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The Guide to Construction Arbitration - Second Edition

Comparative Approaches to Concurrent

Delay
Erin Miller Rankin, Kim Rosenberg and Sarah-Jane Fick

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Buy now

Introduction
Concurrent delay invokes much passion in the construction industry, because it is often
deployed by both employers and contractors as a panacea for liabilities flowing from
culpable delay. Depending on the jurisdiction and any agreed contractual terms, concurrent
delay can result in relief from an extension of time, prolongation costs or liquidated
damages. Accordingly, defining concurrent delay and establishing whether circumstances
meeting that definition exist will be of the utmost importance to decision makers tasked
with determining delay claims.

Taking causation as the starting point, we examine how concurrent delay is identified
before turning to how it ought to be treated. It must be borne in mind that these points
cannot be considered in isolation from the relevant governing law or the contract.
Therefore, when faced with a question of concurrent delay, it is important to first consider
the relevant contract as well as the position under the governing law. On this latter point,
this chapter provides a comparative overview of how concurrent delay is treated across a
number of different civil- and common-law jurisdictions.2

For present purposes, when referring to concurrent delay, we are interested in the situation
where two or more delay events occur and at least one is the responsibility of the
contractor and at least one is the responsibility of the employer.

Causation
Causation is effectively the link between the relevant event and harm – for these purposes,
delay. It is necessary to understand the relevant test for establishing that link before
inquiring whether two or more relevant events caused concurrent delay.

In England and Wales, the test for causation is not straightforward.3 However, generally
speaking, English law requires that a relevant event is an 'effective cause' of the delay,
rather than merely incidental.4 When identifying concurrent delay, therefore, the two or
more relevant events must each be an effective cause of delay (or of 'approximately equal
causative potency').5 Whether an event is an 'effective cause' is a matter of fact to be
determined using common sense.6 Conversely, under the Civil Code of Egypt (and many of
the jurisdictions in the Middle East inspired from the Egyptian Civil Code), the 'effective and
direct cause' of harm will be inferred by a court where it is shown that harm and the event
giving rise to it have occurred.7

Defining concurrent delay

Definition

There is no universally accepted definition of concurrent delay.8 In simple terms,

concurrent delay arises where two or more events cause critical delay at the same time.
These events may take place at different times and have distinct triggers, yet, at least on the
English general test of causation, both must be 'effective causes' of the critical delay or 'of
approximately equal causative potency'. Therefore, under English law, concurrent delay
should not arise where there is only 'notional or theoretical' delay.9

A key requirement is that each of the two or more relevant events causes critical delay to
completion. There is debate around whether the assessment of the criticality of each
relevant delay event should be carried out in isolation of the other relevant delay events
under consideration. In other words, whether the first relevant event is assessed to
determine whether it caused critical delay and then, separately, the second relevant event is
similarly assessed but, in doing so, the existence of the first relevant event is ignored.10 An
alternative approach to determining the criticality of each of the two relevant delay events
is to assess each, taking account of all existing circumstances, including the other event or
events, rather than in isolation.11

Unfortunately, much of the jurisprudence and literature on concurrent delay does not use
precision in explaining which of these two approaches should prevail in the context of a
concurrent delay debate. A recommendation is provided by the Society of Construction Law
Delay and Disruption Protocol (the SCL Protocol)12 (which is consistent with the most recent
English case law on this topic).13 The SCL Protocol states that the criticality assessment
should be carried out in light of all circumstances, which is consistent with the second
approach described above. On that definition, most 'overlapping' critical delays are not
concurrent. Consequently, in our experience, concurrent delay is rarely found to have
occurred as a matter of fact.

With the SCL Protocol's recommended definition in mind, the simplest way of approaching
the question of criticality in the context of concurrent delay is to consider whether each
relevant event will result in the date for completion of the works being as late or later than
it otherwise would have been. If an event does not meet these criteria, it is off the critical
path and therefore does not satisfy the threshold criterion of criticality. This is depicted in
the example below (Fig. 1). You will see that the first delay has created float in the activities
impacted by the second delay, such that the second delay is not on the critical path and
hence the second event is not causing critical delay. Therefore, there is no concurrent delay.

A deviation on the above scenario is where the second delay continues beyond the
conclusion of the first delay. This is depicted in Fig. 2. Once the first delay concludes, the
second delay will result in the time for completion being later than it otherwise would have
been. Hence, from that point, the second event is causing critical delay. However, at no
point are the two events both causing critical delay. Therefore, there is no concurrent delay.

Let us take a further scenario: where the delays from the two relevant events commence at
the same time. From that point, each event is causing the time for completion to be later
than it otherwise would have been. Hence, they are each causing critical delay and are
concurrent. This is depicted in Fig. 3. In this example, when the employer delay concludes,
the contractor delay continues and that is causing the time for completion to be even later.
Hence, from that point, the contractor delay takes over as the sole cause of critical delay.
Thus, again, with the SCL Protocol definition in mind, concurrent delay will occur
only where:

at least two events occur, with the employer responsible for at least one and
the contractor responsible for at least one other;
those two events cause delay, the effects of which occur at the same time; and
each delay is critical – and the criticality assessment is carried out taking
account of all circumstances and not by assessing one delay in isolation from
the other.
This gives rise to three practical points:
• the timing of the events themselves (as distinct from the resulting delays) is
technically irrelevant to the determination of concurrent delay. However, the
timing of the events is likely to be relevant to the timing of the delays and that
in turn is a key criterion;
 it is important to consider the order in which the delays occur because that
will have a significant impact on whether there is critical delay; and
two events cannot each delay the critical path unless the two resulting delays
either start at the same time or end at the same time.14

Of course, if the SCL Protocol recommended definition is not used, then the above
criteria and practical points may not have application.15

Demonstrating concurrent delay

To demonstrate critical delay (one of the criterion for concurrent delay where there
are two or more relevant events), it is necessary to:

identify the critical path;

establish where it has been delayed; and
determine what events caused these critical delays.

