LOSS OF WORKING DAY DUE TO RAIN1

Prepared by:
Ir. Muhammad Gani, Dipl. HE.

Introduction
We have all experienced rain on our projects. Rain can affect and impeding the project progress2 in terms
of i.e.:
1. Stops work due to discomfort as well as safety issues.
2. Causes damage i.e. excavations collapse, building finishes open to the elements are damaged, silt
and debris have to be cleared.
3. Saturates materials which particularly with earth moving jobs result in us having to wait for the
materials to dry out before we continue.
4. Might cause materials to become contaminated and mixed together.
5. Could make roads impassable and equipment can become bogged down.
6. Often floods work areas, causing delays while the areas are pumped dry.
7. May cause rivers to flood and sweep equipment and structures away.

Criteria to Define a Non-working Day Due to Rain

After evaluation of so many projects, the precipitation amounts causing a non-working day generally
ranged from 6.35 to 12.7 mm (0.25 to 0.50 in) and the mean ranged from 8.64 to 9.65 mm (0.34 to 0.38
in) for all construction types. Based on the literature review, interview process and sensitivity analysis, a
threshold of 7.62 mm (0.30 in) was selected for all construction types. A difference between grading
projects and surfacing or structural projects was that 19.05 mm (0.75 in) of rain or greater generally
caused a non-working day3.

To take into account the influence of different type of rainfall intensity on the numbers of non-working
day this following criteria were used for analyses.

Table 1. The criteria used to calculate a non-working day4

Category Rainfall (mm) Nos of non Remark
1 hour 24 hours working day
Light rainfall 1 5 0.25 0.25 days lost of working day
Moderate rainfall 1-5 5 - 20 0.50 0.50 days lost of working day
Heavy rainfall 5 - 10 20 - 50 0.75 0.75 days lost of working day
Very heavy rainfall 10 - 20 50 - 100 1.00 One day lost of working day
Torrential rainfall 20 100 1.00 One day lost of working day

The table above is read as follow i.e. light rainfall less than 1 mm/hour or 5 mm/day resulting in reduction
of working day of a 0.25 days. And so do that the torrential rainfall would affect a situation where there is
fully one day of no working day.

In this analyses the events that causes losing of working day are as follow i.e.
Sunday at every month
National holiday
Non-working day (NWD) due to rain

1
Muhammad Gani, Working at Yachiyo Engineering Co. Ltd. Jakarta
2
Paul Netscher, Avoiding weather related project delays, September 2016
3
Development of Working day, South Dakota School of Mine and Technology, May 1998
4
Petra University Surabaya, Research Paper

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Steps to be followed in NWD calculation
Simple calculation method for non-working day due to rain is summarized as follow i.e.
Firstly prepare rainfall data of at least consecutively 10 years
Based on criteria (Table 1) calculate on monthly basis numbers of all non-working day (i.e. 10-
year average for non-working day) from January through December.
Calculate total numbers of non-working days (i.e. total Sunday + total holiday + total NWD due
to rain)
Calculate workable day (i.e. Total monthly available Total monthly NWD)

Writer would sincerely like to remind to anyone who would use this method that:
This method used merely as an approximation (provisional way).
This method might be used in case of no other method is available or acceptable.

Calculation example of workable day will be presented in Tables below.

Given the amount of rainfall of a station near to the project. Data presented in mm per hour, and mm per
day basis.

Table 2. Average daily rainfall of 12 years data

Tanggal Jan Feb Mar Apr Mei Jun Jul Agu Sep Okt Nov Des
mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h mm/d mm/h
1 18.0 0.8 30.0 1.3 51.5 2.1 20.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2 0.0 0.0 14.5 0.6 1.5 0.1 15.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
3 1.0 0.0 6.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
4 0.0 0.0 36.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 27.5 1.1 26.0 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 13.0 0.5
5 16.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 6.5 0.3 6.5 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0
6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 15.0 0.6 3.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 0.8 0.0 0.0
9 9.5 0.4 2.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10 0.0 0.0 4.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 20.5 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
11 2.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 36.0 1.5
12 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
13 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.0 0.5 9.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
14 4.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
15 6.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 19.5 0.8
16 19.0 0.8 2.0 0.1 22.0 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
17 19.0 0.8 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
18 18.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.1
19 0.0 0.0 66.5 2.8 100.0 4.2 15.5 0.6 2.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
20 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 42.0 1.8 0.0 0.0 12.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.5 0.3
21 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 0.2 6.0 0.3 16.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.5 1.1
22 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 44.0 1.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
23 35.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.0 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.0 0.4 19.5 0.8
24 26.0 1.1 8.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.5 0.2 18.0 0.8
25 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.1 14.5 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
26 33.0 1.4 72.5 3.0 8.5 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.0 0.5
27 71.0 3.0 42.0 1.8 12.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 32.0 1.3
28 2.0 0.1 32.0 1.3 12.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 14.0 0.6
29 29.0 1.2 15.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.7 0.2
30 0.0 0.0 15.5 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.5 0.9
31 0.0 0.0 22.0 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.1
Total 309.0 318.5 354.0 142.5 158.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 35.5 226.2
Avg 10.0 11.4 11.4 4.8 5.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 7.3

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Table 3. NWD calculation result based on mm per hour volume of rainfall
Category Rainfall (mm/h) Lost of working day (Day) Total (Day)
Jan Feb Mar Apr Mei Jun Jul Agu Sep Okt Nov Des
Light rainfall 1 mm 7.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 7.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 7.00 90.00
Moderate rainfall 1 - 5 mm 3.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 2.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 13.00
Heavy rainfall 5 - 10 mm 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Very heavy rainfall 10 - 20 mm 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Torrential rainfall 20 mm 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Total (Day) 10.00 9.00 9.00 9.00 9.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 9.00

Table 4. NWD calculation result based on mm per day volume of rainfall

Category Rainfall (mm/d) Lost of working day (Day) Total (Day)
Jan Feb Mar Apr Mei Jun Jul Agu Sep Okt Nov Des
Light rainfall 5 mm 5.00 5.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 7.00 5.00 77.00
Moderate rainfall 5 - 20 mm 4.00 2.00 2.00 4.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 3.00 18.00
Heavy rainfall 20 - 50 mm 3.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 3.00 17.00
Very heavy rainfall 50 - 100 mm 1.00 2.00 2.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.00
Torrential rainfall 100 mm 0.00
Total (Day) 13.00 12.00 10.00 11.00 10.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 10.00 11.00

Table 5. The average of NWD due to rain day

Rainfall Lost of working day (Day)
Jan Feb Mar Apr Mei Jun Jul Agu Sep Okt Nov Des Average (day)
mm/h basis 10.00 9.00 9.00 9.00 9.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 9.00 9
mm/d basis 13.00 12.00 10.00 11.00 10.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 10.00 11.00 10
Average (day) 12 11 10 10 10 8 8 8 8 8 9 10 9

Table 6. The result of workable day calculation

Category Jan Feb Mar Apr Mei Jun Jul Agu Sep Okt Nov Des Average (day)
Total day 31 28 31 30 31 30 31 31 30 31 30 31 30
Holiday 2 1 1 1 2 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 1
Sunday 4 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Rest by rain 12 11 10 10 10 8 8 8 8 8 9 10 9
Total suspended 18 16 16 15 16 12 13 13 13 13 14 16 14
Workable day 14 13 16 15 16 18 18 18 17 18 16 15 16