Conceptual methodology for managing transportation construction projects through the use of buffering strategies

Published in: Engineering for a Smarter Planet: Innovation, ITC, and Computational Tools for Sustainable Development: Proceedings of the 9th Latin American and Caribbean Conference for Engineering and Technology
Date of Conference: August 3-5, 2011
Location of Conference: Medellin, Colombia
Authors: Eric Forcael
Vicente González
Ralph Ellis
Francisco Orozco
Refereed Paper: #233

Abstract

Uncertainty is an inherent part of production systems. In construction processes, production variability emerges as one of the most typical representation of uncertainty. Negative variability impacts in construction demands effective solutions to mitigate its effects on the accomplishment of projects. The incorporation of buffers constitutes powerful tools to resolve uncertainty problems in construction processes and to optimize the construction operations sequencing. Despite the fact that buffering strategies have been implemented in several types of construction projects, there is limited evidence of specific applications of these strategies to highway projects. Based on discrete event simulation modeling, a conceptual methodology of buffering strategies applied to transportation projects is presented.
After an exhaustive literature review, the most relevant buffers in transportation construction projects are presented, followed by conceptually modeling a typical construction process within highway projects. Through this methodology, the authors present an iterative process which allows decision-makers to properly select buffers to be considered when modeling construction processes in transportation construction projects.