In doing so, a delay analysis is carried out using any number of different methods,
each with their own advantages and disadvantages.16 The use of modern planning
technology for applying these methods allows greater precision in a delay analysis.
Such an analysis is likely to be more forensic in a disputes context and hence drives
a desire for greater precision. However, there tends to be an inherent element of
imprecision in a delay analysis because of the practical limitations to the
contemporaneous collection of as-built progress data on which that delay analysis
is likely to be heavily dependent. For example, a baseline programme might have 10
concrete activities in a particular section of the works. At a particular time during
construction when the status of those activities, which are all at different stages of
completion, is checked for the purposes of updating the baseline programme, the
project controls team member might wrap them up and assess them together at 45
per cent complete. Someone else doing this exercise might conclude those activities
collectively are 40 per cent complete. Hence, there can be subjectivity and
summarising in the progress data. That progress data will typically be used by the
planner in the analysis, as supplemented by other contemporaneous clarifying
records (most common methods make use of the as-built progress data in some
form). So, if there is imprecision in, there will be imprecision out.

Given the above, it is naive to expect that a delay analysis will always permit
precision down to the day when a delay starts and ends. Hence, there needs to be
some calibration regarding the tolerance for imprecision within the delay analysis.
For example, in a major project with tens of thousands of scheduled activities, the
tolerance for imprecision might be 1–2 weeks. Thus, if the second delay under
consideration from a concurrent delay assessment perspective commenced within
three days of the first delay (and is shown in the delay analysis to impact a very
near critical path), it would be sensible to conclude that the two paths are co-critical
and so each event caused critical delay at the same time and hence are concurrent.
This calibration exercise is part of ensuring that the conclusions of a delay analysis
are sound from an industry and common sense perspective.17

Burden of proof
There is often a question around who bears the burden of proof when it comes to
concurrent delay. In answering that question, it is relevant to first consider the
relevant evidentiary principles. In both civil law and common law jurisdictions, the
party that raises a positive case bears the burden of proving that case (although the
standard at which this burden is met differs between jurisdictions).18 Applying this
principle to the question of concurrent delay, whichever party raised concurrent
delay as their positive case bears the burden of proving that case. Often that is the
employer, given they commonly raise concurrent contractor culpability in
defending the contractor's claim for prolongation compensation. However, as a
matter of practice, the factual circumstances underpinning a concurrent delay case
are often addressed by the claimant, which is frequently the contractor, because
they will present a delay analysis to support their claims and good practice requires
that that delay analysis accounts for all relevant factual circumstances, including
any other delay events asserted by the respondent.

Arbitral tribunals, whether seated in civil or common law jurisdictions, tend to take
a pragmatic approach to the assessment of the evidence. Nonetheless, it is worth
the parties bearing in mind whether any strategic mileage can be gained from
burden of proof issues where the party asserting concurrent delay fails to put
forward a robust delay analysis to support that case.

Liability where there is concurrent delay

There is much conflicting commentary and case law concerning concurrent delay.
As a result, it is difficult to unequivocally state the position likely to be adopted at
law in the common and civil law jurisdictions discussed below.19 However, liability
for concurrent delay is often approached in one of two ways:

the contractor is awarded an extension of time for the period of concurrent

delay (thereby extinguishing the employer's right to liquidated damages for
that period) but not prolongation costs; or
an exercise of apportioning liability between the parties is conducted so that
the contractor receives a partial extension of time and some prolongation
costs, and the employer is entitled to some liquidated damages.

These approaches of 'time but not money' and apportionment respectively have
been adopted to different extents dependent upon jurisdiction. Set out below is a
summary of how concurrent delay is treated across a number of common and civil
law jurisdictions.

Common law jurisdictions

There is no uniform treatment of concurrent delay under the common law, and
both the 'time but not money' and apportionment approaches have been endorsed
by courts in different jurisdictions. The judicial precedent that exists in at least
some common law jurisdictions, however, provides a relatively stable platform
from which to assess the likely approach to be adopted in the treatment of
concurrent delay.

England and Wales

The genesis of judicial authority for the treatment of concurrent delay in England
and Wales is often cited to be the Malmaison case.20 This case concerned a
contractor's claim for an extension of time under the JCT 1980 Conditions (Private
Edition with Quantities); part of a set of standard form contracts commonly used in
the United Kingdom. The issue of concurrent delay arose, and the approach of how
any concurrency (if it existed) ought to be treated was agreed between the parties,
as recorded in the judgment:

It is agreed that if there are two concurrent causes of delay, one of which
is a relevant event, and the other is not, then the contractor is entitled to
an extension of time for the period of delay caused by the relevant event
notwithstanding the concurrent effect of the other event.21

Despite no judicial consideration or decision on the treatment of concurrent delay

in the Malmaison case, this agreed approach (i.e., an extension of time for the full
period of concurrency) has been subsequently adopted as English law, often with
reliance on the Malmaison case.22 The rationale for this approach, which was
accepted by the English court in the case of Steria v. Sigma Wireless,23 is described
by commentators as follows:

[…] it now appears to be accepted that a contractor is entitled to an

extension of time notwithstanding the matter relied upon by the
contractor is not the dominant cause of delay, provided only that it has at
least equal 'causative potency' with all other matters causing delay. The
rationale for such an approach is that where the parties have expressly
provided in their contract for an extension of time caused by certain
events, the parties must be taken to have contemplated that there could
be more than one effective cause of delay (one of which would not
qualify for an extension of time) but nevertheless by their express words
agreed that in such circumstances the contractor is entitled to an
extension of time for an effective cause of delay falling within the
relevant contractual provision.24

In addition to this rationale, John Marrin QC notes that the Malmaison approach
has the following notable features:25

It respects the prevention principle. This is a common law doctrine which

provides that 'a promisee cannot insist upon the performance of an obligation
which he has prevented the promisor from performing'.26 This would
arguably be contravened if the contractor were not awarded an extension of
time for a delay (effectively) caused the employer.
It prevents inconsistent cross-claims for prolongation costs and liquidated
damages.
It represents an appropriate relaxation of the 'but for' test of causation, which
had been criticised for permitting the (absurd) possibility that where multiple
events caused delay to the critical path, none of those events would be found
to be the putative cause of the delay.27

