Simplified Spreadsheet Solutions. II: Overall Schedule Optimization
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 127, Issue 6
Abstract
Overall schedule optimization, considering time, cost, and resource constraints is a difficult task due to the inherent complexity of projects, the difficulties associated with modeling all aspects combined, and the inability of traditional optimization tools to solve this large-size problem. In this paper, a practical approach is presented for the modeling and optimization of overall construction schedules. To simplify modeling, a spreadsheet-based model is developed to be easily usable by practitioners. The spreadsheet model integrates critical-path network scheduling with time-cost trade-off analysis, resource allocation, resource leveling, and cash flow management. The model uses the total project cost as the objective function to be minimized. To facilitate this large-size optimization, a nontraditional optimization technique, genetic algorithms, is used to locate the globally optimal solution, considering all aspects simultaneously. Details of the proposed model are described, and a hypothetical case study was used to experiment with it. Integration of the model with a simple information system is described to automate the development of optimal construction schedules.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 127 • Issue 6 • December 2001
Pages: 469 - 475
History
Received: Jan 5, 2000
Published online: Dec 1, 2001
Published in print: Dec 2001
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