IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ejores/v302y2022i2p688-699.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Integrated multi-project planning and scheduling - a multiagent approach

Author

Listed:
  • He, Naihui
  • Zhang, David Z.
  • Yuce, Baris

Abstract

Today’s project organisations are conducting their daily activities for multi-projects where a group of scarce resources are shared amongst several parallel projects. In addition, due to the implementation of lean and agile production, they have consumed more and more resources from external environment (i.e., non-regular resources) when performing projects. Therefore, how to effectively schedule the shared resources across projects and meanwhile optimally plan the required capacities of non-regular resources for an entire multi-project becomes a critical problem for project organisations. This paper proposes a multi-agent approach to address the resource planning and scheduling decisions of the problem in an integrated manner. In this work, a multi-project is represented as a hierarchical multi-agent system consisting of a multi-project portfolio agent (MPA), a resource agent (RA) and a set of project agents (PAs). Decisions are made by these agents through a hierarchical coordination mechanism. Basically, the decision of resource planning for a multi-project is obtained from the resource requirements proposed by projects in their scheduling decisions which are coordinated by MPA through controlling the allocation of shared resources to projects. The scheduling decision of each project is made by its PA using the model of multi-mode resource constrained project scheduling problem. A genetic algorithm and an ant colony optimisation algorithm are proposed for decision optimisations of resource planning and project scheduling, respectively. A numerical study demonstrated that the proposed approach can effectively solve the multi-project problem by producing near-optimal solutions.

