Anagnostopoulos, K P and Koulinas, G K (2010) A simulated annealing hyperheuristic for construction resource levelling. Construction Management and Economics, 28(2), pp. 163-175. ISSN 1466433X
Abstract
Resource levelling techniques aim to minimize the fluctuation from one time period to another in resource usage. Except for small-sized problems, though, computational optimization procedures are inefficient when solving construction resource levelling problems. Consequently, heuristic and metaheuristic approaches are used to get an acceptable, but not necessarily optimal, solution. A simulated annealing hyperheuristic to generate better-levelled resource profiles is proposed. Unlike traditional heuristic algorithms, a hyperheuristic operates in the 'low level' heuristics domain rather than in the solutions domain. A low level heuristic, on the other hand, works in the current solution neighbourhood. The algorithm has been programmed within a commercial project management software system to improve its performance. The low level heuristics operate on the priority levels that the software uses for resource levelling. An illustrative example and the computational analysis demonstrate the potential of the procedure in solving complex scheduling problems.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | hyperheuristic; metaheuristics; priorities; resource levelling; simulated annealing |
| Index terms: | resource levelling, resource levelling technique, project management software, low level, simulated annealing, heuristic, scheduling |
| Subjects: | operations research, digital technology, resource management, algorithms, risk assessment, measurement and scaling |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Risk Management, Research Practice, Site Management, Time Control |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
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