Abstract

This research study presents a practical object-oriented model for scheduling and control of residential housing projects. The model is designed using an Object-Oriented modeling approach and incorporates 18 classes that are designed to facilitate the scheduling and control of residential housing projects. The model also includes two newly developed algorithms for scheduling the construction work of subcontractors in repetitive housing activities and for tracking and control of housing construction. The model considers a number of practical factors commonly encountered in scheduling and control process of these type of projects. The scheduling algorithm complies with three major constraints namely, precedence relationships, availability period and crew work continuity and is applied in order to determine the start and finish date of the subcontractor in each housing unit. The tracking and control algorithm is designed to evaluate the cost and work performance of an on-going project at three levels: (1) entire project, (2) housing unit, and (3) subcontractor. The application of this algorithm facilitates the early detection of construction problems, if any, allowing timely corrective actions to be considered. The developed model is implemented as a prototype software system named 'Residential Planner'. In addition to considering various practical aspects, Residential Planner can generate a number of specialized reports to address the diverse needs of the residential development firms. Residential Planner is an effective tool for scheduling and control of housing projects, and its application can lead to savings in project time and cost.