Case law subsequent to the Malmaison case and Steria v. Sigma Wireless, however,
disagrees on the first point. In North Midland Building Ltd v. Cyden Homes Ltd,28
the English Court of Appeal stated 'the prevention principle has no obvious
connection with the separate issues that may arise from concurrent delay'.29

An alternative approach, that some commentators have argued may exist under
English law, is that apportionment is carried out in respect of the relevant delay
events.30 However, this was firmly rejected by the English court in the first instance
decision of Walter Lilly v. Mackay:31
 In any event, I am clearly of the view that, where there is an extension of
time clause such as that agreed upon in this case and where delay is
caused by two or more effective causes, one of which entitles the
Contractor to an extension of time as being a Relevant Event, the
Contractor is entitled to a full extension of time. […] The fact that the
Architect has to award a 'fair and reasonable' extension does not imply
that there should be some apportionment in the case of concurrent
delays. The test is primarily a causation one.

As a matter of English law, therefore, it appears that a contractor may be entitled to

an extension of time for the full period of any concurrent delay, barring any
contrary contractual provision.32 However, that 'is not entirely free from doubt'.33
The English Court of Appeal recently recognised that there is a 'potential difference
of opinion' in the case law on whether the contractor can demonstrate that the
employer delay event 'caused' the critical delay, a prerequisite for an extension of
time, where there is concurrent delay.34

There is less judicial authority regarding the treatment of a contractor's

prolongation costs claims when there is concurrent delay. The SCL Protocol suggests
that, for periods of concurrency, a contractor is not entitled to recover prolongation
costs, except to the extent that it can separately account for the costs of the
employer delay event that would not have otherwise been incurred as a result of
the contractor delay event.35 In other words, a contractor cannot recover
prolongation compensation in circumstances where it would have suffered the
same loss as a result of causes within its control or contractual responsibility.36 The
English courts have recognised this approach as the 'general rule in construction
and engineering cases'.37

In summary, therefore, where there is concurrent delay, the position under English
law is that a contractor should not recover prolongation compensation and, it
appears, that an employer should not recover liquidated damages (although the
latter is not without doubt). This difference between the approach on time and
money might be explained on the basis that the 'but for' test of legal causation has
not been made out when considered through the prism of a claim for the monetary
consequences of delay: Where there is concurrent delay, the employer cannot, on a
liquidated damages claim, demonstrate that the legal cause of the delay was the
contractor given the employer itself was also an effective cause of the delay as a
matter of fact. Similarly, the contractor cannot demonstrate, on a prolongation
compensation claim, that the legal cause of the delay was the employer given the
contractor itself was also an effective cause of the delay. If the employer cannot
recover liquidated damages for the period when it was an effective cause of the
delay, the contractor is essentially securing an extension of time, thereby achieving
the outcome of 'time but not money' for the contractor.

Scotland
The Scottish approach to concurrency represents a marked contrast to the English
approach, in that the courts apportion liability as between the relevant events
where there is concurrent delay. This approach was first advanced in John Doyle
Construction v. Laing Management, where the court determined that
apportionment may be appropriate in cases of concurrency based on the evidence
and when carried out on a basis that is reasonable in all the circumstances.38
The jurisprudence was further developed in City Inn v. Shepherd, where the court
endorsed this approach so that, where two causes are operative, the decision-maker
may apportion the period of concurrent delay between the relevant contractor
event and the employer event.39 This decision was upheld on appeal:

In such a situation, which could, as a matter of language, be described as

one of concurrent causes, in a broad sense…it will be open to the
decision-maker, whether the architect, or other tribunal, approaching
the issue in a fair and reasonable way, to apportion the delay in the
completion of the works occasioned thereby as between the relevant
event and the other event. In that connection, it must be recognised that
the background to the decision making, in particular, the possibility of a
claim for liquidated damages, as opposed to one for extension of time,
must be borne in mind and approached in a fair and reasonable
manner.40

The Scottish approach of apportioning responsibility for concurrent delay adopts a

rationale similar to the apportionment of liability for contributory negligence; that
is, based on considerations of culpability and causative potency.41

United States
The American discourse on delay tends to focus on whether delays are excusable
and, if so, compensable.42 An excusable delay is one for which the contractor is
entitled to an extension of time, and where excusable delays also entitle the
contractor to prolongation costs, these delays are also considered compensable. As
a general proposition,43 concurrent delay is considered to be excusable but non-
compensable in the United States, meaning that the contractor is entitled to an
extension of time for the full period (thereby extinguishing the employer's
entitlement to liquidated damages), but is not entitled to prolongation costs.44

Essentially this is a 'time but not money' approach and neither party can benefit
monetarily from periods of concurrent delay.45 The courts do not tend to engage in
apportionment between the different delay events unless the delays are linear in
nature and factually lend themselves to apportionment.46 Concurrent delay has
been described by commentators in the United States as a risk allocation principle
to distribute the costs associated with contemporaneous delays on a status quo
basis – with each responsible party bearing its own costs for periods of concurrent
delay.47

Canada
The Canadian position in relation to concurrent delay may be described as a hybrid
time-and-cost approach. The contractor will be entitled to an extension of time for
the full period of concurrent delay, thereby extinguishing an employer's entitlement
to liquidated damages. As to prolongation costs, there is a lower evidentiary
threshold borne by the contractor in identifying the costs attributable to the
employer delay event, rather than costs that would have been incurred anyway. As
a result, there is likely to be 'an almost indistinguishable exercise of apportionment'
when it comes to prolongation costs.48 One of the rationales for this approach is an
extension of the concept of 'contributory negligence' to contractual claims, which
some commentators suggest is evident in the decisions of courts in certain
provinces.49

