Project Schedule Expediting under Structural and Parametric Uncertainty

Abstract

Abstract Project expediting is an important tool, which helps to prevent risks of losses following the project schedule tardiness. We developed an algorithm of iterative crashing (AIC), which not only involved traditional time/cost/resource parameters but also accounted for the structure of a project schedule, the number of critical paths (CP), their probabilities, and the probability of activities. Two auxiliary indexes were constructed to select the critical activity and control the process of schedule expediting. AIC was tested on five previously optimized benchmark schedules. Multiplying CPs and leveling their probabilities can reduce bias up to 23% and are capable of improving these benchmarks schedules by at least 6%.