Construction Delay Analysis Using Daily Work Report Data for Short Construction Seasons

Some regions and states, such as Wyoming, have harsh weather conditions, forcing most transportation projects to be completed under tight schedules. However, construction projects are not only delayed by weather conditions, but also delayed by other factors such as contractor's competency, resource availability, coordination issues, and safety. Also, the construction method, geographical location of the projects, and inability to follow baseline schedules accurately due to the contractor's resource allocation are also reasons for the delay. This paper discusses the main reasons for the delay in the public transportation projects based on Daily Work Reports (DWRs) from five different transportation projects of the last three years in Wyoming. This paper focuses on the inconsistencies of the contractor's schedules to complete the project according to the baseline schedule. First, the authors collected DWRs and baseline schedules from the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT). Second, the DWR data are compared against the baseline schedules to determine the reasons for delaying their significance. Finally, the paper presents the recommendations to mitigate the effects of delays on public transportation projects as well as to improve the documentation process of DWR data.