Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Competitive Heuristic Solution Technique for Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling

  • Published:
Annals of Operations Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this work a new heuristic solution technique for the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP) is proposed. This technique is a hybrid multi-pass method that combines random sampling procedures with a backward–forward method. The impact of each component of the algorithm is evaluated through a step-wise computational analysis which in addition permits the value of their parameters to be specified. Furthermore, the performance of the new technique is evaluated against the best currently available heuristics using a well known set of instances. The results obtained point out that the new technique greatly outperforms both the heuristics and metaheuristics currently available for the RCPSP being thus competitive with the best heuristic solution techniques for this problem.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. R. Álvarez-Valdés and J.M. Tamarit, Heuristic algorithms for a resource-constrained project scheduling: A review and an empirical analysis, in: Advances in Project Scheduling, eds. R. Slowinski and J. W¸eglarz (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1989) pp. 113–134.

    Google Scholar 

  2. T. Baar, P. Brucker and S. Knust, Tabu-search algorithms for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem, Technical Report, Universität Osnabrück (1997).

  3. C.E. Bell and J. Han, A new heuristic solution method in resource-constrained project scheduling, Naval Research Logistics 38 (1991) 315–331.

    Google Scholar 

  4. J. Blazewicz, J. Lenstra and A.H.G. Rinnooy Kan, Scheduling subject to resource constraints: classification and complexity, Discrete Applied Mathematics 5 (1983) 11–24.

    Google Scholar 

  5. F.F. Boctor, Some efficient multi-heuristic procedures for resource-constrained project scheduling, European Journal of Operational Research 49 (1990) 3–13.

    Google Scholar 

  6. K. Bouleimen and H. Lecocq, A new efficient simulated annealing algorithm for the resourceconstrained project scheduling problem, Technical Report, Service de Robotique et Automatisation, Université de Liège (1998).

  7. E.H. Bowman, The schedule-sequencing problem, Operations Research 7 (1959) 621–624.

    Google Scholar 

  8. P. Brucker and S. Knust, A linear programming and constraint propagation-based lower bound for the RCPSP, European Journal of Operational Research (2000) to appear.

  9. J.A. Carruthers and A. Battersby, Advances in critical path methods, Operational Research Quarterly 17 (1966) 359–380.

    Google Scholar 

  10. D.F. Cooper, Heuristics for scheduling resource-constrained projects: An experimental investigation, Management Science 22 (1976) 1186–1194.

    Google Scholar 

  11. N. Christofides, R. Álvarez-Valdés and J.M. Tamarit, Project scheduling with resource constraints: A branch and bound approach, European Journal of Operational Research 29 (1987) 262–273.

    Google Scholar 

  12. E. Davies, An experimental investigation of resource allocation in multiactivity projects, Operational Research Quarterly 24 (1973) 587–591.

    Google Scholar 

  13. E. Davis and G. Heidorn, An algorithm for optimal project scheduling under multiple resource constraints, Management Science 17 (1971) 803–816.

    Google Scholar 

  14. E. Davis and J. Patterson, A comparison of heuristic and optimum solutions in resource-constrained project scheduling, Management Science 21 (1975) 944–955.

    Google Scholar 

  15. E. Demeulemeester and W. Herroelen, A branch-and-bound procedure for the multiple resourceconstrained project scheduling problem, Management Science 38 (1992) 1803–1818.

    Google Scholar 

  16. A. Drexl, Scheduling of project networks by job assignment, Management Science 37(12) (1991) 1590–1602.

    Google Scholar 

  17. S. Hartmann, A competitive genetic algorithm for resource-constrained project scheduling, Naval Research Logistics 45 (1998) 733–750.

    Google Scholar 

  18. N. Hastings, On resource allocation in project networks, Operational Research Quarterly 23 (1972) 217–221.

    Google Scholar 

  19. R. Heilmann and C. Schwindt, Lower bounds for RCPSP/max, Report WIOR-511, Universitaet Karlsruhe (1997).

  20. W. Herroelen, B. De Reyck and E. Demeulemeester, Resource-constrained project scheduling: A survey of recent developments, Computers and Operations Research 25(4) (1998) 279–302.

    Google Scholar 

  21. O. Icmeli, S. Erenguc and J. Zappe, Project scheduling problems: A survey, International Journal of Operations and Production Management 13(11) (1993) 80–91

    Google Scholar 

  22. J. Kelley, The critical-path method: Resources planning and scheduling, in: Industrial Scheduling, eds. J.F. Muth and G.L. Thompson (Prentice-Hall, 1963) pp. 347-365.

  23. R. Klein and A. Scholl, Computing lower bounds by destructive improvement: An application to resource-constrained project scheduling, European Journal of Operational Research 112 (1999) 322–346.