Also relevant to the treatment of concurrent delay in Canada is that the courts
exercise a flexible discretion and apply a 'broad brush' or 'do the best it can'
approach when it comes to assessing quantum.50 The upshot of this is that where
concurrent delay arises, the contractor will be entitled to an extension of time for
the full period and, likely, may recover some of its prolongation costs.51

Hong Kong
Concurrent delay is not well-defined in Hong Kong jurisprudence, although the
English approach has traditionally been favoured by commentators.52 Having said
that, the apportionment approach in the Scottish case of City Inn Limited v.
Shepherd was expressly endorsed by the Hong Kong court in the first instance
decision of W Hing Construction Co Ltd v. Boost Investments Ltd.53

Singapore
The legal position in Singapore traditionally draws on Commonwealth case law,
particularly that of England and Wales, yet there has been no clear indication
through local case law of the general approach adopted by the Singapore courts.
However, in a local case where concurrent delay was held to have occurred, the
court awarded the contractor an extension of time but, in doing so, did not define
concurrent delay or rely on any Commonwealth jurisprudence.54

Australia
Commentators suggest that the position under Australian law reflects that under
English law,55 although the Australian courts adopt a 'common sense' approach to
causation (rather than endorsing the 'effective cause' or 'but for' tests)56 and there
have been a couple of diverging cases addressing how concurrent delay ought to be
treated.57 Many Australian standard form contracts expressly deal with concurrent
delay – and do so in a manner different from the English approach.58 For those
contracts, it is unnecessary to have regard to the position at law. Instead, the
contractual position prevails. This is perhaps one of the main reasons why Australia
does not have a wealth of jurisprudence unequivocally expressing the position at
law.

Civil law and shariah jurisdictions

In contrast to the common law approach, civil codes tend to adopt a more flexible
approach to causation, known as the 'adequate cause' theory.59 Coupled with the
lack of case law precedent rules in common law jurisdictions, civil law courts have
a much greater discretion in determining how concurrent delay ought to be treated.
As most civil codes do not expressly address the concept of concurrent delay and
there is limited jurisprudence on the topic in many civil law jurisdictions, it is
difficult to discern a defined approach to concurrent delay.

Against this backdrop, the 'time but not money' approach could be pursued on the
basis of general good faith principles thereby facilitating an argument that the
parties cannot have intended for the employer to receive liquidated damages for
delay periods caused (at least concurrently) by its own acts. Alternatively,
apportionment of liability may be considered more consistent with express civil
code provisions relating to the allocation of liability for contributory fault and
general principles of fairness. Civil law jurisdictions therefore provide a
challenging and uncertain context within which to advance arguments regarding
the treatment of concurrent delay and much will turn on the specific facts of each
case.

Switzerland
There is no clearly prescribed position for dealing with concurrent delay under
Swiss law (and it is unusual for Swiss construction contracts to expressly grapple
with this issue). That said, commentators suggest that the Swiss courts may have a
tendency to follow the 'time but not money' approach, although this will turn on the
circumstances of the case.60 It is possible to argue that apportionment should apply,
on the basis of general contractual legal principles applicable to the reduction of
damages and the general apportionment of liability under Article 44(1) of the Swiss
Code of Obligations.61

Germany
It is not clear how the German courts might address concurrent delay as the
concept is not expressly dealt with in the German Civil Code (BGB). Commentators
suggest that the contractor will be entitled to an extension of time for the full period
of concurrent delay (or 'parallel hindrances').62 On the question of prolongation
costs, the courts have a broad discretion ('free discretion' or 'free belief') when
assessing quantum pursuant to Section 287 of the BGB. Regardless, commentators
suggest that German courts are unlikely to award prolongation costs to the
contractor for periods of concurrent delay.63 However, like other civil law
jurisdictions, arguments can be made for the apportionment of liability between
the parties on the basis of the principle of contributory fault (articulated in Section
254 of the BGB).

France
Similar to Switzerland and Germany, the French Civil Code does not address
concurrent delay and there is no uniformly accepted view among practitioners
regarding the treatment of concurrent delay. It is possible that the French courts
would apportion liability as between the employer and the contractor delay
events.64 This approach would be premised on:

the requirement of good faith in the performance of contractual obligations;65

and
the principle of full compensation, enshrined in Article 1231-2 of the French
Civil Code,66 whereby a party is 'compensated for the loss he has suffered – no
more and no less – and for the gain of which he has been deprived'.67

Turkey
The Turkish Code of Obligation applies to construction contracts,68 but makes no
explicit reference to concurrent delay. However, given that the Turkish Code of
Obligations is modelled on the Swiss Code of Obligations, Swiss jurisprudence and
commentary are persuasive in Turkey.69

As noted above though, there is a paucity of guidance from Switzerland but

nonetheless the same leaning towards a 'time but not money' approach may be
accepted under Turkish law. Like Switzerland, there are arguments available for
apportionment under the Turkish Code of Obligations based on the following
articles:70

Article 51(1): the judge determines the nature and the amount of the compensation
taking particular account of the degree of fault; and71

Article 52: regarding the reduction of damages: '[w]here the injured person
consented to the action which caused the damage or circumstances attributable to
him helped give rise to or compound the damage or otherwise exacerbated the
position of the person liable for it, the judge may reduce the compensation due or
even dispense with it entirely.'72

Egypt
The Egyptian Civil Code does not expressly address concurrent delay and there is
no judicial authority or persuasive commentary on this topic. Like French law, the
Egyptian Civil Code emphasises the importance of observing good faith in carrying
out contractual obligations,73 which may support an argument for an extension of
time for full periods of concurrent delay. An argument for apportionment, in
contrast, could be developed based on the principle of 'full compensation',74 along
with Article 216 of the Egyptian Civil Code, pursuant to which the judge retains a
discretionary power to either reduce or refuse to award any damages to the injured
party if it had contributed, through its own fault, to the occurrence or increase of
the harm.75

In relation to liquidated damages, where there is concurrent delay, contractually

specified damages may be reduced under Egyptian law if the judge is satisfied that:

• the agreed amount is 'greatly exaggerated' in comparison to the actual harm

sustained by the creditor (the employer); or

• the original obligation has been partially performed.76

A contractor may succeed in denying an employer's claim for liquidated damages

altogether if it is able to prove that the employer suffered no harm as a result of the
contractor's breach.77 A contractor could rely on these provisions to argue that it
ought not be liable for liquidated damages for periods of concurrent delay, given
the employer was itself responsible for the event causing delay.

