Risk Management in Civil Engineering Project - Literature review Example

The paper “Risk Management in Civil Engineering Project” is a thrilling example of a management literature review. There are different methods used for analyzing risk factors within given projects. The methods comprise of critical aspects usually outlined in an orderly way. The first process, in this case, entails identification and categorization of risks, then detailed assessment, followed by determination of perceived risk, the identification of mitigation measures, and finally prioritization of mitigation measures depending on the nature of risk at hand (Rebitzer, 2004).

The processes are usually explained using the life cycle assessment method. By definition, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) refers to the process that ensures evaluation of potential effects on the project process and ultimate impact on the environment over the stipulated construction period (Crawford, 2011). Additionally, the International Standards Organization (ISO) refers to LCA as “[A] Compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its lifecycle” ISO 14040.

In civil engineering projects, the technical framework for Life Cycle Assessment comprises four elements, each considered as playing an important role in the assessment. However, the different elements are found to be interrelated in project phases as described by terminologies from the International Standards Organization (ISO). The various elements incorporate the definition of project goals and objectives, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. In this case, the primary aim of an impact assessment focuses on the identification and establishment of a link between the project’s life cycle and associated potential environmental impacts (Wang and Roush, 2000).

Further, the impact assessment level entails three phases that assist in the evaluation of significance and the potential environmental impacts associated with the project construction process (Scott, 2000).i) The first phase entails characterization of the results, whereby elements are categorized amongst impact categories, and also involves the calculation of overall impact