Mun, H; Jeong, J; Jeong, J and Kumi, L (2025) Statistical hypothesis test approach considering workers' thermal comfort to determine nonworking days in different climate zones. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 151(9): 04025116, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Construction duration is one of the three major elements in the construction industry, and accurate prediction is essential to minimize project variations stemming from inherent uncertainties. When evaluating construction duration, it is necessary to differentiate between working days and nonworking days, the latter influenced by holidays and weather conditions. While holidays are fixed, weather-related nonworking days introduce significant uncertainty due to varying climate characteristics, often evaluated using a single factor. This can lead to misestimation of nonworking days, increasing overall project uncertainties. Therefore, this study aims to propose a risk level based on outdoor thermal comfort and to provide nonworking day estimation criteria suitable for each climate zone. The study consists of three main phases: (1) data collection and classification from South Korea; (2) analysis of estimated risk levels considering outdoor thermal comfort; and (3) analysis of nonworking days by climate zone considering the estimated risk levels. The results of the study are as follows. When considering four different climate zones, the highest average number of nonworking days was observed for each zone as follows: Cfa (temperate climate with no dry season) (approximately 4.65 days, August), Cwa (temperate climate with dry winter) (approximately 3.92 days, August), Dfa (subarctic climate with no dry season) (approximately 4.61 days, August), and Dwa (subarctic climate with dry winter) (approximately 3.45 days, August). This study provides criteria for nonworking days specific to each climate zone in the construction industry, allowing for more accurate estimation of nonworking days by considering climate-specific characteristics. Furthermore, by comprehensively evaluating various weather conditions and incorporating worker safety levels, the results can serve as a quantitative index for establishing safety management measures. Finally, this study contributes to creating a safer working environment for workers by reducing construction accidents and mitigating delays due to weather-related nonworking days, thus preventing economic losses and protecting workers' lives.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction duration; hypothesis test; köppen-geiger climate; nonworking days; outdoor thermal comfort |
| Index terms: | safety management, weather, variation, construction accident, winter, project uncertainty, outdoor thermal comfort, construction industry, duration, thermal comfort, South Korea, estimation |
| Subjects: | climate science, building performance, Geography, financial and cost management, air quality, occupational health and safety management, project controls, industry analysis, environmental engineering, contractual condition, project management theory and practice |
| Topics: | Time Control, Contract Administration, Research Practice, Cost Management, Project Management, Geographical Context, Health and Safety, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here