• International conference on construction engineering and project management
• /
• 2015.10a
• /
• pp.166-168
• /
• 2015

Line of Balance (LOB) method is suitable to schedule construction projects composed of repetitive activities. Since existing LOB based repetitive project scheduling methods are deterministic, they do not lend themselves to handle uncertainties involved in repetitive construction process. Indeed, existing LOB scheduling dose not handle variability of project performance indicators. In order to bridge the gap between reality and estimation, this study provides a stochastic LOB based scheduling method that allows schedulers for effectively dealing with the uncertainties of a construction project performance. The proposed method retrieves an appropriate probability distribution function (PDF) concerning project completion times, and determines favorable start times of activities. A case study is demonstrated to verify and validate the capability of the proposed method in a repetitive construction project planning.

• Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.21-34
• /
• 2013

Various risk factors affect construction projects. Due to the uncertainties created by risk factors, actual activity durations frequently deviate from the estimated durations in either favorable or adverse direction. For this reason, evaluation of schedule uncertainty is required to make decisions accurately when managing construction projects. In this regard, this paper presents a new computer simulation model - the Repetitive Schedule Risk Analysis Model (RSRAM) - to evaluate unit-based repetitive building project schedules under uncertainty when activity durations and risk factors are correlated. The proposed model utilizes Monte Carlo Simulation and a Critical Path Method based repetitive scheduling procedure. This new procedure concurrently provides the utilization of resources without interruption and the maintenance of network logic through successive units. Furthermore, it enables assigning variable production rates to the activities from one unit to another and any kind of relationship type with or without lag time. Details of the model are described and an example application is presented. The findings show that the model produces realistic results regarding the extent of uncertainty inherent in the schedule.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.565-578
• /
• 2013

Batch production is common in repetitive construction projects, and it is not unusual for different batch sizes to be used by contractors in one project. While several scheduling methods, such as the Linear Scheduling Method (LSM) and the Repetitive Scheduling Method (RSM) have been proposed and used, no mathematical method for repetitive construction projects has been developed, and it is difficult to consider different batch sizes with the existing methods. An original mathematical algorithm for scheduling repetitive projects with different batch sizes is proposed in this study. This algorithm is illustrated with assumptions of resource continuity and single path in a project and introduces new terms, control batch and critical batch. The algorithm logics and mathematical equations are validated by comparison with the outcomes from a graphical scheduling approach through a simple and practical hypothetic project. As a result, it is expected that the proposed algorithm can be easily adapted and extended to computer software for scheduling, and can be a starting point for research on batch size management in repetitive construction projects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
• /
• 2018.05a
• /
• pp.41-42
• /
• 2018

Various methods that crash the project completion time have been studied. Line-of-Balance (LOB) is well accepted as a useful method that enables steady resource utilization without frequent hire-and-fire of resources for a project having repetitive units. Existing studies involved in LOB-CPM focuses on thesis such as resource leveling and optimization in construction scheduling community. However, crashing methods are not arrived at a full maturity in LOB scheduling, because no one handles steady resource utilization while keeping activity-relationships. This paper proposes a method that crashes project completion time by hybridizing concurrent engineering and LOB scheduling without using additional resources.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
• /
• 2015.10a
• /
• pp.158-160
• /
• 2015

Efficient scheduling and resource management are the key factor to reduce construction project budget (e.g., labor cost, equipment cost, material cost, etc.). Resource-based line of balance (LOB) technique has been used to complement the limitations of existing time-driven scheduling techniques (e.g., critical-path method). Optimizing construction alternatives contributes to cost savings while honoring the project deadline. However, existing LOB scheduling is lack of identifying optimal resource combination. This study presents a method which identifies the optimal construction alternatives, hence achieving resource minimization in a repetitive construction by using genetic algorithm (GA). The method provides efficient planning tool that enhances the usability of the system.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.137-149
• /
• 2005

This study proposes a framework enhancing the accuracy of estimation for project duration by combining linear Bayesian updating scheme with the learning curve effect. Activities in a particular project might share resources in various forms and might be affected by risk factors such as weather Statistical dependence stemming from such resource or risk sharing might help us learn about the duration of upcoming activities in the Bayesian model. We illustrate, using a Monte Carlo simulation, that for partially repetitive projects a higher degree of statistical dependence among activity duration results in more variation in estimating the project duration in total, although more accurate forecasting Is achievable for the duration of an individual activity.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
• /
• 2013.01a
• /
• pp.403-411
• /
• 2013

