A Discrete Method for Allocation of Float Along the Critical Path in Construction Project Schedules

本项目的研究目标是调查如何使建设项目更能适应延误，以支持实现准时绩效。当前的日程安排矛盾地产生了一系列最容易受到延误影响的活动；这是关键路径。这项研究采取了相反的立场，认为没有时间表活动应该是关键的。因此，有限时间灵活性的公平分配，称为浮动，应该与执行关键活动的个别分包商的风险成比例。探讨了几个决策领域的概念类比，作为解决这个分配问题的基础。例如，政治投票解决了如何平衡影响项目结果的分包商的权力；公平分工侧重于分配有限的有价值的资产，如浮动资金；博弈论模型解决了合作共赢的情况，即分配时间的灵活性；代理理论描述了建设项目内部等级互动中的激励。验证受这些类比启发的方法将需要对样本和真实时间表进行模拟，以比较在没有浮动和有战略分配浮动的情况下缓解延误的情况。如果成功，这项研究将通过主动保护项目免受关键延误的影响，从而减少冲突和索赔，通过以数学公平解决浮动所有权的模棱两可的问题，并通过将浮动视为一种商品来改进风险缓解。最终，这允许分包商之间的浮存金货币化和交易，这可能会激励准时业绩。教育外展活动的重点是参加市中心职业指导计划的少数族裔高中生，他们将被创建一个关于风险管理的德国风格的棋盘游戏。参加校园暑期计划的青少年将收到一本发现手册，其中包含有关项目规划的信息和活动。结果将通过行业案例研究和研讨会向专业调度员社区广泛传播。

The research objective of this project is to investigate how construction projects can be made more resilient to delays in support of achieving on-time performance. Current scheduling paradoxically generates a sequence of activities that are most vulnerable to delays; the critical path. This research takes the opposite stance, that no schedule activity should be critical. Therefore fair allocation of limited time flexibility, called float, should be proportionate to the risk of individual subcontractors who perform critical activities. Conceptual analogies from several decision-making areas are explored as building blocks toward solving this allocation problem. For example, political voting addresses how to equalize the power of subcontractors that impact project outcomes; fair division focuses on allocating limited valuable assets such as float; game theory models address cooperation for win-win scenarios of allocating time flexibility; and agency theory describes incentives in hierarchical interactions within construction projects. Validating the method inspired by these analogies will entail simulations of exemplar and real schedules to compare scenarios without versus with the strategically allocated float in terms of mitigating delays.If successful, this research will improve risk mitigation by proactively protecting projects against critical delays, thereby reducing conflicts and claims, by solving the ambiguous issue of float ownership with mathematical fairness, and by treating float as a commodity. Ultimately, this allows the monetization and trading of float among subcontractors, which could incentivize on-time performance. Educational outreach activities focus on minority high school students in an inner-city career mentoring program, for whom a German-style board game on risk management will be created. Youth participating in on-campus summer programs will receive a discovery brochure with information and activities on project planning. Results will be widely distributed via industry case studies and a seminar to the community of professional schedulers.