Resource constrained step scheduling of project tasks

Date
2008-03
Authors
Eygelaar, Anton Burger
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The logical scheduling of activities in an engineering project currently relies heavily on the experience and intuition of the persons responsible for the schedule. In large projects the complexity of the schedule far exceeds the capacity of human intuition, and systematic techniques are required to compute a consistent sequence of activities. In this study a simple model of the engineering process is described. Based on certain specified relationships between components of the model, a consistent sequence of activities is determined in the form of a logical step schedule. The problem of resource constraints receives special attention. Engineering projects are often executed with limited resources and determining the impact of such restrictions on the logical step schedule is important. This study investigates activityshifting strategies to find a near-optimal sequence of activities that guarantees consistent evolution of deliverables while resolving resource conflicts within the context of logical step schedules.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die logiese skedulering van aktiwiteite in ‘n ingenieursprojek steun swaar op die ondervinding en intuisie van die persone wat verantwoordelik is vir die skedule. In groot projekte is die kompleksiteit van die skedule veel hoër as die kapasiteit van die menslike intuisie, en sistematiese tegnieke word benodig om ‘n konsekwente volgorde van aktiwiteite te bereken. In hierdie studie word ‘n eenvoudige model van die ingenieursproses beskryf. Gebasseer op sommige relasies tussen komponente van die model, kan ‘n konsekwente volgorde van aktiwiteite bepaal word in die vorm van ‘n logiese stap-skedule. Die probleem van beperkte hulpbronne ontvang spesiale aandag. Ingenieursprojekte word dikwels uitgevoer met beperkte hulpbronne en dit is belangrik om die impak daarvan op die logiese stap-skedule te bepaal. Die studie ondersoek die gebruik van aktiwiteit-skuiwende strategieë om ‘n nabyoptimale volgorde van aktiwiteite te vind wat konsekwente ontwikkeling van die projekprodukte waarborg, terwyl hulpbron konflikte opgelos word binne die konteks van ‘n logiese stap-skedule.
Description
Thesis (MScEng (Civil Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008.
Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Civil Engineering at the University of Stellenbosch.
Keywords
Civil engineering, Step scheduling, Process models, Dissertations -- Civil engineering, Theses -- Civil engineering, Production planning, Process design, Construction projects
Citation