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PurposeThis study aims to lay the groundwork for the potential application of value management (VM) in construction projects. This paper presents a critical review on the status of VM in a developing country and highlights the role of perceptions on critical success factors (CSFs) for the phases of VM studies, as the participants in a VM study should consider CSFs tailored to the local context.Design/methodology/approachA series of interviews and a questionnaire were conducted to understand the drivers, perceptions, barriers, and CSFs of VM in the Jordanian construction industry. Although descriptive statistics were used to analyze the status of VM, a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was adopted to highlight the interrelationships between perceptions and the CSFs of the three phases of VM (i.e. pre-workshop, workshop, and implementation).FindingsThe descriptive analysis revealed conflicting viewpoints for perceptions and drivers. Most practitioners acknowledged little awareness of VM phases, and the SEM results indicated that perceptions of VM, in terms of its capacity in improving the scope and objectives of the project, and reducing overall costs, most strongly influenced the CSFs of the implementation phase in terms of support and clear plan for implementation, and had the least influence on the pre-workshop phase. Further, the perceptions had a moderate effect on the CSFs of the workshop phase and it tended to be positive, highlighting the importance of function analysis in this phase.Originality/valueThis is the first study to reveal the status of VM in Jordan in terms of adoption, drivers, perceptions, barriers and CSFs; no prior studies have investigated how perceptions can affect the CSFs of each phase of VM and the endorsement of VM by the construction industry. The contributions of this study include linking the perceptions of construction professionals with the CSFs of VM.

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This paper investigates the behavior of a new form of V-shaped shear connector. The assessment of the proposed connector's performance is conducted through an experimental work of fourteen push-out tests. The results show that the developed V-shaped shear connector is able to transfer higher shear load than the conventional shear connectors. In addition, its behavior is considered as ductile. Geometrical parameters of the connector are studied to observe their influence on its behavior. The experimental outcomes show that changing the length, width, and thickness of the connector significantly affects its ultimate strength while the connector's ductile behavior is preserved. Furthermore, the work proves that neither creating holes nor adding transverse reinforcement to the connector has significant effect on shear resistance and that the uplift-displacement of the connector is improved. A comprehensive comparison between the proposed shear connector and commonly used shear connectors is executed. Based on the experimental results, an empirical equation is suggested to predict the load capacity of the connector.

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