Modelling activity dependencies for building construction project scheduling

Activity dependencies are used to represent an important part of the logic of a construction project schedule, for example, general construction strategy, the sequence of activities and their overlap. The research investigates the existence of these different dependencies within building construction project schedules. The findings form the basis for the development of a schedule preparation model with which a planner: prepares schedules using a domain specific approach; uses specific procedures to identify and create different activity dependencies; and applies tailored data structures to store characteristics of individual activity dependencies. The model is designed to exceed the capabilities of current scheduling techniques based on project networks and achieves this principally by representing the characteristics of each activity dependency class. The model is thus qualitative in its approach. A computer program was subsequently developed in order to test the feasibility of the model. Test results show that the model offers a significant improvement over conventional scheduling techniques by enabling feasible alternative schedules to be generated rapidly. Additionally, capabilities of the computer program show that the model provides a good foundation for managing the logic of schedules by the means of selective reports about activity dependencies.