Multi-objective optimization for coordinated production and transportation in prefabricated construction with on-site lifting requirements

• Published in: Computers & industrial engineering 2024-03, Vol.189, p.110017, Article 110017
• Main Authors: Yin, Jing, Huang, Ran, Sun, Hao, Cai, Shunyao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coordinated scheduling; Genetic algorithm; On-site lifting constraints; Prefabricated construction; Production and transportation
• ISSN: 0360-8352; 1879-0550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cie.2024.110017

•A multi-objective coordinated scheduling optimization model for efficient management of the production-transportation process was developed.•Real-world demands for timely lifting were considered.•An improved single-parent genetic algorithm was designed.•Case studies were conducted in practical construction buildings to validate the model's effectiveness. Despite numerous advantages, prefabricated construction is often perceived as less cost-effective compared to conventional cast-in-place construction. One of the main reasons for this perception is the lack of coordination among various distinct operations, such as production, transportation, and on-site assembly of prefabricated components. Therefore, this study proposes a multi-objective coordinated scheduling optimization model to efficiently manage the production, transportation, and on-site assembly of prefabricated components. Real-world demands for immediate lifting of prefabricated components at construction sites are translated into constraints for lifting sequence, delivery time, and transportation batch. An improved single-parent genetic algorithm, incorporating an initial population strategy and a self-adaptive approach for genetic operators, is designed to optimize three main objectives: the early/late delivery penalty cost, the flow time of production and transportation, and their weighted multi-objective. To validate the model's efficacy, case studies were conducted in practical construction buildings. The results demonstrate the model's effectiveness in efficiently coordinating scheduling of production and transportation in consideration of on-site lifting constraints in prefabricated construction, highlighting its practical applicability and potential for enhancing project efficiency and reducing costs.