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates Civil Code is largely inspired by the Civil Code of Egypt,
and, similarly to the position in Egypt, the concept of concurrent delay is not
expressly provided for in the United Arab Emirates Civil Code. From a contractual
perspective, there is no objection, on grounds of United Arab Emirates public policy,
for parties to address concurrent delay in their contract. This is consistent with the
general principle that contracting parties are free to allocate risk and adjust the
default rules of contractual liability provided they do not exclude or otherwise limit
liability for fraud or gross negligence.78 Notwithstanding, concurrent delay is rarely
dealt with in contracts performed in the United Arab Emirates as a matter of
practice.79

An argument for apportionment could be made based on the following United Arab
Emirates Civil Code provisions:

Article 290 (which is found in the tort section of the United Arab Emirates Civil
Code but has been determined to have application in the context of a
contractual claim):80 if the employer contributes to the occurrence of the
harm, the judge may take into account the level of involvement of the injured
party when assessing compensation, and may reduce or deny compensation in
accordance with the degree of its contribution;
Article 246(1): enshrining the duty of good faith in the performance of a
contract; and
Article 106: sets out the criteria for the unlawful exercise of a right.

However, equally, an argument in favour of an extension of time for the full period
of concurrent delay can be developed based on the very same provisions of the
United Arab Emirates Civil Code.

It is also worth noting that, on the question of liquidated damages, the United Arab
Emirates courts retain a power to revise contractually specified damages upward or
downward pursuant to Article 390(2) of the United Arab Emirates Civil Code. The
court has full discretion to ensure that compensation reflects actual losses,81 and
this provision may be relied on to adjust the liquidated damages downward where
there is concurrent delay.

Qatar
Again, there is no provision for concurrent delay in the Qatari Civil Code. As the
Qatari Civil Code is closely aligned with its Egyptian counterpart, the same
arguments available in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates for the treatment of
concurrent delay are likely to be persuasive in Qatar. For instance, Article 257 of
the Qatari Civil Code regarding reduction of compensation due to the claimant's
contribution to harm82 is almost identical to Article 216 of the Egyptian Civil Code,
referred to above. Similarly, the provisions on liquidated damages in the Egyptian
Civil Code have been reproduced almost verbatim in the Qatari Civil Code.83

Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of few countries to embrace a legal system
derived almost solely from the Islamic shariah.84 Saudi Arabia has not promulgated
a civil code, and there are no codified rules in other laws that address concurrency
in Saudi Arabia. Analyses of contractual obligations are therefore usually made by
reference to general principles derived from the Quran and the Sunnah (teachings)
of the Prophet.

Where there is a breach by the aggrieved party's counterparty but the aggrieved
party participated in the breach, prevailing opinion in Saudi Arabia is that the
breaching party is relieved from liability. This is a general rule based on the
assumption that the aggrieved party's conduct makes it impossible for the
breaching party to perform its obligations. This type of reasoning could be applied
in cases of concurrency, leading to an apportionment of time and money. However,
arguments could also be made for alternative outcomes, such as an extension of
time for the full period of concurrent delay on the basis of good faith principles.
The treatment of concurrent delay in Saudi Arabia will therefore be highly context-
and fact-specific.

Conclusion
It is rare that two events will both cause critical delay, and as a result, the
circumstances in which concurrent delay arises are narrow. Yet despite this reality,
project participants routinely allege that concurrent delay is a live issue worthy of
instructing scheduling experts and engaging in lengthy claims processes. Even if,
after all of that arguing, there is a rare situation where concurrent delay is found to
exist, the only certainty that is then available for project participants is that there is
limited (and sometimes scarce) legal authority across any one jurisdiction that
unambiguously explains how concurrent delay should be treated. In fact, the
position seems to vary wildly across jurisdictions. This has been recognised in the
most recent FIDIC suite of standard form contracts, where the topic of concurrent
delay is now expressly recognised, but left to the parties to regulate through the
special provisions, given there is no international industry norm.85 It is also
because of the rich opportunity for debate afforded by the topic of concurrent delay
that there is an increasing trend in major projects to include express contractual
language defining concurrent delay and explaining how it will be treated. Clarity
through contractual drafting would be a welcome development to avoid the
ubiquitous concurrent delay debate.

Footnotes

1 Erin Miller Rankin is a partner, Kim Rosenberg is counsel and Sarah-Jane Fick is
an associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.

2 A version of this paper was first presented by Kim Rosenberg at the Istanbul
International Construction Law conference in April 2017, and subsequently
published in the Construction Law Journal (2018) 34 Cont. L. J. 1. It should also be
noted that Kim Rosenberg chaired the drafting committee of the Second Edition of
the UK Society of Construction Law Delay and Disruption Protocol.

3 N. Baatz QC, 'Factual' and 'Legal' Causation in Construction and Infrastructure

Law: A Thorny Subject', (November 2016) SCL, p. 16.

