Chapter
Mar 18, 2024

Heat Stress Monitoring in Construction for Risk-Informed Decision-Making

Publication: Construction Research Congress 2024

ABSTRACT

Heat-related hazards present significant challenges in construction. To effectively mitigate these safety risks, timely assessment of heat stress is vital for implementing heat mitigation strategies. Current field measurement approaches, however, encounter temporal and spatial limitations in monitoring heat stress. This study proposes a framework for near-real-time analysis of spatial heat hazards at construction sites. The framework incorporates 3D modeling to address geometric features and a customized weather station to monitor meteorological conditions. The collected meteorological data is transmitted to a server computer, where heat risks are simulated based on the geometric and meteorological conditions in construction sites. Additionally, the study presents preliminary results comparing the accuracy of this simulation-based approach to on-site measurements using a black globe thermometer and net radiometers. The proposed framework is expected to enhance our understanding of heat risks and enable more effective implementation of protective measures in time-sensitive situations relevant to heat risk.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this chapter.

REFERENCES

Chan, A. P. C., M. C. H. Yam, J. W. Y. Chung, and W. Yi. 2012. “Developing a heat stress model for construction workers.” Journal of Facilities Management, 10 (1): 59–74. https://doi.org/10.1108/14725961211200405.
Chen, Y.-C., T.-P. Lin, and A. Matzarakis. 2014. “Comparison of mean radiant temperature from field experiment and modelling: a case study in Freiburg, Germany.” Theor Appl Climatol, 118 (3): 535–551. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-1081-z.
Dong, X. S., G. H. West, A. Holloway‐Beth, X. Wang, and R. K. Sokas. 2019. “Heat‐related deaths among construction workers in the United States.” Am J Ind Med, 62 (12): 1047–1057. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23024.
Fang, Z., T. Tang, Z. Zheng, X. Zhou, W. Liu, and Y. Zhang. 2021. “Thermal responses of workers during summer: An outdoor investigation of construction sites in South China.” Sustainable Cities and Society, 66: 102705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102705.
Gao, C., K. Kuklane, P.-O. Östergren, and T. Kjellstrom. 2018. “Occupational heat stress assessment and protective strategies in the context of climate change.” Int J Biometeorol, 62 (3): 359–371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-017-1352-y.
Höppe, P. 1992. “A new procedure to determine the mean radiant temperature outdoors.” Wetter Leb, 44: 147–151.
Jacklitsch, B., W. J. Williams, K. Musolin, A. Coca, J.-H. Kim, and N. Turner. 2016. Occupational exposure to heat and hot environments. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Criteria for a Recommended Standard.
Jänicke, B., F. Meier, M.-T. Hoelscher, and D. Scherer. 2015. “Evaluating the Effects of Façade Greening on Human Bioclimate in a Complex Urban Environment.” Advances in Meteorology, (T.-P. Lin, ed.), 2015: 747259. Hindawi Publishing Corporation. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/747259.
Jones, B., G. Dunn, and D. Balk. 2021. “Extreme Heat Related Mortality: Spatial Patterns and Determinants in the United States, 1979–2011.” Spat Demogr, 9 (1): 107–129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40980-021-00079-6.
Kamari, M., and Y. Ham. 2022. “AI-based risk assessment for construction site disaster preparedness through deep learning-based digital twinning.” Automation in Construction, 134: 104091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2021.104091.
Kántor, N., C. V. Gál, Á. Gulyás, and J. Unger. 2018. “The Impact of Façade Orientation and Woody Vegetation on Summertime Heat Stress Patterns in a Central European Square: Comparison of Radiation Measurements and Simulations.” Advances in Meteorology, (H. Tanaka, ed.), 2018: 2650642. Hindawi. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/2650642.
Kántor, N., T.-P. Lin, and A. Matzarakis. 2014. “Daytime relapse of the mean radiant temperature based on the six-directional method under unobstructed solar radiation.” Int J Biometeorol, 58 (7): 1615–1625. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0765-5.
Lin, R.-T., and C.-C. Chan. 2009. “Effects of heat on workers’ health and productivity in Taiwan.” Global Health Action, 2 (1): 2024. https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v2i0.2024.
Lindberg, F., and C. S. B. Grimmond. 2011. “The influence of vegetation and building morphology on shadow patterns and mean radiant temperatures in urban areas: model development and evaluation.” Theor Appl Climatol, 105 (3–4): 311–323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-010-0382-8.
Lindberg, F., S. Onomura, and C. S. B. Grimmond. 2016. “Influence of ground surface characteristics on the mean radiant temperature in urban areas.” Int J Biometeorol, 60 (9): 1439–1452. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-016-1135-x.
Orlov, A., J. Sillmann, A. Aaheim, K. Aunan, and K. de Bruin. 2019. “Economic Losses of Heat-Induced Reductions in Outdoor Worker Productivity: a Case Study of Europe.” EconDisCliCha, 3 (3): 191–211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41885-019-00044-0.
Reja, V. K., K. Varghese, and Q. P. Ha. 2022. “Computer vision-based construction progress monitoring.” Automation in Construction, 138: 104245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104245.
Stull, R. 2011. “Wet-Bulb Temperature from Relative Humidity and Air Temperature.” Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 50 (11): 2267–2269. https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-11-0143.1.
Tang, P., and Q. Li. 2022. “Evaluation of the observation methods of outdoor mean radiant temperature in a subtropical city.” Building and Environment, 207: 108462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108462.
Wong, D. P., J. W. Chung, A. P. Chan, F. K. Wong, and W. Yi. 2014. “Comparing the physiological and perceptual responses of construction workers (bar benders and bar fixers) in a hot environment.” Applied Ergonomics, 45 (6): 1705–1711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2014.06.002.
Yi, W., A. P. C. Chan, X. Wang, and J. Wang. 2016. “Development of an early-warning system for site work in hot and humid environments: A case study.” Automation in Construction, 62: 101–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2015.11.003.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Construction Research Congress 2024
Construction Research Congress 2024
Pages: 70 - 78

History

Published online: Mar 18, 2024

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

ASCE Technical Topics:

Authors

Affiliations

1Ph.D. Student, Dept. of Construction Science, Texas A&M Univ., TX. Email: [email protected]
Youngjib Ham, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE [email protected]
2History Maker Homes Endowed Associate Professor, Dept. of Construction Science, Texas A&M Univ., TX. Email: [email protected]

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Download citation

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

View Options

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Paper
$35.00
Add to cart
Buy E-book
$276.00
Add to cart

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Paper
$35.00
Add to cart
Buy E-book
$276.00
Add to cart

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share with email

Email a colleague

Share