Construction Planning Method Using Case-Based Reasoning (CONPLA-CBR)

Abstract

During the construction process, there occur many unexpected events that hinder timely completion of a project. One plausible solution in formulating a robust plan against such uncertainties is to provide the proper construction duration by utilizing as-built schedules in which past events are stored for similar future projects. Many schedulers thus develop schedules based on similar past schedules, taking into consideration the dynamic construction environment. As a result, construction schedulers normally refer to similar past schedules for their current projects. Few studies on the reuse of past schedules using case-based reasoning (CBR) have been conducted, and those that are available are limited to specific areas of construction such as apartment-building construction and boiler manufacturing. This research has an emphasis on developing a CBR-based general planning tool with higher applicability, which consists of generic attributes with the capability to be customized to the given project. To address this issue, construction planning by CBR (CONPLA-CBR) is presented as a generic planning tool for various types of construction projects. CONPLA-CBR, with the dynamic case approach and construction schedule data mart, also developed in this research, helps schedulers to utilize past schedules. CONPLA-CBR was not only verified to be of practical utility by experts, but also, because it uses past cases to which the successor relationships pertain, it does not require users to input all relationships. Whereas the proposed CONPLA-CBR generates master schedules at the preconstruction stage, its concept can also be applied to the construction stages to generate more detailed, for example, weekly or monthly, schedules. Thereby, CONPLA-CBR would enhance construction performance through the increased application of CBR in construction.