Literature Review: Weather Impact on Construction in Melbourne

This literature review examines the effects of weather conditions on construction projects in Melbourne. It explores the impact of various weather events such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and floods on construction timelines, productivity, and safety. The review analyzes how these conditions can lead to project delays and increased accident rates. It also discusses the importance of adapting construction practices to account for climate change, including improving drainage systems and using more durable construction materials. The research utilizes a deductive approach, gathering primary data through questionnaire surveys with project managers in Melbourne's construction industry, along with secondary data from peer-reviewed articles and government reports. The study emphasizes the need for effective strategies to manage weather-related risks in order to enhance project financial performance and ensure business continuity. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments for students.

Running head: CONSTRUCTION IN MELBOURNE AND EFFECTS FROM WEATHER
Construction in and around Melbourne and Its Effects from Weather
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1CONSTRUCTION IN MELBOURNE AND EFFECTS FROM WEATHER
Table of Contents
1. Rationale and Significance..............................................................................................2
2. Research Questions and Objectives.................................................................................3
3. Research Approach and Methods....................................................................................4
3.1. Research Approach...................................................................................................4
3.2. Data Collection Process............................................................................................4
3.3. Sampling and Sample Size.......................................................................................5
3.4. Data Analysis............................................................................................................5
3.5. Ethical Consideration................................................................................................6
4. Preliminary Literature Review........................................................................................6
4.1. Effects of Weather on Construction Works in Melbourne.......................................6
4.2. Hot Weather Conditions and its Impact on Construction.........................................9
4.3. Research Gap..........................................................................................................11
5. Project Management Documentation............................................................................11
References..........................................................................................................................16

2CONSTRUCTION IN MELBOURNE AND EFFECTS FROM WEATHER
1. Rationale and Significance
The significance of carrying out this research is to provide useful implications to enhance
project financial performance are not just limited to the construction industry as well as the
broader community (Allinson et al. 2015). Enhanced project financial performance is deemed to
have the potential to offer numerous benefits through managing the weather conditions affecting
the construction projects in Melbourne. The current research will focus on offering simple
solutions in enhancing the weather conditions that can facilitate in maintaining better working
conditions for their employees, increased standards for safety and environmental compliance
along with enhanced community engagement levels (Arashpour and Arashpour 2015). The paper
will also offer certain implications to enhance the weather conditions that can impact the
construction projects in Melbourne that encompass flooding, high winter snowfall, heavy
rainfall, heatwaves along with extreme temperatures. The significance of this study is also to
evaluate the ways in which the construction industry requires to adapt with the change in
weather.
The rationale in carrying out research on the construction in Melbourne and the necessary
weather conditions impacting such projects is to analyze whether such weather conditions have
the potential to increase in the nation over the upcoming years (Arashpour et al. 2015). Analysis
of the climate data in Melbourne and its outskirt places will indicate that the heatwaves in
summer or the anomalous hot weather that lasts for several days can impact the construction
projects and can lead to delay of its completion. The research also has the rationale to explain in
details that the that the hot or even the extreme cold weather conditions can result in the
productivity to drop and can delay the ongoing projects particularly within the Melbourne

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construction industry (Bao, Li and Yu 2015). The paper will also explain the ways in which
certain effective solutions can be provided in delivering the construction projects within adverse
weather conditions. The research will also explain the ways in which adverse weather conditions
in Melbourne causes issues within the industry and leads to delays within the construction
projects as claimed by the contractors of the nation. Due to the global warning and the likelihood
of natural disasters within the nation can have a drastic impact on the project success along with
enhancing financial performance and business continuity (Billig and Waterman 2014).
2. Research Questions and Objectives
The research questions those are to be answered through carrying out this research are
explained under:
 How is the construction work in Melbourne and the places around gets affected from
weather?
 How hot or cold weather conditions impact the construction projects in Melbourne?
 How flood or any other disastrous weather conditions impact the construction projects in
Melbourne?
Considering such research questions few significant objectives are set in this research and
addressing them can provide helpful implications for the project managers in the construction
industry of Melbourne to develop effective strategies in dealing with such adverse weather
situations. This can further facilitate in accomplishing of project within the predefined time. The
research objectives set for this exploration are explained under:
 To analyze the ways in which the construction work in Melbourne and the places around
gets affected from weather

