Framework of the approximate cost estimating model for river dredging construction

Recently, construction on the Four River Restoration Project began in South Korea. The project includes the maintenance of river embankments, the development of river areas, and river dredging. Accordingly, considerable attention is being paid to the necessary budget and estimation of construction costs. However, only a few studies have been carried out for the cost estimation of construction projects for river development or maintenance. In particular, approximate construction cost estimations for river dredging have not been studied. The lack of sufficient studies on estimating the approximate construction cost of river dredging has caused some doubt about the validity of the project’s estimated construction cost. This study proposes a framework of an approximate cost estimating model for river dredging construction. For this purpose, the construction operation process, type of river section, and the combination of equipment employed for river dredging were analyzed from the historical data of river dredging projects conducted in South Korea. The appropriateness of the analysis was examined through interviews with experts in the field. The framework of the approximate cost estimating model for river dredging construction proposed in this study provides a basis from which to develop a more accurate construction cost estimation of river dredging at the planning stage.