The Pathway to Enhancing Construction Performance Through Risk Management: A Knowledge Graph Analysis Using CiteSpace

Abstract

Risk management is essential to enhance construction performance. This study aims to systematically reveal the pathways for improving construction performance through risk management. Academic literature from 2016 to 2025 was selected using the Web of Science core database. Next, CiteSpace knowledge graph analysis was conducted to identify the temporal and spatial distribution and the frontier hotspots of research on risk management and construction performance enhancement, as well as to explore the evolution path of risk management. The study finds that over the past decade, research on the use of risk management to enhance construction performance has evolved from slow accumulation to significant growth, followed by a stable high plateau. Research topics have gradually focused on performance evaluation and risk governance, with “sustainable construction,” “machine learning,” and “risk assessment” emerging as future research hotspots. The study identifies the evolution path of risk management, which advances from the exploration and application of digital technologies to the integration and optimization of the entire lifecycle, and ultimately towards the achievement of project resilience and the strategic goals of enhancing construction performance. The findings of this study provide insights for future academic research, offering directions, focal points, and methodological strategies for related studies.