4CONSTRUCTION IN MELBOURNE AND EFFECTS FROM WEATHER
 The evaluate the ways in which hot or cold weather conditions impact the construction
projects in Melbourne
 To investigate the ways in which flood or any other disastrous weather conditions impact
the construction projects in Melbourne
3. Research Approach and Methods
3.1. Research Approach
Deductive research approach will be used in the research of analyzing the construction
industry in Melbourne and the weather impacting the industry. This research approach is deemed
to be used in accomplishing this research for the reason that it is the best suitable approach in
carrying out quantitative analysis in attaining suitable research results (Brinkmann 2014).
Deductive approach is used in carrying out the quantitative data analysis as this can facilitate in
analyzing the responses gathered from the respondents taking part in the survey. Moreover, as
positivism research philosophy issued in this research, deductive research approach will be used
that can facilitate in attaining real results for this research. In addition, this reasechers approach
is highly helpful in a situation where the researcher did not focus on developing any new model
or theory after obtaining significant research results. In deductive research approach the
researcher has provided high priority to the human responses through conducting quantitative
questionnaire survey (Buller et al. 2017).
3.2. Data Collection Process
The primary as well as the secondary data will be gathered in carrying out research on
“construction business in Melbourne and weather conditions impacting the industry”. The
relevant data from the authentic secondary sources will be gathered that will include peer

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reviewed articles, journals, books, government websites indicating weather changes in
Melbourne and its impact on construction industry (Choy 2014). The primary data will be
gathered through employing questionnaire survey instrument that will encompass the open and
close ended questions for the respondents those are the project managers working in the
construction industry. Data gathered through employing this research instrument can facilitate in
collecting relevant viewpoints on the weather factors that has considerable effects on the
completion of construction projects in Melbourne (Deere et al. 2017).
3.3. Sampling and Sample Size
The sampling process involving simple random technique will be use in the current
research for the reason that this sampling prices offer equal chances to every participant to take
part within the process of survey (Dharssi et al. 2015). Considering the subject of research
“construction in Melbourne and nearby areas and impact on weather on the industry” sample size
of 43 project managers from the construction companies in Melbourne will be selected. This
target sample is selected for the reason that they are the most suitable respondents those can offer
suitable viewpoints on the weather factors that affects construction business within the nation.
3.4. Data Analysis
Data analysis is an important part of gathering constructive findings from the research.
Data that has been collected from the questionnaire survey from the primary research will be
analyzed by means of using highly relevant statistical tools (Douglas-Lenders, Holland and Allen
2017). In consideration to same, effective selection of the analytical techniques is highly
important in attaining constructive results from the research along with attaining a significant
and informative conclusion. In addition, it also supports in sustaining transparency as well as
proper interpretation of the composed data. MS Excel is deemed to be the most suitable

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statistical tool employed in tis research for carrying out correlation as well as regression analysis.
Tables and graphs will also be considered in proper representation of the gathered research
findings (Feddersen, Metcalfe and Wooden 2016). In addition, it has also been considered that
excel application is the highly suitable in converting the opinion of the respondents in a
percentage form that can facilitate in anticipating the respondents’ viewpoint trend.
Implementation of person correlation test will also ensure reliability and validity of the gathered
research findings.
3.5. Ethical Consideration
The researcher made it certain that in data collection and in accomplishing the research
on “construction in Melbourne and its impact from weather” most suitable code of conduct is
followed (Humphries 2017). Moreover, the researcher also made certain that the research will be
his sole work and the use of previous researches in this research will be provided proper
consideration. Moreover, as the researcher has also carried out primary research, it is made sure
that no delicate questions have been asked to them at the time of the survey. Along with that
mutual permission has also been taken from the target participants for taking part in the
questionnaire survey (Jamei and Rajagopalan 2017). Respondents identity has also been
maintained confidential because of the privacy concerns within which no such business use of
the reasechers statement will be considered from the side of the researcher in the current study.
4. Preliminary Literature Review
4.1. Effects of Weather on Construction Works in Melbourne
As per the report presented by Janković (2015) weather in Melbourne is explained as the
state of the atmosphere in term of temperature, air pressure, clouds, humidity, precipitation and

