A sustainable project scheduling algorithm in construction; an approach to using project buffer management techniques

Zohrehvandi, S. (2026) A sustainable project scheduling algorithm in construction; an approach to using project buffer management techniques. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 22(2), pp. 331-359. ISSN 1557-8771

Abstract

Project resource scheduling can be very effective in the implementation of projects. One of the biggest problems in the process of project implementation is that projects are not implemented according to the initial plan and at the scheduled time. This study aims to present a Sustainable Project Scheduling Algorithm (SPSA) to calculate the size of feeding buffers and project buffer by considering sustainable factors in project construction and controlling the consumption of buffers dynamically during different phases of a wind farm project. The innovations of this research include: a) the presentation of a sustainable buffer management algorithm that monitors and controls buffer consumption in addition to calculating the buffer size, and b) the identification of the required resources by considering sustainable factors in project construction. To analyze the project data and examine the performance of the model, the algorithm is coded in MATLAB software. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to determine the extent to which project execution was influenced by the SPSA. According to the findings, in addition to increasing the productivity of the project, using the algorithm caused this project to be completed in a shorter time compared to similar projects. Additionally, the project execution with the SPSA took 179.9 days, about 3% faster than the actual duration which lasted 185.7 days.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: project buffer management; project management; project scheduling; recourse scheduling; recourse sustainability
Index terms: consumption, scheduling, resource scheduling, productivity, buffer, duration, sensitivity analysis, project scheduling, implementation, project data, project buffer management, project management
Subjects: data collection methods, consumer economics, project controls, financial risk, contractual arrangements, environmental hazards, project management theory and practice, operations research, management
Topics: Project Management, Sustainability, Time Control, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Stakeholder Management, Research Practice, Procurement
Descriptive scope: 3 PCE

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