    Google Scholar 

  24. R. Kolisch and A. Drexl, Adaptive search for solving hard project scheduling problems, Naval Research Logistics 43 (1996) 23–40.

    Google Scholar 

  25. R. Kolisch and A. Sprecher, PSPLIB-A project scheduling problem library, European Journal of Operational Research 96 (1996) 205–216.

    Google Scholar 

  26. R. Kolisch and S. Hartmann, Heuristic algorithms for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem: classification and computational analysis, in: Project Scheduling RecentModels, Algorithms and Applications, ed. J. W¸eglarz (Kluwer Academic, 1998) pp. 147-178.

  27. R. Kolisch, Serial and parallel resource-constrained project scheduling methods revisited: Theory and computation, European Journal of Operational Research 90 (1996) 320–333.

    Google Scholar 

  28. R. Kolisch, Efficient priority rules for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem, Journal of Operations Management 14(3) (1996) 179–192.

    Google Scholar 

  29. V. Leon and B. Ramamoorthy, Strength and adaptability of problem-space based neighborhoods for resource-constrained scheduling, OR Spektrum 17(2-3) (1995) 173–182.

    Google Scholar 

  30. K. Li and R. Willis, An iterative scheduling technique for resource-constrained project scheduling, European Journal of Operational Research 56 (1992) 370–379.

    Google Scholar 

  31. A. Lova, C. Maroto and P. Tormos, A multicriteria heuristic method to improve resource allocation in multiproject scheduling, European Journal of Operational Research 127(2) (2000) 408–424.

    Google Scholar 

  32. A. Mingozzi, V. Maniezzo, S. Ricciardelli and L. Bianco, An exact algorithm for project scheduling with resource constraints based on a new mathematical formulation, Management Science 44(5) (1998) 714–729.

    Google Scholar 

  33. L. Özdamar and G. Ulusoy, A local constraint based analysis approach to project scheduling under general resource constraints, European Journal of Operational Research 79 (1994) 287–298.

    Google Scholar 

  34. L. Özdamar and G. Ulusoy, A survey on the resource-constrained project scheduling problem, IIE Transactions 27 (1995) 574–586.

    Google Scholar 

  35. L. Özdamar and G. Ulusoy, A note on an iterative forward/backward scheduling technique with reference to a procedure by Li and Willis, European Journal of Operational Research 89 (1996) 400–407.

    Google Scholar 

  36. J. Patterson and W. Huber, A horizon-variying zero-one approach to project scheduling, Management Science 20 (1974) 990–998.

    Google Scholar 

  37. J. Patterson, Alternative methods of project scheduling with limited resources, Naval Research Logistic Quarterly 20 (1973) 767–784.

    Google Scholar 

  38. A. Pritsker, L. Watters and P. Wolfe, Multiproject scheduling with limited resources: a zero-one programming approach, Management Science 16 (1969) 93–107.

    Google Scholar 

  39. A. Schirmer and S. Riesenberg, Parameterized heuristics for project scheduling-Biased random sampling methods, Technical Report 456, Institute für Betriebswirtschaftslehre der Universität Kiel (1997).

  40. A. Schirmer, Case-based reasoning and improved adaptive search for project scheduling, Technical Report 472, Institute für Betriebswirtschaftslehre der Universität Kiel (1998).

  41. L. Schrage, Solving resource-constrained network problems by implicit enumeration-Nonpreemtive case, Operations Research 18 (1970) 263–278.

    Google Scholar 

  42. L. Shaffer, J. Ritter and W. Meyer, The Critical Path Method (McGraw-Hill, 1965).

  43. A. Sprecher, R. Kolisch and A. Drexl, Semi-active, activie, and non-delay schedules for the resourceconstrained project scheduling problem, European Journal of Operational Research 80 (1995) 94–102.

    Google Scholar 

  44. J. Stinson, E. Davis and B. Khumawala, Multiple resource-constrained scheduling using branch and bound, AIIE Transactions 10 (1978) 252–259.

    Google Scholar 

  45. B. Talbot and J. Patterson, An efficient integer programming algorithm with network cuts for solving resource-constrained scheduling problems, Management Science 24 (1978) 1163–1174.

    Google Scholar 

  46. G. Ulusoy and L. Özdamar, A constraint-based perspective in resource constrained project scheduling, International Journal of Production Research 32(3) (1994) 693–705.

    Google Scholar 

  47. J.Wiest, A heuristic model for scheduling large projects with limited resources, Management Science 13 (1967) 369–377.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n., 46022, Valencia, Spain

    Pilar Tormos & Antonio Lova

Authors
  1. Pilar Tormos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antonio Lova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tormos, P., Lova, A. A Competitive Heuristic Solution Technique for Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling. Annals of Operations Research 102, 65–81 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010997814183

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010997814183

Search

Navigation