Minor-network members will probably notice the effect .it is considered negligible High -management process have a good chance of detecting the potential failure before it occurs 1 Extremely unlikely Very slight-insignificant / negligible effect.
Very high -management process almost certainly will detect the potential failure before it occurs 2-Severity (S) -it is the impact of the failure mode on the project objectives. 3-Detection (D) -It is the ability to identify potential failure modes before failure occurrence this is before the unwanted impact actually does occur. In another word it means how detectable is the failure while something is still could be done 4-Risk Priority Number (RPN): it used to define the priority of the failure by giving them a numerical number, RPN can be calculated from the mathematical relation below: RPN = Failure Likelihood x Severity x Detection. As shown In the table 2 each range of RPN will give different type of risk categories starting from low risks up to moderate then major and significant and end up to extreme risk factors .

RPN
Risk category 90-125 extreme 60-89 Significant 40-59 major Research Importance 1-It provide an independent view of the project technical risk factors which can be helpful to support decisions and enable more efficient and effective management tool 2-This study highlights on the prioritizing both of the technical and organizational risk factors in the Iraqi construction industry in order to take the effective actions (response plans ) once the risk been identified and ranked . 3-Poor researches and studies in applying effective methods and tools for project risk management in Iraq, beside the poor implementation of the risk management plans which required more attention . 4-The result of this study might be useful implications for developing tool and techniques in construction projects risk Management in Iraq which can be a rich source for both of the academic and field sectors. 5-Helping in building historical data for future studies.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1-Data Collecting : The researcher gathered the required data needed for the study in this case the data are the construction contracts from both sectors state and private .Around 30 construction contract were collected from the archive of the following Iraqi Ministries(Ministry of electricity , Ministry of higher education and scientific research and Ministry of Construction & Housing). Table 3 shows the gathered Technical risk factors from the construction industry in Iraq.  Table 4 shows the gathered organizational risk factors from the construction industry in Iraq.  The difficulty of obtaining licenses and work authorizations. Fluctuating of productivity for machines and labor 23 The risk of delayed results of concrete efficiency test for the foundation

2-The Questionnaires forms:
The main Questionnaires is concerned with the investigation the status of risk management in the construction industry in Iraq? after that the listing of the technical and organizational risk factors actions were taken .Once the risk factors are listed from the available data Basically each forms contain risk factors, impact of each risk on the project goals ,likelihood of occurrence and the risk priority number(RPN).After preparing Questionnaires forms it is important to select the sample size ,which can be defined as a process of making and obtaining the selections .one of the most frequent asked question is what is the sample size that needed to be used in the current research ? Statically the response to this question is at least 30 subjects, however there is a chance that a sample size with 30 subject will not be adequate [9], [4].In this research a total number of 75 forms of questioners were conducted as a sample size. Table 5describes the formula of the Questioners sheets.

3-Distrubution the Questioners forms:
Around 75 of the Questioners Forms were distributed to (mid to seniors) engineers, a number of 69 forms from the distributed forms were returned with a returning percentage of (92%).. table 6 shows the names of the engineering firms and organizations that been selected to complete the questionnaire process .the numbers of responds are also listed below .The closed questionnaire process targeted both the state and private sectors.          Finally Fig (.6) reflects the percentage of the area of specialization of the research sample, which can be classified between two areas of work, the first one designee's with a percentage of 14% and the second one is the site managers and executors of the work with highest percentage of 86% from the research sample. A question will be generated why these two types of categories? The answer is simple because they are involved 100% in managing the project risk factors from the inceptions of the design to the implementation the work and end up to the maintenance stage . fig (7) highlights of the risk management through design period.   Figure. (7) :The effect of information on risk through time [7]. Part two : after obtaining the data .The analyzing process by using statistical package for social science (SPSS) were conducted .the analysis process focus of obtaining (the likelihood of occurrence for each technical and organizational risk factors .The impact of each risk of on the project goals and the Delectability of the failure mode) and by multiplying all of these factors the result will be the Risk priority number. RPR will fall between certain categories that reflect what the technical failure mode really are. Below are an example to demonstrate the assessment process for one of the technical failure modes. From that it can be realized that RPN =4 X 4 X 3 = 48 And from table 2 the RPN ranking guidelines indicated that 48 falls between the risk categories (40-59) which gives an indication to the major failure mode. Same calculations are applied for the organizational failure modes. All gathered risk factors were analyzed as shown in appendix A.

CONCLUSION
a. studies show that nearly 65% of research sample agreed that the construction projects does not apply any formal approach for managing project risk factors used I the construction sector in the republic of Iraq b. 72% of the construction projects are uncertain at the beginning of the construction phase with the majority finishing without committing the time and budget frames according to the results obtained from the research questionnaire. c. The questionnaire was an important source of obtaining the necessary field information's from the parties involved about the reality of the project risk management in Iraq. d. The study found from both of the technical and organizational failure factors. that there are only 7 Failure modes that are categorized as a significant risk factors .with 11 low and major Failure modes and 23 moderate Failure modes , while the extreme Failure modes were just 0% . e. Having low failure modes with 21.15% does not mean always neglecting the failure modes .