A Branch and Bound Approach to Solve the Preemptive Resource Leveling Problem

Abstract

We study resource constrained project scheduling problem with respect to resource leveling as objective function and allowance of preemption in activities. The branch and bound algorithms proposed in previous researches on resource leveling problem do not consider preemption. So, representing a model for the problem, a branch and bound algorithm is proposed. This algorithm can handle preemption in resource leveling problem. Comparing the resource leveling problem and the preemptive resource leveling problem, it is observed that considering preemption in the problem leads to better results in the objective function. This improvement imposes additional time to solve the problem. Coding the algorithm in MATLAB and checking it on the projects with 8 and 10 activities, results show that the proposed algorithm is efficient.

Optimizing Construction Project Labor Utilization Using Differential Evolution: A Comparative Study of Mutation Strategies

“…Thus far, the most challenging problem in project planning is to achieve an optimal project execution which results in an appropriate resource utilization with fixed duration. The resource demand should be made as smooth as possible to alleviate short-term peaks or low ebbs [2,10].…”