Integrated Analysis of the Geotechnical Factors Impeding Sustainable Building Construction—The Case of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Sustainable building construction in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia is fraught with issues, ranging from groundwater table fluctuation to inappropriate earthwork techniques, particularly in areas that were previously reclaimed. This paper analyzes the geotechnical factors that affect the safety and serviceability of infrastructure construction on reclaimed land. The data were collected mainly from expert-based surveys and semi-structured interviews with geotechnical experts across the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Ten critical factors were identified, and an integrated assessment was conducted using the Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) technique to examine the hierarchical structure of the relations between the factors. In addition, the Cross-impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification (MICMAC) technique was used to classify the factors from a driving to driven perspective. Findings of the study reveal the driving factors, which have the propensity to affect other factors and are the most crucial factors hindering the safety and serviceability of sustainable building construction. These factors are the presence of low-bearing sabkha soil, shallow and fluctuating depth of the groundwater table, and the lack of soil improvement applications. It is expected that concerned authorities may find the outcomes of this study useful in formulating effective policies, standards, and regulations that will protect infrastructure construction from safety and serviceability problems. While the evidence on which the results of this study are based is from experiences related to coastal areas of Saudi Arabia, the outcomes of this paper could be adopted in other coastal areas in the Gulf region. This paper adds to the current knowledge on safety and serviceability management of infrastructure constructed on reclaimed lands.