Ballesteros-Pérez, P; del Campo-Hitschfeld, M L; González-Naranjo, M A and González-Cruz, M C (2015) Climate and construction delays: Case study in Chile. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 22(6), pp. 596-621. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose - Construction projects usually suffer delays, and the causes of these delays and its cost overruns have been widely discussed, the weather being one of the most recurrent. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of climate on standard construction work activities through a case study. Design/methodology/approach - By studying the extent at which some weather variables impede outdoor work from being effectively executed, new maps and tables for planning for delays are presented. In addition, a real case regarding the construction of several bridges in southern Chile is analyzed. Findings - Few studies have thoroughly addressed the influences of major climatic agents on the most common outdoor construction activities. The method detailed here provides a first approximation for construction planners to assess to what extent construction productivity will be influenced by the climate. Research limitations/implications - Although this study was performed in Chile, the simplified method proposed is entirely transferable to any other country, however, other weather or combinations of weather variables could be needed in other environments or countries. Practical implications - The implications will help reducing the negative social, economic and environmental outcomes that usually emerge from project delays. Originality/value - Climatic data were processed using extremely simple calculations to create a series of quantitative maps and tables that would be useful for any construction planner to decide the best moment of the year to start a project and, if possible, where to build it.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | planning; construction management; productivity rate; data analysis; decision support systems; construction works |
| Index terms: | construction productivity, Chile, construction work, construction activity, productivity, cost overrun, case study, agent, project delay, weather, methodology, construction delay, construction project, construction planner, data analysis, decision support, maps |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, air quality, practitioner, operations management, data analysis and analytics, construction operations, financial and cost management, management, research methods, spatial and geospatial analysis, production management, Geography, project controls, decision analysis |
| Topics: | Site Management, Time Control, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Geographical Context, Project Management, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Risk Management, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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