Project Scheduling Problem with Resource Constraints and Interruption of Activities Using Bees Algorithm

Project scheduling problem with resource constraints is a wellknown problem in the field of project management. The applicability of this problem created a tendency for researchers towards it. In this study, project scheduling with resource constraints and the possibility of interruption of project activities has been considered, and renewable resource constraint has been also applied; in addition, a case study on construction projects has been also presented. Construction projects involve complex levels of work. Making wrong decisions in selecting methods and in allocating the necessary resources, such as manpower and equipment, can lead to the results such as increasing the predetermined cost and time. According to NP-Hard nature of the problem, it is very difficult or even impossible to obtain optimal solution using optimization software and traditional methods. In CPM project scheduling method, critical path is widely used in order to schedule the problem; however, in this method, the resource constraints are not considered. Project Scheduling seeks proper sequence to perform the project activities. This study has been conducted using Bees meta-heuristic algorithm, with the aim of optimizing the project completion time. Finally, the results obtained from three algorithms and GAMS software reflect that this algorithm outperforms the others, provides the best solution, and is able to reach the exact solution.