Horizontal construction projects such as oil and gas pipeline projects typically involve repetitive-work activities with the same crew and equipment from one end of the project to the other. Repetitive scheduling also known as linear scheduling is known to have superior schedule management capabilities specifically for such horizontal construction projects. This study discusses on expanding the capabilities of repetitive scheduling to account for the variance in production rates and visual representation by developing an automated alignment based linear scheduling program for applying temporal and spatial changes in production rates. The study outlines a framework to apply changes in productions rates when and where they will occur along the horizontal alignment of the project and illustrates the complexity of construction through the time-location chart through a new linear scheduling model, Linear Scheduling Model with Varying Production Rates (LSM_VPR). The program uses empirically derived production rate equations with appropriate variables as an input at the appropriate time and location based on actual 750 mile natural gas liquids pipeline project starting in Wyoming and terminating in the center of Kansas. The study showed that the changes in production rates due to time and location resulted in a close approximation of the actual progress of work as compared to the planned progress and can be modeled for use in predicting future linear construction projects. LSM_VPR allows the scheduler to develop schedule durations based on minimal project information. The model also allows the scheduler to analyze the impact of various routes or start dates for construction and the corresponding impact on the schedule. In addition, the graphical format lets the construction team to visualize the obstacles in the project when and where they occur due to a new feature called the Activity Performance Index (API). This index is used to shade the linear scheduling chart by time and location with the variation in color indicating the variance in predicted production rate from the desired production rate.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
• /
• 2022.06a
• /
• pp.196-203
• /
• 2022

The resource constrained scheduling problem (RCSP) constitutes one of the most challenging problems in Project Management, as it combines multiple parameters, contradicting objectives (project completion within certain deadlines, resource allocation within resource availability margins and with reduced fluctuations), strict constraints (precedence constraints between activities), while its complexity grows with the increase in the number of activities being executed. Due to the large solution space size, this work investigates the application of Genetic Algorithms to approximate the optimal resource alolocation and obtain optimal trade-offs between different project goals. This analysis uses the cost of exceeding the daily resource availability, the cost from the day-by-day resource movement in and out of the site and the cost for using resources day-by-day, to form the objective cost function. The model is applied in different case studies: 1 project consisting of 10 activities, 4 repetitive projects consisting of 40 activities in total and 16 repetitive projects consisting of 160 activities in total, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithm in different-size solution spaces and under alternative optimization criteria by examining the quality of the solution and the required computational time. The case studies 2 & 3 have been developed by building upon the recurrence of the unit/sub-project (10 activities), meaning that the initial problem is multiplied four and sixteen times respectively. The evaluation results indicate that the proposed model can efficiently provide reliable solutions with respect to the individual goals assigned in every case study regardless of the project scale.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
• /
• 2015.05a
• /
• pp.132-133
• /
• 2015

Efficient scheduling and resource management are the key factor to reduce construction project budget (e.g., labor cost, equipment cost, material cost, etc.). Resource-based line of balance (LOB) technique has been used to complement the limitations of time-driven scheduling techniques (e.g., critical-path method). Optimizing construction alternatives contributes cost savings while honoring the project deadline. However, existing LOB scheduling is lack of identifying optimal resource combination. This study presents a method which identifies the optimal construction alternatives, hence achieving resource minimization in a repetitive construction by using genetic algorithm (GA). The method provides efficient planning tool that enhances the usability of the system.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.360-371
• /
• 2013

Fast delivery of construction projects provides more value to project owners. Batch production, which is production not in single pieces, but in batches, is a common approach in repetitive construction projects such as multi-unit residential building construction projects. In batch production, the use of a small batch size allows the early start of subsequent activities, and thus can lead to early completion of projects. In addition to batch size, balance between productivities in construction activities can affect project duration. However, the impact of the balance between productivities with regard to their order on project duration has not been studied. The main goal of this study is to test a hypothesis, which is that the order of construction activities' unbalanced productivities affects the amount of time reduction that can be achieved by using a small batch size. A computer-based simulation model was developed, and five different cases were simulated to test the hypothesis. The conclusion of the simulation result is that the order of productivities does not affect the time reduction achieved by using a small batch size. It is expected that the findings of this study can help general contractors make decisions in terms of batch size.