Work package-based information modeling for resource-constrained scheduling of construction projects

As an essential problem in construction management, the resource-constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP) has been studied for decades; however, an integrated information model that fully supports the RCPSP solving process is still lacking. Though building information modeling (BIM) was proposed to meet the data requirements in the building life cycle, some scheduling and resource information are not considered in information transfers between the information model and the RCPSP mathematical model. This paper presents an integrated approach that enables fluent data flow from the information model to the RCPSP model for construction scheduling. Within this approach, a work package-based information model is proposed to capture all the required data of the RCPSP. Then, a semiautomatic method that integrates multisource data is introduced to form the proposed information model, and an adaptive data transmission method is used to support a designed multimode resource-constrained project scheduling problem (MRCPSP) model. The models and approaches are validated using the data of an actual project, demonstrating the feasibility and efficiency. This study contributes a novel integrated approach to formalizing a construction information model using a semiautomatic data integration approach, covering the information requirement and enables fluent data flow in the RCPSP solving process. Meanwhile, the work package-based information model is a successful attempt to introduce previously-gained knowledge into automatic schedule generation processes. Future work, such as extending the information model, creating new methods for RCPSP model generation, and data analytics, can bring new opportunities to apply more complex and intelligent methods in project scheduling and construction management.