Automation of Multi-Tower Crane Location Optimization in Pre-Fabricated Construction Sites: An Application Programming Interface Approach
Publication: Construction Research Congress 2024
ABSTRACT
Cranes play a significant role in construction cost and time management. Tower cranes are highly used in dense urban residential construction sites due to congestion and lack of enough space for the crane’s foundation. However, optimizing the location of tower cranes in construction sites with multiple cranes and multiple trailers in an integrated application core is still a gap in the literature. This study aims to fill this gap by developing an application programming interface (API) for Navisworks, a common software in building information modeling (BIM), to facilitate practical use. The focus of this paper is on prefabricated structural elements that are planned to be lifted by tower cranes. The research utilizes VB.net language to develop the API and connects an access database containing tower cranes’ information for the optimization process. A case study is presented to validate the outcomes of the API. The results show the best locations for tower cranes and the least possible cost and time based on the database factors and each crane’s pick-point location. This application has the potential to significantly save construction budget and time.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this chapter.
REFERENCES
Amiri, R., Majrouhi Sardroud, J., and Momenaei Kermani, V. (2022). “Decision support system for tower crane location and material supply point in construction sites using an integer linear programming model”, Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 3 No. 4, pp. 1444–1462, available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-06-2021-0517.
Al Hattab, M., Zankoul, E., and Hamzeh, F. R. (2017). “Near-Real-Time Optimization of Overlapping Tower Crane Operations: A Model and Case Study”, Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, Vol. 31 No. 4, available at: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000666.
Hyun, H., Park, M., Lee, D., and Lee, J. (2021). “Tower crane location optimization for heavy unit lifting in high-rise modular construction”, Buildings, Vol. 11 No. 3, p. 121.
Ji, Y., and Leite, F. (2020). “Optimized Planning Approach for Multiple Tower Cranes and Material Supply Points Using Mixed-Integer Programming”, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, Vol. 146 No. 3, available at: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001781.
Lin, J., Fu, Y., Shou, W., Li, R., and Lai, W. (2020). “An Algorithm for Optimizing the Location and Type Selection of Attached Tower Cranes Based on Value Engineering”, ICCREM 2020: Intelligent Construction and Sustainable Buildings, pp. 106–117.
Riga, K., Jahr, K., Thielen, C., and Borrmann, A. (2020). “Mixed integer programming for dynamic tower crane and storage area optimization on construction sites”, Automation in Construction, Elsevier, Vol. 120 No. December 2020, p. 103259.
Wang, J., Zhang, X., Shou, W., Wang, X., Xu, B., Kim, M. J., and Wu, P. (2015). “A BIM-based approach for automated tower crane layout planning”, Automation in Construction, Vol. 59, No. November 2015, pp. 168–178.
Wu, K., García de Soto, B., and Zhang, F. (2020). “Spatio-temporal planning for tower cranes in construction projects with simulated annealing”, Automation in Construction, Elsevier, Vol. 111 No. March 2020, p. 103060.
Younes, A., and Marzouk, M. (2018). “Tower cranes layout planning using agent-based simulation considering activity conflicts”, Automation in Construction, Elsevier, Vol. 93 No. September 2018, pp. 348–360.
Zhang, Z., and Pan, W. (2021). “Multi-criteria decision analysis for tower crane layout planning in high-rise modular integrated construction”, Automation in Construction, Elsevier B.V., Vol. 127 No. July 2021, p. 103709.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
History
Published online: Mar 18, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Architectural engineering
- Building information modeling
- Building management
- Computer models
- Computer programming
- Computing in civil engineering
- Construction engineering
- Construction equipment
- Construction industry
- Construction management
- Construction sites
- Cranes
- Engineering fundamentals
- Equipment and machinery
- Models (by type)
- Offsite construction
- Residential construction
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.