Exploring Trends in Risk Statements among Design and Construction of Scientific Research Facility Projects

Risk management is a part of a comprehensive project management approach. Properly identifying, analyzing, and determining the appropriate responses to risks gives project teams a degree of control over uncertainty and leads to better outcomes. Comprehensive risk identification serves to minimize the unknowns faced on the project. While every construction project is unique, there are similarities between risk statements across projects. How effectively are these risks captured? This study examines design and construction risks on scientific research facility projects delivered by the US Department of Energy (DOE). These projects provide a fertile area of exploration because they deal with first-of-a-kind design and construction in uncertain environments. The study uses content analysis techniques to review risk registers across multiple projects. This study proposes a Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS) for these projects as the basis for comparing risks between projects and improving risk identification. The paper provides a foundation for a more complete risk identification step and describes the links between certain project characteristics and their associated risks.