Suggested Citation

  • He, Naihui & Zhang, David Z. & Yuce, Baris, 2022. "Integrated multi-project planning and scheduling - a multiagent approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 302(2), pages 688-699.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:302:y:2022:i:2:p:688-699
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2022.01.018
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221722000388
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ejor.2022.01.018?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lova, Antonio & Tormos, Pilar & Cervantes, Mariamar & Barber, Federico, 2009. "An efficient hybrid genetic algorithm for scheduling projects with resource constraints and multiple execution modes," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(2), pages 302-316, February.
    2. Gonçalves, J.F. & Mendes, J.J.M. & Resende, M.G.C., 2008. "A genetic algorithm for the resource constrained multi-project scheduling problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(3), pages 1171-1190, September.
    3. Sönke Hartmann, 2001. "Project Scheduling with Multiple Modes: A Genetic Algorithm," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 102(1), pages 111-135, February.
    4. Krüger, Doreen & Scholl, Armin, 2009. "A heuristic solution framework for the resource constrained (multi-)project scheduling problem with sequence-dependent transfer times," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 197(2), pages 492-508, September.
    5. Hartmann, Sonke & Kolisch, Rainer, 2000. "Experimental evaluation of state-of-the-art heuristics for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 127(2), pages 394-407, December.
    6. Antonio Lova & Pilar Tormos, 2001. "Analysis of Scheduling Schemes and Heuristic Rules Performance in Resource-Constrained Multiproject Scheduling," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 102(1), pages 263-286, February.
    7. Browning, Tyson R. & Yassine, Ali A., 2010. "Resource-constrained multi-project scheduling: Priority rule performance revisited," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(2), pages 212-228, August.
    8. Joanna Józefowska & Marek Mika & Rafał Różycki & Grzegorz Waligóra & Jan Węglarz, 2001. "Simulated Annealing for Multi-Mode Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 102(1), pages 137-155, February.
    9. Hartmann, Sönke & Drexl, Andreas, 1997. "Project scheduling with multiple modes: A comparison of exact algorithms," Manuskripte aus den Instituten für Betriebswirtschaftslehre der Universität Kiel 430, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre.
    10. Coelho, José & Vanhoucke, Mario, 2011. "Multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling using RCPSP and SAT solvers," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 213(1), pages 73-82, August.
    11. Brucker, Peter & Knust, Sigrid & Schoo, Arno & Thiele, Olaf, 1998. "A branch and bound algorithm for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 107(2), pages 272-288, June.
    12. J Alcaraz & C Maroto & R Ruiz, 2003. "Solving the Multi-Mode Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem with genetic algorithms," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 54(6), pages 614-626, June.
    13. Ranjbar, Mohammad & De Reyck, Bert & Kianfar, Fereydoon, 2009. "A hybrid scatter search for the discrete time/resource trade-off problem in project scheduling," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 193(1), pages 35-48, February.
    14. Giuseppe Confessore & Stefano Giordani & Silvia Rismondo, 2007. "A market-based multi-agent system model for decentralized multi-project scheduling," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 115-135, March.
    15. Hartmann, Sönke & Kolisch, R., 2000. "Experimental evaluation of state-of-the-art heuristics for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 11180, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    16. Hans, E.W. & Herroelen, W. & Leus, R. & Wullink, G., 2007. "A hierarchical approach to multi-project planning under uncertainty," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 563-577, October.
    17. Beşikci, Umut & Bilge, Ümit & Ulusoy, Gündüz, 2015. "Multi-mode resource constrained multi-project scheduling and resource portfolio problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 240(1), pages 22-31.
    18. Speranza, M. Grazia & Vercellis, Carlo, 1993. "Hierarchical models for multi-project planning and scheduling," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 312-325, January.
    19. Peteghem, Vincent Van & Vanhoucke, Mario, 2010. "A genetic algorithm for the preemptive and non-preemptive multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 201(2), pages 409-418, March.
    20. Sprecher, Arno & Drexl, Andreas, 1998. "Multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling by a simple, general and powerful sequencing algorithm," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 107(2), pages 431-450, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Geng, Zhichao & Yuan, Jinjiang, 2023. "Single-machine scheduling of multiple projects with controllable processing times," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 308(3), pages 1074-1090.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Abdollah Arasteh, 2020. "Considering Project Management Activities for Engineering Design Groups," SN Operations Research Forum, Springer, vol. 1(4), pages 1-29, December.
    2. Van Peteghem, Vincent & Vanhoucke, Mario, 2014. "An experimental investigation of metaheuristics for the multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem on new dataset instances," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 235(1), pages 62-72.
    3. Alfredo S. Ramos & Pablo A. Miranda-Gonzalez & Samuel Nucamendi-Guillén & Elias Olivares-Benitez, 2023. "A Formulation for the Stochastic Multi-Mode Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem Solved with a Multi-Start Iterated Local Search Metaheuristic," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-25, January.
    4. Peteghem, Vincent Van & Vanhoucke, Mario, 2010. "A genetic algorithm for the preemptive and non-preemptive multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 201(2), pages 409-418, March.
    5. Weglarz, Jan & Józefowska, Joanna & Mika, Marek & Waligóra, Grzegorz, 2011. "Project scheduling with finite or infinite number of activity processing modes - A survey," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 208(3), pages 177-205, February.
    6. Wuliang Peng & Jiali lin & Jingwen Zhang & Liangwei Chen, 2022. "A bi-objective hierarchical program scheduling problem and its solution based on NSGA-III," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 308(1), pages 389-414, January.
    7. Bredael, Dries & Vanhoucke, Mario, 2023. "Multi-project scheduling: A benchmark analysis of metaheuristic algorithms on various optimisation criteria and due dates," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 308(1), pages 54-75.
    8. Hartmann, Sönke & Briskorn, Dirk, 2010. "A survey of variants and extensions of the resource-constrained project scheduling problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 207(1), pages 1-14, November.
    9. Luis F. Machado-Domínguez & Carlos D. Paternina-Arboleda & Jorge I. Vélez & Agustin Barrios-Sarmiento, 2021. "A memetic algorithm to address the multi-node resource-constrained project scheduling problem," Journal of Scheduling, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 413-429, August.
    10. V. Van Peteghem & M. Vanhoucke, 2008. "A Genetic Algorithm for the Multi-Mode Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 08/494, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    11. Coelho, José & Vanhoucke, Mario, 2011. "Multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling using RCPSP and SAT solvers," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 213(1), pages 73-82, August.
    12. Nima Zoraghi & Aria Shahsavar & Babak Abbasi & Vincent Peteghem, 2017. "Multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem with material ordering under bonus–penalty policies," TOP: An Official Journal of the Spanish Society of Statistics and Operations Research, Springer;Sociedad de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, vol. 25(1), pages 49-79, April.
    13. Anıl Can & Gündüz Ulusoy, 2014. "Multi-project scheduling with two-stage decomposition," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 217(1), pages 95-116, June.
    14. Gómez Sánchez, Mariam & Lalla-Ruiz, Eduardo & Fernández Gil, Alejandro & Castro, Carlos & Voß, Stefan, 2023. "Resource-constrained multi-project scheduling problem: A survey," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 309(3), pages 958-976.
    15. Ben Issa, Samer & Patterson, Raymond A. & Tu, Yiliu, 2021. "Solving resource-constrained multi-project environment under different activity assumptions," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    16. Ramírez Palencia, Alberto E. & Mejía Delgadillo, Gonzalo E., 2012. "A computer application for a bus body assembly line using Genetic Algorithms," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(1), pages 431-438.
    17. Rob Eynde & Mario Vanhoucke, 2020. "Resource-constrained multi-project scheduling: benchmark datasets and decoupled scheduling," Journal of Scheduling, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 301-325, June.
    18. Browning, Tyson R. & Yassine, Ali A., 2010. "Resource-constrained multi-project scheduling: Priority rule performance revisited," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(2), pages 212-228, August.
    19. Drexl, Andreas & Nikulin, Yuri, 2005. "Multicriteria time window-constrained project scheduling with applications to airport gate assignment. Part I: Methodology," Manuskripte aus den Instituten für Betriebswirtschaftslehre der Universität Kiel 595, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre.
    20. Buddhakulsomsiri, Jirachai & Kim, David S., 2006. "Properties of multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problems with resource vacations and activity splitting," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(1), pages 279-295, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:302:y:2022:i:2:p:688-699. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eor .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.