Visual Workload Leveling and Zoning Using Work Density Method for Construction Process Planning

Abstract

A method for construction process planning is presented together with a visualization and computing support tool named ViWoLZo-2. The method is based on the work density construct that depicts the time a trade contractor (trade) needs to complete a certain scope of work, location by location. The method helps planners explore alternative process durations by allowing them to divide the work space into zones to increase concurrency in their plan and smooth the workflow. ViWoLZo-2 can be configured for any site plan and process step sequence. The program computes work density, which is then used for workload leveling and zoning, and depicts metrics to gauge the quality of the plan. Although work density data may not yet be readily available, they can be collected and used in ViWoLZo-2 to support a planner’s what-if analyses and replace more subjective approaches for creating plan concurrency. The paper concludes with recommendations for tool enhancements and suggestions for follow-on research. The contribution to knowledge is the design and implementation of a novel tool for construction process planning. When planning construction processes, teams need to decide who will do what work, where, and in how much time. Rather than having them use intuition without a formal rationale or data, the novel ViWoLZo-2 tool presented here provides them with a procedural, data-driven approach to decide. ViWoLZo-2 uses the concept of work density that depicts the time a trade needs to complete a certain scope of work in a given area. Using the tool’s visualizations and metrics, planners can reduce workload variability and increase concurrency in their plan to ensure it will meet schedule milestone dates. They can explore alternatives and make informed decisions on trades to include in a process, on sizing of crews, on delimiting zones where trades will work, and on the time trades will get to complete their work within a zone. The tool can be configured to any work area, process, and type of work. It can handle repetitive work but is equally helpful when repetition of work is not easily recognizable. ViWoLZo-2 supports planning methods (such as takt planning) that aim to achieve plan reliability.