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wind. Sch weather situations an impact the accident rates along with increasing exposure to
traffic hazards. These researchers have also indicated that climate change impact on construction
process in Melbourne. Jarkas (2015) indicated that the wetted winters as well as sudden heavy
downpours make it highly important to the direct rainwater along with meltaway from the
houses, roads as well as paved areas. These reasechers have also stated that a milder climate is
observed to decrease he durability of the construction materials and impacting the indoor climate
of the construction processes and the warmer summers will also need an increased requirement
for cooling.
Jayalath, Aye, Mendis and Ngo (2016) evidenced that the buildings that will be
constructed can get vulnerable because of climate change. Moreover, in the future years there
might be an increase in the risks related with the collapse of the construction buildings,
decreasing health and considerable value los. Moreover, natural disasters such as heavy storms,
snow as well as subsidence damage, water encroachment, depleting indoor climate can result in
decreased building lifetime that is constructed in such adverse climate conditions. Li, McCarthy
and Deletic (2016) elaborated that the storms can include a safety risk to the buildings that are
being constructed as due to such adverse climate condition, the buildings that will be developed
will not meet the buildings code of the safety requirements. In the long term, a long lasting great
wave within the Melbourne country can also impose heath related consequences particularly for
the elderly and the weak along with the workers that are involved in the construction work.
Lyons (2017) stated that the construction of the new roads face certain challenges due to
drastic climate changes and considering the same, investigations have been carried out in
managing such adverse climate changes for better managing, constructing and managing roads.
These reasechers also indicated that in the road construction rain turns out to be the biggest risk

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factor. The risk for increased rain poses the highest challenges and the surface water might be
director away from the roads in order to make sure the construction projects durability. This
challenge can also aquaplane among wit decreasing pass capability for road users. McInnes et al.
(2018) revealed that the road construction authorizes of Melbourne are recently focused on the
ways in which the road drainage system can be adapted in the future climate with consideration
to the new construction as well as managing the existing infrastructure in the nation.
Ngacho and Das (2015) presented a view that traffic reports at the time of extreme
weather evets is necessary as the extreme weather events like storms, heavy downpours etc.
might require a traffic report for the reason that it has a vital role for the road construction users.
Through implementing such solution, the project managers involved in the construction business
of Melbourne will be able to attain fresh traffic as well as weather reports through radio,
cellphone, GPS as well as by means of the traffic management systems. Simonsohn, Nelson, and
Simmons (2017) indicated a research carried out in the roads as well as the climate. The research
is offers a new knowledge to the road authorities regarding the ways in which future construction
as well as management along with the consequences of the climate change for the construction
work. Janković (2015) stated that the construction of the bridges in Melbourne face severe
climatic change issues that might drastically impact the shore-based installations are directly
exposed at the time of events with high levels of water. Such shore-based installations that can
address the climate challenges faced by the company will be protected by dykes. However, the
accessibility of such installations can also get affected by the frequent storms that takes place in
Melbourne. According to Li, McCarthy and Deletic (2016) regular analysis of risk can be carried
out through mapping future risks of flooding of installations based on developments observed in
the previous years.