4 Walter Lilly & Co v. Mackay [2012] EWHC 1773 (TCC); [2012] EWHC 1972 (TCC) at
paragraph 370.

5 North Midland Building Limited v. Cyden Homes Limited [2018] EWCA Civ 1744 at
paragraph 16.

6 Galoo Ltd v. Bright Grahame Murray [1995] 1 All ER 16 at paragraph 30.

7 See A. Al-Sanhouri, Al-Wasit Commentary on the Civil Code: Part I – The Sources
of Obligations (2010), pp. 832–833.
8 The UK Society of Construction Law Delay and Disruption Protocol states that
'[f]or concurrent delay to exist each of the Employer Risk Event and the Contractor
Risk Event must be an effective cause of Delay to Completion (i.e., the delays must
both affect the critical path)' (Guidance Section 10, Second Edition (February 2017)).
In contrast Chapter 8, American Society of Civil Engineers Standard 67-17, Schedule
Delay Analysis states that '[i]n general terms, concurrent delay can be described as
a situation where two or more critical delays are occurring at the same time during
all or a portion of the delay time frame in which the delays are occurring.
Concurrent delay is a position often taken by both contractors for avoidance of
liquidated damages and owners for mitigation or contractor claims and
compensable delay'. The Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering
Recommended Practice 29R-03 (Section 4.2.B) lists five potential definitions of
concurrent delay (one of which is the definition for true concurrent delay identified
by the SCL Protocol).

9 Adyard Abu Dhabi v. SD Marine Services [2011] EWHC 848 (Comm) at paragraph
277.

10 Guidance Section 10.8, UK Society of Construction Law Delay and Disruption

Protocol, Second Edition (February 2017). See Keating on Construction Contracts,
10th Edition, Sweet & Maxwell (2016), paragraph 8-025.

11 Guidance Sections 10.9 and 10.10, UK Society of Construction Law Delay and
Disruption Protocol, Second Edition (February 2017).

12 See Guidance Section 10, UK Society of Construction Law Delay and Disruption
Protocol, Second Edition (February 2017). The SCL Protocol also recognises the
concept of 'true concurrent delay' being 'the occurrence of two or more delay
events at the same time, one an Employer Risk Event, the other a Contractor Risk
Event, and the effects of which are felt at the same time'.

13 See Saga Cruises BDF Limited and others v. Fincantieri SPA and others [2016]
EWHC 1875 (Comm) and North Midland Building Limited v. Cyden Homes Limited
[2017] EWHC 2414 (TCC) at paragraphs 23–29 (which decision was upheld on
appeal: North Midland Building Limited v. Cyden Homes Limited [2018] EWCA Civ
1744).

14 There is an argument that relevant events giving rise to critical delays which end
at the same time (but did not start at the same time) cannot constitute concurrent
delay. Rather, the second delay is a type of 'pacing' – it is absorbing float created by
the first delay.

15 For instance, the ASCE 67-17 Schedule Delay Analysis has a different definition of
concurrent delay in Chapter 8 and, on the basis of that definition, states that
'[c]oncurrent delays do not need to have the same start or finish date'.

16 See Guidance Section 11.6, UK Society of Construction Law Delay and Disruption
Protocol, Second Edition (February 2017) in which a number of methodologies are
explained and discussed.

17 This is expressly recognised in Guidance Section 10.11, UK Society of

Construction Law Delay and Disruption Protocol, Second Edition (February 2017).

18 The standard of proof in English civil actions is the 'balance of probabilities', and
this is arguably similar to the US standard of 'preponderance of evidence'. For a
discussion of how these standards play out in the context of a delay claim, see K.
Pickavance, Delay and Disruption in Construction Contracts, Fourth Edition (2010),
p. 649.

19 On the question of the treatment of concurrent delay, the FIDIC commentary to

Clause 8.5 of the 2017 FIDIC Red, Yellow and Silver standard form contracts states
'there is no one standard set of rules/procedures in use internationally'.

20 Henry Boot Construction (UK) Ltd v. Malmaison Hotel (Manchester) Ltd (1999) 70
Con LR 32.

21 Henry Boot Construction (UK) Ltd v. Malmaison Hotel (Manchester) Ltd (1999) 70
Con LR 32 at paragraph 13.

22 Royal Brompton Hospital NHS Trust v. Hammond (No. 7) [2001] EWCA Civ 206 at
paragraph 85; Steria Ltd v. Sigma Wireless Communications Ltd [2007] EWHC 3454
(TCC); De Beers UK Ltd v. Atos Origin IT Services UK Ltd [2010] EWHC 3276 (TCC);
Adyard Abu Dhabi v. SD Marine Services [2011] EWHC 848 (Comm); and Walter
Lilly & Co Ltd v. Mackay [2012] EWHC 1773 (TCC).

23 Steria Ltd v. Sigma Wireless Communications Ltd [2007] EWHC 3454 (TCC) at
paragraph 130.

24 Keating on Construction Contracts, Eighth Edition (2006), p. 275. The quotation

also appears in substantively similar form in the current 10th Edition: Keating on
Construction Contracts, 10th Edition, Sweet & Maxwell (2016), paragraph 8-026.

25 J. Marrin QC, 'Concurrent Delay Revisited', (2013) SCL, pp. 16–17.

26 Multiplex Constructions (UK) Limited v. Honeywell Control Systems Limited (No.

2) [2007] EWHC 447 (TCC) at paragraph 47.

27 See generally, Great Eastern Hotel Company Ltd v. John Laing Construction Ltd
[2005] EWHC 181 (TCC), 99 Con LR 45 at paragraphs 314–316.

28 North Midland Building Limited v. Cyden Homes Limited [2018] EWCA Civ 1744.

29 Ibid at paragraph 32. Also see Jerram Falkus Construction Ltd v. Fenice
Investments In (No. 4) [2011] EWHC 1935 (TCC) at paragraph 52.

30 M. Cocklin, 'International Approaches to the Legal Analysis of Concurrent Delay:

Is there a Solution for English Law?', (April 2013) SCL, p. 8.

31 Walter Lilly & Co Ltd v. Mackay [2012] EWHC 1773 (TCC) at paragraph 370.

32 See North Midland Building Limited v. Cyden Homes Limited [2018] EWCA Civ
1744.

33 North Midland Building Limited v. Cyden Homes Limited [2018] EWCA Civ 1744
at paragraph 17.

34 North Midland Building Limited v. Cyden Homes Limited [2018] EWCA Civ 1744
at paragraphs 16–18.

35 Section 1.10 of the UK Society of Construction Law Delay and Disruption

Protocol, First Edition (October 2002), which is materially the same in Section 14 of
the Second Edition (February 2017).
36 De Beers UK Ltd v. Atos Origin IT Services UK Ltd [2010] EWHC 3276 (TCC) at
paragraph 178.

