Critical Space Analysis

TLDR

Construction space scheduling—planning where tasks are executed on site—is under‑researched, yet dynamic site spaces and congestion reduce output and increase hazards, leaving planners to rely on intuition. The study introduces a decision‑support tool to solve the construction space scheduling problem. The tool is built on critical space analysis, which marks available space, allocates tasks, and optimizes space loading along the critical path through space‑time broking. Evaluation by construction planners indicates the tool’s immediate practical relevance, making the paper valuable to both practitioners and researchers.

Abstract

The construction space scheduling problem has received relatively little attention from researchers and practitioners. We now have sophisticated methods of planning and analyzing the sequence of tasks within the work breakdown structure through time, but the problem of planning where on site those tasks are to be executed is not well-supported especially as those spaces are dynamic as the project progresses. We know that congestion on site reduces output and generates hazards, yet construction planners presently have to rely upon experience and intuition. The research reported here presents a decision support tool for construction project planners to help them address the space scheduling problem. After a review of recent developments in construction space scheduling, the concept of critical space analysis is presented. This forms the basis of decision support tools presented for marking up available space, allocating tasks to spaces, and analyzing and optimizing space loading in relation to the critical path—what we call space-time broking. Requirements capture and evaluation reports from construction planners suggest that the tools presented here have immediate practical relevance. The paper will, therefore, be of interest to both practitioners and researchers.