Resource-Activity Critical-Path Method for Construction Planning
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 129, Issue 4
Abstract
In this paper, a practical method is developed in an attempt to address the fundamental matters and limitations of existing methods for critical-path method (CPM) based resource scheduling, which are identified by reviewing the prior research in resource-constrained CPM scheduling and repetitive scheduling. The proposed method is called the resource-activity critical-path method (RACPM), in which (1) the dimension of resource in addition to activity and time is highlighted in project scheduling to seamlessly synchronize activity planning and resource planning; (2) the start/finish times and the floats are defined as resource-activity attributes based on the resource-technology combined precedence relationships; and (3) the “resource critical” issue that has long baffled the construction industry is clarified. The RACPM is applied to an example problem taken from the literature for illustrating the algorithm and comparing it with the existing method. A sample application of the proposed RACPM for planning a footbridge construction project is also given to demonstrate that practitioners can readily interpret and utilize a RACPM schedule by relating the RACPM to the classic CPM. The RACPM provides schedulers with a convenient vehicle for seamlessly integrating the technology/process perspective with the resource use perspective in construction planning. The effect on the project duration and activity floats of varied resource availability can be studied through running RACPM on different scenarios of resources. This potentially leads to an integrated scheduling and cost estimating process that will produce realistic schedules, estimates, and control budgets for construction.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Abeyasinghe, M. C., Greenwood, D. J., and Johansen, D. E.(2001). “An efficient method for scheduling construction projects with resource constraints.” Int. J. Proj. Manage., 19(1), 29–45.
Ahuja, H., Dozzi, S. P., and AbouRizk, S. M. (1994). Project management techniques in planning and controlling construction projects, 2nd Ed., Wiley, New York.
Callahan, M. T., Quackenbush, D. G., and Rowings, J. E. (1992). Construction project scheduling, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Chan, W. T., Chua, D. K. H., and Kannan, G.(1996). “Construction resource scheduling with genetic algorithms.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 122(2), 125–132.
Demeulemeester, E., and Herroelen, W.(1997). “New benchmark results for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem.” Manage. Sci., 43, 1485–1492.
El-Rayes, K., and Moselhi, O.(1997). “Optimized scheduling for highway construction.” AACE Int. Trans., 3, 1–4.
El-Rayes, K., and Moselhi, O.(2001). “Optimizing resource utilization for repetitive construction projects.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 127(1), 18–27.
Fondahl, J. W. (1961). “A non-computer approach to the critical path method for the construction industry.” Tech. Rep. No. 9, Construction Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.
Fondahl, J. W.(1991). “The development of the construction engineer: past progress and future problems.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 117(3), 380–392.
Halpin, D., and Riggs, L. (1992). Planning and analysis of construction operations, Wiley, New York.
Halpin, D., and Woodhead, R. (1998). Construction management, 2nd Ed., Wiley, New York.
Hegazy, T.(1999). “Optimization of resource allocation and leveling using genetic algorithm.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 125(3), 167–175.
Hegazy, T., and Wasset, N.(2001). “Cost optimization in projects with repetitive nonserial activities.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 127(3), 183–191.
Lee, Y., and Gatton, T. M.(1994). “Construction scheduling based on resource constraints.” AACE Trans., 3, 1–6.
Leu, S., Chen, A., and Yang, C.(1999). “Fuzzy optimal model for resource-constrained construction scheduling.” J. Comput. Civ. Eng., 13(3), 207–216.
Leu, S., and Yang, C.(1999). “GA-based multicriteria optimal model for construction scheduling.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 125(6), 420–427.
Nudtasomboon, N., and Randhawa, S.(1996). “Resource-constrained project scheduling with renewable and non-renewable resources and time-resources tradeoffs.” Comp. Ind. Eng., 32(1), 227–242.
Oberlender, G. D. (2000). Project management for engineering and construction, 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.
Senouci, A. B., and Adeli, H.(2001). “Resource scheduling using neural dynamics model of Adeli and Park.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 127(1), 28–34.
Sung, C. S., and Lim, S. K.(1996). “A scheduling procedure for a general class of resource-constrained projects.” Comp. Ind. Eng., 12(1), 227–242.
Thabet, W. Y., and Beliveau, Y. J.(1997). “SCaRC: space-constrained resource-constrained scheduling system.” J. Comput. Civ. Eng., 11(1), 48–59.
Waugh, L. M., and Froese, T. M. (1990). “Constraint knowledge for construction scheduling.” IEE Conf. Publ., Institute of Electrical Engineers, London, 114–118.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 129 • Issue 4 • August 2003
Pages: 412 - 420
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 14, 2001
Accepted: May 21, 2002
Published online: Jul 15, 2003
Published in print: Aug 2003
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.