Jaśkowski, P and Sobotka, A (2006) Scheduling construction projects using evolutionary algorithm. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 132(8), pp. 861-870. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
This paper attempts to use evolutionary algorithms to solve the problem of minimizing construction project duration in deterministic conditions, with in-time changeable and limited accessibility of renewable resources (workforce, machines, and equipment). Particular construction processes (with various levels of complexity) must be conducted in the established technological order and can be executed with different technological and organizational variants (different contractors, technologies, and ways of using resources). Such a description of realization conditions allows the method to also be applied to solving more complex problems that occur in construction practice (e.g., scheduling resources for a whole company, not only for a single project). The method's versatility distinguishes it from other approaches presented in numerous publications. To assess the solutions generated by the evolutionary algorithm, the writers worked a heuristic algorithm (for the allocation of resources and the calculation of the shortest project duration). The results obtained by means of this methodology seem to be similar to outcomes of other comparable methodologies. The proposed methodology (the model and the computer system) may be of great significance to the construction industry. The paper contains some examples of the practical use of the evolutionary algorithm for project planning with time constraints.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | algorithms; project management; scheduling |
| Index terms: | duration, construction industry, project management, evolutionary algorithm, accessibility, heuristic, project planning, complexity, publication, construction project, methodology, construction process, computer system, scheduling, renewable resources |
| Subjects: | research dissemination and communication, risk assessment, control systems, computing systems, environmental resource management, operations research, algorithms, research methods, inclusive design, project management theory and practice, production management, building construction, project controls, systems engineering, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Time Control, Site Management, Design Practice, Digital Applications, Sustainability, Risk Management, Research Practice, Project Management, Information Management, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here