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Improved critical chain buffer management framework considering resource costs and schedule stability

Author

Listed:
  • Xuejun Hu

    (Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)

  • Erik Demeulemeester

    (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)

  • Nanfang Cui

    (Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Jianjiang Wang

    (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    National University of Defense Technology)

  • Wendi Tian

    (Wuhan Textile University)

Abstract

The critical chain scheduling and buffer management (CC/BM) methodology has proven to be a favorable approach to schedule resource-constrained projects and to offer a valuable control tool for monitoring projects under uncertainty. The previous studies on CC/BM seem to have neglected the cost performance, which might render its wider applications to the modern economic activities that are mostly performed in a project way. This paper presents an improved CC/BM framework that allows additional resource allocation/reallocation to bring forward activity starting times based on cost and schedule stability criteria. In the planning phase, the decision is made concerning the regular resource availability period in order to minimize the expected resource costs. In the execution phase, a scheduled order repair method for rescheduling along with two reactive resource allocation procedures as the corrective action whenever delays are beyond a certain buffer threshold are presented and examined in order to exhibit a comprehensive project schedule/cost control system that is adaptive to the CC/BM management logic. Finally, our computational experiment demonstrates the benefits of the proposed reactive methods under different cost or availability parameters.

Suggested Citation

  • Xuejun Hu & Erik Demeulemeester & Nanfang Cui & Jianjiang Wang & Wendi Tian, 2017. "Improved critical chain buffer management framework considering resource costs and schedule stability," Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 159-183, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:flsman:v:29:y:2017:i:2:d:10.1007_s10696-016-9241-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10696-016-9241-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cui, Nanfang & Demeulemeester, Erik & Bie, Li, 2016. "Incorporation of activity sensitivity measures into buffer management to manage project schedule riskAuthor-Name: Hu, Xuejun," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 249(2), pages 717-727.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mengqi Zhao & Xiaoling Wang & Jia Yu & Lei Bi & Yao Xiao & Jun Zhang, 2020. "Optimization of Construction Duration and Schedule Robustness Based on Hybrid Grey Wolf Optimizer with Sine Cosine Algorithm," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, January.
    2. Xuejun Hu & Jianjiang Wang & Kaijun Leng, 2019. "The Interaction Between Critical Chain Sequencing, Buffer Sizing, and Reactive Actions in a CC/BM Framework," Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research (APJOR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 36(03), pages 1-22, June.
    3. Asadabadi, Mehdi Rajabi & Zwikael, Ofer, 2021. "Integrating risk into estimations of project activities' time and cost: A stratified approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 291(2), pages 482-490.

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