An enumeration method for project scheduling

Abstract

This thesis considers a scheduling problem that has precedence constraints of a general form as in CPM/Pert problems. It consists of two stages: First, the schedule of activities which minimizes total resource usage (optimum schedule) is generated. For this purpose, an exhaustive enumeration procedure is developed. Second, for this schedule, optimum resource requirements and overtime schedule that minimizes the total of regular and overtime work along with hiring and firing costs are determined. To accomplish this, another exhaustive enumeration technique is used to find the set of jobs that uses overtime. Following are obtained: * Total resources used (with and without overtime) for each unit of time in the project, * Set of activities using overtime, * Total cost in case of regular work, * Minimum cost in case of overtime work.