Resource-constrained scheduling in the engineering-planning phase of Civil Engineering Projects
Date
2015-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Project planning and project scheduling have been the subject of scientific
research for many years. Yet it is still common to hear of projects that wildly
exceeded their budget and time estimations. Research indicates that large
discrepancies still exist between project management theory and project management
practice. It seems that the theories and techniques developed by
academia have struggled to find their way into project management practice.
There is a desperate need for industry specific research that can help bridge
the gap between project scheduling theory and project scheduling in practice.
In very few industries are project escalations as commonplace and severe
as in the civil engineering sector. Civil engineering projects that exceed their
deadline and/or budget estimations seem to be the norm rather than the exception.
This dissertation therefore focussed on project scheduling in the civil engineering
context. One specific phase of the engineering process received focus,
namely the engineering-planning phase. The scheduling requirements of the
engineering-planning phase were investigated, and the attributes of high quality
baseline schedules defined. The dissertation took a critical look at whether
the scheduling techniques used in practice, or the scheduling techniques proposed
by academia can fulfil the rigorous demands of the engineering-phase.
It became evident that both of these spheres fall short in this regard.
Scheduling techniques used in practice are not optimised, and they ignore
some of the most important project constraints. Academic scheduling techniques
are not geared for projects of practical size, and the resulting schedules
often lack resource-constrained critical paths. Neither of the two spheres pay much attention to the uncertainties that is inherent to the engineering-planning
phase.
A scheduling framework is introduced that aims to address these shortcomings.
Two specific aspects required original work. Meta-heuristic scheduling
techniques had to be adapted for projects of practical size, and slack centric
resource allocation algorithms had to be developed. The relationship between
the input parameters of meta-heuristics and project complexity is investigated,
and a new slack maximisation resource allocation algorithm is presented.
This dissertation therefore not only provides new insights into the scheduling
requirements of the engineering-planning phase, but it also offers project
managers with new tools and techniques to generate high quality baseline
schedules.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
Keywords
Resource allocation, Resource-constrained scheduling, Civil engineering projects -- Planning, Process modelling, UCTD