Construction projects are both time sensitive and dynamic in nature. Unexpected events pose a great threat to construction projects and their successful completion. The traditional method of tackling unknown unknowns in construction is based on a centrally controlling body - often the superintendent of the project. This research explores the nature of these unknown events and the crew behavior under these trying conditions. The study uses literature and an agent based model to achieve these objectives. The study also explores the effect of having autonomous and self-managed crews in making decisions regarding equipment breakdowns on construction sites. Modeling showed that the decision making by the self-managed team outperformed the team that depended on external agents for making decisions. The delay caused by the same damage was on average 40% lower for the crew making its own decisions compared to the crew that depended on the superintendent. Considering that the model accounted for erroneous decisions made by the crew, the prima facie result shows that allowing crews to be autonomous is an effective strategy on the long run. As a result of the crews solving problems, the superintendent is also expected to have more opportunities to concentrate on improving the coordination and planning of work on site. It is also expected that conditions where crews are given autonomy to make decision will result in a healthier and more satisfying experience for the workers and the organization.
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