Case Study: Effect of Archaeological Excavation on Time and Cost in Historical Peninsula Construction Works

Abstract

Throughout history, Istanbul has hosted several civilizations. The historical Peninsula, also known as Sur Ici, stands out in Istanbul because of its historical buildings and areas that have been inherited from past generations. The historical Peninsula is located within the borders of the Fatih district and the Yenikapi Filling area. In this region, hundreds of registered works are located and historical sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage list are also found. The region's Urban-Historical sites constitute the vast majority of the region. Numerous examples of civic architecture were razed and sunk under the ground as the region, which was the capital of great civilizations such as the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, changed hands due to wars. Therefore, archaeological research excavations are conducted under the Museum Directorate's supervision to avoid damage to existing cultural elements during construction works in the region. When movable and immovable cultural assets are discovered during excavation, they are either are registered and protected or removed according to the decisions of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Board. Similarly, the region's shoring system is constructed as a well foundation and excavations are performed as archaeological excavations. The use of archaeological excavation and well foundation shoring systems in the constructions on the historic Peninsula raises construction costs and extends the completion time. This study investigates the effects of archaeological excavation and well foundation construction on time and cost based on an outstanding project in the region. These effects were revealed by comparing the archaeological excavation of the same building in this region and construction with standard construction techniques in another region, in line with cost study, a business plan with critical path, and budgeting techniques with the S-curves.