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4.2. Hot Weather Conditions and its Impact on Construction
According to the views presented by Simonsohn, Nelson, and Simmons (2017) extreme
weather conditions is deemed to impact the construction industry of Melbourne along with the
economy of the nation as a whole. However, the construction industry is considered as among
the most vulnerable because of the nature regarding the ways construction organizations operate
along with the industry’s increased dependence on manpower. Janković (2015) also added that
the Melbourne construction is highly vulnerable because of the drastic climate changes. These
reasechers also indicated that due to the construction companies increased vulnerability to certain
climate changes or the extreme weather event, hot weather situations might impact the
Melbourne construction industry. Simonsohn, Nelson, and Simmons (2017) stated that
construction in hot, natural disaster condition or in extreme rainfall and winter can cause
construction companies to deal with several challenges within the projects. Certain challenges
that impact the construction projects in Melbourne focused on weather conditions are explained
below:
Janković (2015) revealed that “site” in construction projects can get impacted because of
extreme weather conditions in Melbourne. Delays in the projects because of the dry subsoil is
caused by hot as well as dry weather conditions. It is observed that duct causing from dry
subsoils can generate huge clouds of dust that can result in long term health concerns like the
diseases including chronic pulmonary disease, silicosis and asthma. Considering the same the
employers have the responsibility to control the dust causing such diseases through certain
strategies that the “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)”. Simonsohn, Nelson, and Simmons
(2017) elaborated that such control to deal with this adverse weather situation is through
developing water suppression systems or dust extraction by the construction projects.

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Jarkas (2015) indicated that concreting can also get affected by the hot weather
conditions in Melbourne. These reasechers defined hot weather as the combination of any of
these situations that tends to impair the fresh mixed concrete quality used in the construction
work through increasing the rate of moisture loss along with the cement hydration rate that can
otherwise result in detrimental findings. Jayalath, Aye, Mendis and Ngo (2016) added that the
dry or hot weather conditions can result the water in the concrete and masonry to get evaporated
rapidly. Such fast evaporation develops concrete with decreased comprehensive strength along
with a finish that is likely to hike upward and drop. These researchers also explained that the
drastic impact of high ambient temperatures along with the increased temperature concrete
component materials have on the time of its setting. Jarkas (2015) evidenced that this is because
of the decreased time in which the concrete can be placed, consolidated and accomplished. This
can also result in causing drastic impacts in construction works through increasing potential for
plastic shrinkage cracking as well as thermal cracking. This can additionally enhance the
potential for decreasing strength because of elevated water demand along with increased curing
temperatures.
According to the research conducted by Jayalath, Aye, Mendis and Ngo (2016) it has
been gathered that the workers in the construction industry is also impacted because of hot
weather conditions in two major ways that are interlinked. These includes a drastic drop in the
labor productivity along with an increase in the safety and health procedures. This can be done in
order to decrease exposure of workers to the heat related illnesses and risks that can impact the
labor productivity and the related health and safety processes. Jayalath, Aye, Mendis and Ngo
(2016) elaborated that increase in the humidity because of the climate changes in Melbourne are
decreasing through decreasing labor productivity. Moreover, decreased labor productivity can

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also be because of a drastic increase in the global temperatures in the upcoming years for global
warning. Based in their findings, rising temperature is observed to drastically impact the per
capita income level of the nation through such decreasing the level of labor productivity within
the nation. Jayalath, Aye, Mendis and Ngo (2016) also stated that in a situation where the
Melbourne has high temperatures in comparison to the other nations and the cooler temperatures
can indicate in increased labor productivity that in turn can ensure an increasing labor wage rate.
Enhanced project financial performance is deemed to have the potential to offer numerous
benefits through managing the weather conditions affecting the construction projects in
Melbourne.
4.3. Research Gap
From analyzing the previous literature on the subject of construction in Melbourne and
the ways in which weather impacts their success it has been gathered that, past reasechers failed
to explain that the quality of the performance within the construction industry relies on the
availability of significant financial data at both the project and company level (Tomc and
Vassallo 2016). Previous research also failed to explain the unexpected subsurface or inclement
weather situations that will inevitable from time of time. Considering such research gap, the
future research will investigate the two major challenges that can impact the project based on the
soft ground conditions along with the periods of rainy weather. It will also elaborate on the
efforts to manage the soft ground situations that are impacted by above-average rainfall in the
nation.
5. Project Management Documentation
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