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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
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Refereed Paper: | #233 |
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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.
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