1. Report #3 Scheduling in Modular Construction
By : Hossein Abaeian

2. Expert system for scheduling of vertical modular construction projects:
Applicable to residential building with reinforced concrete skeletons
- input processing of the project attributes
- Estimation of works quantities
- Generation of activities necessary for their execution
- Allocation of time to activities
- Determination of schedule

3. Terminologies & Assumptions
What’s a task?
Recurrent work performed at various location by the same team of workers
Only one task team is employed for execution of each task in the project
The domain of the system is mid-rise residential buildings and particular construction method
Operation of the system:
Input of principal project attributes(basic information)
Estimation of quantities
Basic components of the system: foundation – non modular structure – modular structure – finish works
Generation of activities
Allocation of time and resource to activities
Require labor resource <duration of activities > efficient range of crew size
Determination of the schedule ( CPM method)

4. Structure of the system:
PC+(an expert system tool)
Computer environment dBASE( data base management system)
PASCAL

5. Scheduling in a module assembly yard for building industrial plants:
Scheduling a large scale multiunit projects, using CPM applications like primavera and Microsoft project is not effective.
Realistic schedule for having an efficient construction of modules in module assembly yard:
Modules delivery deadline
Yard constraints
Be revised several times during the assembly process
Resource limitation, physical constraints

6. The structure of the system:
Data base(Microsoft access)
Simulation model( visual studio 2008)
Optimization model
Simulation-based auction protocol (SBAP) :
to solve large scale resource scheduling problems it integrates MARA(multi agent resource allocation) in a simulation environment.

7. Terminologies & Assumptions:
Lots: module assembly yard is divided into a number of areas
Bays: each lot is composed of a number of rows
1 to 5 modules can be placed in a bay (based on case study, PCL module assembly yard in Alberta).
Different Resources:
Space
Skilled crew
Transporter

8. To solve resource-constrained project scheduling problem:
Mathematical approach
Evolutionary technique(genetic algorithm)
Simulation modeling(has the potential to be combined with other methods)
Auction protocol( derived from auction theory, using greedy algorithm and ascending auction algorithm)
Operation of the system:
General parameter regarding the project is defined
Specifying the required data for each module and quantity of tasks
Running simulation model
Output of the system: the layout of the yards is saved in a Microsoft office Visio or Acrobat PDF

9. References:
Hosein Taghaddos,Ulrich Herman,Yasser Mohammad, 2014, “simulation-based multi agent approach for scheduling modular construction’’, J.Computing in Civil Engineering.
O.Shaked and A.Warzawski,1993, “ CONSCHED:Expert system for scheduling of modular construction projects”,J.Construction Engineering and Management

10. Relevant Thesis:
Calvin P. van Mulligen ,2012,Master thesis with the title of: “Improving the Efficiency, Productivity, and Cost-Effectiveness of Modular Design and Construction Processes” . University of Alberta.
Yasir Kadhim, 2008 , Master thesis with the title of : “Analysis of the Adoption and implementation of Virtual Reality Technologies for Modular Construction” , University of New Brunswick