Solving Multi-Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem using Ant Colony Optimization

Huang, H. H.; Huang, C. H.; Pei, W.

Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 2015, 5(1), 2-12

Solving Multi-Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem using Ant Colony Optimization

Hsiang-Hsi Huang¹, Ching-Hsu Huang², and Wen Pei³

¹Professor and Vice Dean, Department of Industrial Management, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1, Xuefu Rd., Neipu Township, Pingtung County 91201, Taiwan (R.O.C.), E-mail: hhuang@mail.npust.edu.tw (Corresponding author).

²Associate Professor, Department of Hotel and Restaurant Management, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1, Xuefu Rd., Neipu Township, Pingtung County 91201, Taiwan (R.O.C.), E-mail: chinghsu@mail.npust.edu.tw

³Associate Professor, Department of Business Administration, Chung Hua University, 707, Sec.2, WuFu Rd., Hsinchu 30012, Taiwan (R.O.C.), E-mail: wpei@chu.edu.tw

Project and Production Management

Received January 27, 2014; received revisions August 19, 2014; September 9, 2014; accepted September 19, 2014

Available online November 11, 2014

Abstract: This paper applied Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) to develop a resource constraints scheduling model to achieve the resource allocation optimization and the shortest completion time of a project under resource constraints and the activities precedence requirement for projects. Resource leveling is also discussed and has to be achieved under the resource allocation optimization in this research. Testing cases and examples adopted from the international test bank were studied for verifying the effectiveness of the proposed model. The results showed that the solutions of different cases all have a better performance within a reasonable time. These can be obtained through ACO algorithm under the same constrained conditions. A program was written for the proposed model that is able to automatically produce the project resource requirement figure after the project duration is solved.

Keywords: Multi-resource constrained project scheduling, make span, ant colony optimization, resource leveling.

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Citation: Huang, H. H., Huang, C. H., and Pei, W. (2015). Solving Multi-Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem using Ant Colony Optimization. Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 5(1), 2-12.

DOI: 10.32738/JEPPM.201501.0002

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