Dynamic Optimization of the Multi-Skilled Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem with Uncertainty in Resource Availability

Min Wang, Guoshan Liu and Xinyu Lin ()
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Min Wang: College of Business Administration, Fujian Jiangxia University, Fuzhou 350108, China
Guoshan Liu: Business School, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
Xinyu Lin: Business School, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China

Mathematics, 2022, vol. 10, issue 17, 1-20

Abstract: Multi-skilled resources have brought more flexibility to resource scheduling and have been a key factor in the research of resource-constrained project scheduling problems. However, existing studies are mainly limited to deterministic problems and neglect some uncertainties such as resource breakdowns, while resource availability may change over time due to unexpected risks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this paper focuses on the multi-skilled project scheduling problem with uncertainty in resource availability. Different from previous assumptions, multi-skilled resources are allowed a switch in their skills, which we call dynamic skill assignment. For this complex problem, a nested dynamic scheduling algorithm called GA-PR is proposed, which includes three new priority rules to improve the solving efficiency. Moreover, the algorithm’s effectiveness is verified by an example, and the modified Project Scheduling Problem Library (PSPLIB) is used for numerical experimental analysis. Numerical experiments show that when the uncertainty in resource availability is considered, the more skills the resource has and the more resources are supplied, the better the dynamic scheduling method performs; on the other hand, the higher the probability of resource unavailability and the more skills are required, the worse the dynamic scheduling method performs.The results are helpful for improved decision making.

Keywords: project scheduling; uncertainty in resource availability; multi-skilled resource; dynamic skill assignment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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