A Systematic Review of the Evolution of the Concept of Resilience in the Construction Industry

Abstract

Despite the growing importance of resilience in the construction sector, the existing literature often focuses on specific systems or functions without integrating a holistic view of resilience. Hence, there is a pressing need for comprehensive research that synthesizes these dimensions to provide a clearer framework for resilience in the construction industry. To find the inherent patterns and trends of resilience, we carried out research from the perspective of three elements defining resilience (the subject of resilience, the influencing factors, and the subject’s ability). In this systematic review, 70 articles were rigorously handpicked from Web of Science, Scopus, and authoritative journals and divided into 6 major categories and 24 subcategories for quantitative and temporal analyses. The evolution of resilience in the construction industry is investigated in this review, shifting from specific systems facing defined impacts to addressing the complexities of diverse and unpredictable disruptions within VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) environments. As Industry 4.0 and digital transformation progress, the significance of functional resilience across various system levels becomes apparent, necessitating a reconstitution into structural, operational, and supply chain resilience. This study encourages the use of advanced methodologies like big data, AI, and high-level architecture (HLA) federated simulations to predict disruptions and optimize resilience strategies, thus providing a robust foundation for handling future uncertainties.