Dynamic site layout planning

Abstract

Site layout planning is the task of determining the overall optimum location of site objects such as temporary facilities, storage areas, and workshops on the construction site. To reflect changes in space requirements over time, existing models divide the project duration into consecutive time intervals and generate an optimum layout for each. Hmvever, combining individually optimized layouts does not guarantee an overall globaJ optimum layout. This research presents an innovative dynamic model which is able to generate layouts that are optimized globally over the duration of the project. The model applies energy principles governing a physical system to search for the optimum location of objects. This methodology allows objects with higher impact on the layout to get positioned in more desired locations regardless of the time they enter the site. In addition, objects occupy space for the actual duration that they are required, and accordingly, the saine space can be reused for objects in different periods of time.