37 De Beers UK Ltd v. Atos Origin IT Services UK Ltd [2010] EWHC 3276 (TCC) at
paragraph 177. This approach is also recognised by other commentators, for
example: Keating on Construction Contracts, 10th Edition, Sweet & Maxwell (2016),
paragraphs 9-089 and 9-102.

38 John Doyle Construction Ltd v. Laing Management (Scotland) Ltd, 2004 SC 713
(Court of Session, Inner House) at paragraphs 18–19.

39 City Inn Ltd v. Shepherd Construction Ltd [2008] BLR 269 at paragraph 167.

40 City Inn Ltd v. Shepherd Construction Ltd [2010] CSIH 68 (Court of Session, Inner
House) at paragraph 42.

41 Hudson's Building and Engineering Contracts, 13th Edition, Sweet & Maxwell
(2015), p. 790; John Doyle Construction Ltd v. Laing Management (Scotland) Ltd,
2004 SC 713 (Court of Session, Inner House) at paragraph 17: 'This procedure does
not, however, seem to us to be fundamentally different in nature from that used in
relation to contributory negligence or contribution among wrongdoers'.

42 See the guidance contained in the AACE's Recommended Practice for Forensic
Schedule Analysis 29R-03 Rev 2 (2011).

43 Bearing in mind the differing jurisdictions within the United States, both among
different states and at the federal level.

44 W.S. Dale and R.M. D'Onofrio, Construction Schedule Delays (2017 Edition),
Section 3:9. See Morganti Nat., Inc v. US, 49 Fed. Cl. 110 (2001) and RP Wallace, Inc v.
US, 63 Fed Cl 401 (2004) at paragraphs 410–411. Also, P. O'Connor and P. Bruner,
Bruner & O'Connor on Construction Law (2016), Sections 15-67.

45 See Pittman Construction Co, Inc v. US, 2 Cl Ct 211 (1983) at paragraph 217:
Settled law dictates that where both parties contributed to the delay 'neither can
recover damage, unless there is in the proof a clear apportionment of the delay and
the expense attributable to each party'.

46 In the case of Essex Electro Engineers, Inc v. Danzig, 224 F.3.d 1283 (Fed. Cir.
2000), the Court held that concurrent delays relating to the submission of drawings
and related employer-responses was sequential and as a result of the linear nature
of the processes causing delay, that delay was 'inherently apportionable'.

47 P. O'Connor and P. Bruner, Bruner & O'Connor on Construction Law (2016),

Section 7-195.

48 Hudson's Building and Engineering Contracts, 13th Edition, Sweet & Maxwell
(2015), p. 792.

49 M. Cocklin, 'International Approaches to the Legal Analysis of Concurrent Delay:

Is There a Solution for English Law?', (April 2013) SCL, p. 12.

50 Wood v. Grand Valley Railway (1915) 51 SCR 283 (SCC), cited by M Cocklin,
'International Approaches to the Legal Analysis of Concurrent Delay: Is There a
Solution for English Law?', (April 2013) SCL, p. 12; See also A. Stephenson,
'Concurrency Causation Common Sense and Compensation' (2010) 13 Journal of the
Canadian College of Construction Lawyer.
51 G. Grenier, 'Evaluating Concurrent Delay – Unscrambling the Egg', (2006)
Construction Law Reports, p. 4.

52 M. Cocklin, International Approaches to the Legal Analysis of Concurrent Delay:

Is There a Solution for English Law?', (April 2013) SCL, p. 13.

53 W. Hing Construction Co Ltd v. Boost Investments Ltd [2009] 2 HKLRD 501 at

paragraph 61.

54 PPG Industries (Singapore) Pte Ltd v. Compact Metal Industries Ltd [2013] SCGA
23.

55 Hudson's Building and Engineering Contracts, 13th Edition, Sweet & Maxwell
(2015), p. 791.

56 See the High Court decision of March v. Stramere (E and MH) Pty Ltd [1991] HCA
12.

57 The NSW Supreme Court decisions of Turner Corporation Ltd (Receiver and
Manager Appointed) v. Austel Pty Ltd (1997) 13 B.C.L. 378, at paragraph 384 and
Turner Corporation Ltd (In provisional Liquidation) v. Co-Ordinated Industries Pty
Ltd and Others (1995) 11 B.C.L 202 suggested a move away from a strict application
of the 'time but not money' approach in favour of apportionment where common
sense required.

58 Clause 35.3 of AS 2124-1992 dictates that the contractor has no entitlement to an

extension of time for periods of concurrent delay and clause 34.4 of AS 4000-1997
and AS 4902-2000 provides for apportionment in the event of concurrent delay.

59 J. Bell, Principles of French Law, Second Edition (2008), p. 410.

60 N. Voser, Construction Arbitration 2016: Switzerland (2016) GAR Know-How.

61 Article 44(1), Federal Act on the Amendment of the Swiss Civil Code (Part Five:
The Code of Obligations) of 30 March 1911 (Status as of 1 January 2016): 'Where the
injured party consented to the action which caused the loss or damage or
circumstances attributable to him helped give rise to or compound the loss or
damage or otherwise exacerbated the position of the party liable for it, the court
may reduce the compensation due or even dispense with it entirely'.

62 The courts must justify this approach under the German good faith obligation,
Section 242 of the BGB. See C. Ennis, 'Claims for Extensions of Time and
Compensation under the FIDIC Red Book: Civil Law and Common Law Approaches
Compared' (October 2013) SCL, pp. 6–7.

63 See C. Ennis, 'Claims for Extensions of Time and Compensation under the FIDIC
Red Book: Civil Law and Common Law Approaches Compared', (October 2013) SCL,
p. 5; See also S. Osing, 'Time and Acceleration Issues Affecting International
Construction Contracts: The German Approach', International Construction Law
Review (2010), pp. 282–283.

