Understanding and Quantifying the Impact of Adverse Weather on Construction Productivity

Adverse weather events have a negative impact on the productivity of construction site activities. Understanding these effects is essential for developing realistic construction schedules. The influence of weather is shaped by both environmental factors (climate, geography, topography) and construction-related aspects such as technologies, materials, equipment, and site exposure. This paper proposes a model to quantify the influence of adverse weather by estimating monthly intervals of expected days with reduced construction productivity, based on data regarding specific weather events, including precipitation, wind, extreme temperatures, snow cover, fog, and high humidity. Data analysis employs the inclusion–exclusion principle, a combinatorial technique, alongside confidence interval estimation, a standard statistical approach. The model was applied in three Croatian cities to demonstrate its practicality and accuracy. Contractors with extensive on-site experience reviewed the results, providing insights into weather-sensitive activities and organizational practices.