Project delay has been a phenomenon contending with the construction sector opposing time, cost, and quality. This study develops a model, which is a combination of two mathematical decision-making methods DEMATEL and system dynamics modeling, to investigate the impact of the factors on the entire project schedule. The simulation results reveal the importance of minimizing design error to reduce the project delay at the beginning (or preconstruction stage) of the project. Rework, design changes, and change orders must also be closely monitored during the construction to ensure work productivity and on-time project completion. The results also reveal that experienced designers and the use of updated design technology help reduce design errors, thus enhancing work performance in the long term. As shown in the simulation results, the actual project completion time and magnitude of delay steadily reduce with the project series. This explains the fact that the more the consistency and effectiveness in handling the delay factors as similar projects are performed in turns, the better the project performance in terms of time. Therefore, careful consideration of the delay factors reduces the time lag and delay magnitude in construction projects. Other improvements, such as effective supervision during construction which is a function of experienced supervisors, good project management, and cooperation among key stakeholders, including owners, consultants, and contractors, also assist in reducing the construction delay in the long term.

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Project completion behind schedule is a struggle for the construction sector, affecting time, cost, and quality. This investigation has been necessitated by the lingering nature of project delay risks despite many extant analyses. This study collated expert opinions from the Thai construction sector on salient construction delay variables and their influence on each other for DEMATEL-SD analysis. The collated data were analysed and found consistent with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.939. Then, the DEMATEL technique was used to establish the influence weight of factors for the System dynamics (SD) analysis. It was discovered that minimising the design error at the preconstruction stage significantly reduces the magnitude of delay. Increasing values of design error and change order increase the rework profile. Besides, the project delivery within the scheduled 232 weeks can be ensured by minimising the threat of design error, design change, change order, rework, productivity problem, and by improving project management. This study adopted a hybrid mathematical system to holistically examine the construction delay risk by comprehensively exploring the dynamics of influencing variables and investigating their impact on the project scheme. The system helps project stakeholders to arrive at an effective decision in overcoming delay risks, thus minimising the cost overrun and improving the project quality.