Synchronized Optimization of Various Management-Function Schedules in a Multiproject Environment: Case Study of Planning Steel Girder Fabrication Projects in Bridge Construction
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 146, Issue 5
Abstract
Structural steel prefabrication is a generally accepted practice in the construction industry conducive to better control of project duration and cost, higher productivity and efficiency, and enhanced quality and safety performance. This study initiated with an investigation of the current practice of major structural steel fabricators in Alberta, where skilled trades rather than fully automated equipment remain the critical resources in production planning and scheduling. How to synchronize the schedules of concurrent projects at different levels to optimize the allocation of fabrication resources (particularly skilled laborers) is identified as a matter of pressing concern in the industry. In collaboration with an industry partner in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, we (1) developed a unified work breakdown structure (WBS) based on project management functions such as bidding, production planning, estimating, and scheduling; (2) synchronized schedules for various management functions by implementing a dual-level multiproject optimization scheduling framework; and (3) developed a multiproject scheduling tool to implement the research in practice. A case study of the fabrication of steel girders for three bridges investigates the benefits of the proposed scheduling approach to the fabrication process, which include improved alignment between shop operation progress, individual project objectives, and overall program goals.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data generated or analyzed during the study are included in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The research was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Supreme Group through a Collaborative Research and Development grant. The authors would particularly like to acknowledge Paul Zubic, Kevin Guile, Todd Collister, Jack Wiwad, Spencer Allen, and Chris Ritcey at the Supreme Group for providing inputs to the problem definition and facilitating validation of this research.
References
AACE (Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International). 2010. Schedule levels of detail—As applied in engineering, procurement, and construction. Morgantown, WV: AACE.
Can, A., and G. Ulusoy. 2014. “Multi-project scheduling with two-stage decomposition.” Ann. Oper. Res. 217 (1): 95–116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-014-1555-0.
CII (Construction Industry Institute). 2004. Project control for construction. Austin, TX: CII.
Elonen, S., and K. A. Artto. 2003. “Problems in managing internal development projects in multi-project environments.” Int. J. Project Manage. 21 (6): 395–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0263-7863(02)00097-2.
Flyvbjerg, B. 2014. “What you should know about megaprojects and why: An overview.” Project Manage. J. 45 (2): 6–19. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.21409.
Hamzeh, F., G. Ballard, and I. D. Tommelein. 2012. “Rethinking lookahead planning to optimize construction workflow.” Lean Constr. J 2012 (Jan): 15–34.
Hamzeh, F. R., G., Ballard, and I. D. Tommelein. 2008. “Improving construction workflow—The connective role of lookahead planning.” In Proc., 16th Annual Conf. of the Int. Group for Lean Construction, 635–646. Berkeley, CA: SIR Ranking of United States.
Han, S. H., D. Y. Kim, and H. Kim. 2007. “Predicting profit performance for selecting candidate international construction projects.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage. 133 (6): 425–436. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2007)133:6(425).
Harris, R., and P. Ioannou. 1998. “Scheduling projects with repeating activities.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage. 124 (4): 269–278. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(1998)124:4(269).
Krause, S. 2015. Steel bridge design handbook: Steel bridge fabrication. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration.
Laslo, Z., and A. I. Goldberg. 2008. “Resource allocation under uncertainty in a multi-project matrix environment: Is organizational conflict inevitable?” Int. J. Project Manage. 26 (8): 773–788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2007.10.003.
Liu, J., and M. Lu. 2018a. “Constraint programming approach to optimizing project schedules under materials logistics and crew availability constraints.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage. 144 (7): 04018049. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001507.
Liu, J., and M. Lu. 2018b. “Robust dual-level optimization framework for resource-constrained multi-project scheduling.” J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 33 (2): 04018067. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000816.
Liu, S.-S., and C.-J. Wang. 2012. “Optimizing linear project scheduling with multi-skilled crews.” Autom. Constr. 24 (Jul): 16–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2011.12.009.
Lu, M., and H. Li. 2003. “Resource-activity critical-path method for construction planning.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage. 129 (4): 412–420. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2003)129:4(412).
Menesi, W., and T. Hegazy. 2014. “Multimode resource-constrained scheduling and leveling for practical-size projects.” J. Manage. Eng. 31 (6): 04014092. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000338.
Payne, J. H. 1995. “Management of multiple simultaneous projects: A state-of-the-art review.” Int. J. Project Manage. 13 (3): 163–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/0263-7863(94)00019-9.
Platje, A., H. Seidel, and S. Wadman. 1994. “Project and portfolio planning cycle: Project-based management for the multiproject challenge.” Int. J. Project Manage. 12 (2): 100–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/0263-7863(94)90016-7.
Shokri, S., S. Ahn, S. Lee, C. Haas, and R. Haas. 2015. “Current status of interface management in construction: Drivers and effects of systematic interface management.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage. 142 (2): 04015070. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001035.
Siu, M.-F. F., M. Lu, and S. AbouRizk. 2015. “Resource supply-demand matching scheduling approach for construction workface planning.” J. Constr. Eng. Man. 142 (1): 04015048. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001027.
Song, L., and S. M. AbouRizk. 2006. “Virtual shop model for experimental planning of steel fabrication projects.” J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 20 (5): 308–316. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0887-3801(2006)20:5(308).
Speranza, M. G., and C. Vercellis. 1993. “Hierarchical models for multi-project planning and scheduling.” Eur. J. Oper. Res. 64 (2): 312–325. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-2217(93)90185-P.
Wideman, R. M. 2004. A management framework: For project, program and portfolio integration. Victoria, BC, Canada: Trafford Publishing.
Yaghootkar, K., and N. Gil. 2012. “The effects of schedule-driven project management in multi-project environments.” Int. J. Project Manage. 30 (1): 127–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2011.02.005.
Yang, K.-K., and C.-C. Sum. 1993. “A comparison of resource allocation and activity scheduling rules in a dynamic multi-project environment.” J. Oper. Manage. 11 (2): 207–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-6963(93)90023-I.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 146 • Issue 5 • May 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 29, 2019
Accepted: Oct 14, 2019
Published online: Feb 27, 2020
Published in print: May 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Jul 27, 2020
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.