對建筑工程的理解的不確定性來源與許多方面并且常常涉及到許多工程的參與者。既然每個參與者都試圖把自己的風行最小化，那么各個參與者間的利益沖突將對工程產(chǎn)生不利的影響。唯一的辦法是業(yè)主有能力通過在各個參與者間訂立適當?shù)暮贤P系把風險分配化以平衡這些沖突。業(yè)主不能夠承擔這種職責的話常常會導致不盡人意的結果。在最近幾年，“風險共享/風險分配”的合同概念已經(jīng)得到聯(lián)邦政府的接受。既然這種形式的合同認可業(yè)主的責任，那么合同所簽定的價格就將比全部責任都由承包商承擔時來的低。
　　工程建設中的風險可以按照許多種形式進行分類。其中一種的分類如下：
　　1、社會經(jīng)濟學的因素
　　o 環(huán)境保護
　　o 公共安全方面的規(guī)定
　　o 經(jīng)濟的不穩(wěn)定
　　o 匯率的波動
　　2、組織關系
　　o 合同關系
　　o 參與者的態(tài)度
　　o 交流
　　3、技術問題
　　o 設計假設
　　o 場地情況
The uncertainty in undertaking a construction project comes from many sources and often involves many participants in the project. Since each participant tries to minimize its own risk, the conflicts among various participants can be detrimental to the project. Only the owner has the power to moderate such conflicts as it alone holds the key to risk assignment through proper contractual relations with other participants. Failure to recognize this responsibility by the owner often leads to undesirable results. In recent years, the concept of "risk sharing/risk assignment" contracts has gained acceptance by the federal government. [4] Since this type of contract acknowledges the responsibilities of the owners, the contract prices are expected to be lower than those in which all risks are assigned to contractors.
　　Risks in construction projects may be classified in a number of ways. [5] One form of classification is as follows:
　　1. Socioeconomic factors
　　o Environmental protection
　　o Public safety regulation
　　o Economic instability
　　o Exchange rate fluctuation
　　2. Organizational relationships
　　o Contractual relations
　　o Attitudes of participants
　　o Communication
　　3. Technological problems
　　o Design assumptions
　　o Site conditions
　　o Construction procedures
　　o Construction occupational safety