64 P. Rosher and F. Gillion, Construction Arbitration 2016: France (2016) GAR Know-
How.

65 As provided in Article 1104, French Civil Code (consolidated version as of 2

March 2017). J. Bell, Principles of French Law, Second Edition (2008), p. 333
(referring to Article 1134 under an earlier version of the Code). Other civil law
jurisdictions, such as Italy, similarly proceed on the basis of apportionment of
liability and proportional valuation of damages when faced with concurrent delay
where the damage quantification cannot be shown: See L. Di Paola, 'Concurrent
Delays' (2006) International Construction Law Review, p. 384.

66 Article 1231-2, French Civil Code (consolidated version as of 2 March 2017).

67 G. Berman and E. Picard (eds), Introduction to French Law, First Edition (2008),
p. 235 (referring to Article 1149 under an earlier version of the Code).

68 Z. Akinci, Arbitration Law of Turkey: Practice and Procedure, First Edition

(2011), p. 248.

69 See C. Ennis, 'Claims for Extensions of Time and Compensation under the FIDIC
Red Book: Civil Law and Common Law Approaches Compared', (October 2013) SCL,
pp. 2–5.

70 E. Buyksagis, 'The New Turkish Tort Law' (2012) 3 Journal of European Tort Law
44, p. 62; See T. Ansay, Introduction to Turkish Law, Third Edition (1987), pp. 200–
201; Turkey: Construction & Engineering Law (2016) International Comparative
Law Guide.

71 Translation provided by: E. Buyksagis, 'The New Turkish Tort Law', (2012) 3
Journal of European Tort Law 44, p. 90.

72 Translation provided by: E. Buyksagis, 'The New Turkish Tort Law', (2012) 3
Journal of European Tort Law 44, p. 91.

73 Article 148(1), Egyptian Civil Code, Law No. 131 of 1948 (as amended): 'A contract
must be performed in accordance with its provisions and in compliance with the
requirements of good faith'.

74 Article 221(1), Egyptian Civil Code, Law No. 131 of 1948 (as amended): 'The judge
shall assess the amount of damages, if it has not been fixed in the contract or by a
provision of law. Damages include compensation for losses incurred by the creditor
and profits foregone, provided that they are the natural result of the failure to
perform the obligation or the delay in such performance. The harm shall be
considered a natural result if the creditor is unable to avoid it by exerting
reasonable efforts'.

75 Article 216, Egyptian Civil Code, Law No. 131 of 1948 (as amended): 'The judge
may reduce the amount of damages or award no damages if the creditor, through
his own fault, contributed to the occurrence of the harm, or increased it'.

76 Article 224(2), Egyptian Civil Code, Law No. 131 of 1948 (as amended): 'The judge
may reduce the amount of damages if the debtor proves that the amount fixed [by
agreement] was greatly exaggerated, or that the original obligation has been
partially performed'.

77 Article 224(1), Egyptian Civil Code, Law No. 131 of 1948 (as amended): 'Damages
fixed by agreement are not due if the debtor proves that the creditor has suffered
no harm'.

78 Articles 296 and 383(2), UAE Civil Code, Law No. 5 of 1985 (as amended).

79 M. Grose, Construction Law in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf, First
Edition (2016), p. 131.
80 See, e.g., UAE Union Supreme Court, Petitions Nos. 1 and 28 of JY26 (Shar'i), 27
June 2005 (explaining that the rule on contributory fault in Article 290 of the UAE
Civil Code applies equally to both contractual and tort liability because the rationale
for applying it under either theory is the same).

81 M. Grose, Construction Law in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf, First
Edition (2016), p. 139.

82 Article 257, Qatari Civil Code, Law No. 22 of 2004 on issuing the Civil Code: 'The
court may reduce the amount of damages or award no damages if the creditor,
through his own fault, contributed to the occurrence of the harm, or increased it'.

83 Articles 224 and 225 of the Egyptian Civil Code are almost identical to Articles
266 and 267 of the Qatari Civil Code.

84 Articles 1 and 23, Basic Law of Governance, Royal Order No. (A/91) 27 Sha'ban
1412H (1 March 1992), published in Umm al-Qura Gazette No 3397, 2 Ramadan
1412H (5 March 1992).

85 See Clause 8.5 (Extension of Time) in the 2017 FIDIC Red, Yellow and Silver
standard form contracts and the accompanying FIDIC guidance on this provision.

Practical insight from experts on the ground

The Guide to Construction Arbitration - Second Edition

Introduction
1. Introduction

Part I: International Construction Contracts

1. The Contract: the Foundation of Construction Projects
2. Bonds and Guarantees
3. Introduction to the FIDIC Suite of Contracts
4. Change and Continuity: the FIDIC 2017 Red and Yellow Book Amendments
5. Allocation of Risk in Construction Contracts
6. Contractors' Claims, Remedies and Reliefs
7. Employers’ Claims and Remedies
8. Delay and Quantum: the Role of Delay Analysis Programmes and Financial Methods
for the Computation of Costs and Damages in Construction Arbitration
9. Comparative Approaches to Concurrent Delay

Part II: International Arbitration for Construction

Disputes
1. Suitability of Arbitration Rules for Construction Disputes
2. Subcontracts and Multiparty Arbitration in Construction Disputes
3. Interim Relief, including Emergency Arbitration, in Construction Arbitration
4. Organisation of the Proceedings in Construction Arbitrations
5. Expert Evidence in Construction Disputes
 6. Documents in Construction Disputes
7. Awards

Part III: Select Topics on Construction Arbitration

1. Construction Arbitrations in the Nuclear Sector
2. Energy Sector Construction Disputes
3. Construction Arbitration and Concession Contracts
4. Construction Arbitration and Turnkey Projects
5. Construction Arbitration in the Context of China’s Belt and Road Projects

Part IV: Regional Construction Arbitration

1. Construction Arbitration in Australia
2. Turkey
3. The Nuts and Bolts of Construction Arbitration in the MENA: an Update
4. Construction Arbitration in Mainland China and Hong Kong

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