Case-Based Project Scheduling

This paper presents a new approach for solving the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem using Case-Based Reasoning in a constructive way. Given a project to be scheduled our method retrieves similar projects scheduled in the past, selects the most similar project, and reuses as much as possible from the old solution to build a schedule for the project at hand. The result of this process is a partial schedule that is later extended and revised to produce a complete and valid schedule by a modified version of the Serial Schedule Generation Scheme. We present experimental results showing that our approach works well under reasonable assumptions. Finally, we describe several ways to modify our algorithm in the future so as to obtain even better results.

[1]  R. Kolisch,et al.  Heuristic algorithms for solving the resource-constrained project scheduling problem: Classification and computational analysis , 1998 .

[2]  Barry Smyth,et al.  Advances in Case-Based Reasoning , 1996, Lecture Notes in Computer Science.

[3]  Edmund K. Burke,et al.  Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling IV , 2002, Lecture Notes in Computer Science.

[4]  Jan Karel Lenstra,et al.  Scheduling subject to resource constraints: classification and complexity , 1983, Discret. Appl. Math..

[5]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  Selecting and weighting features using a genetic algorithm in a case-based reasoning approach to personnel rostering , 2006, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[6]  Robert L. Goldstone,et al.  A Graph Matching Algorithm and Its Application to Conceptual System Translation , 2005, Int. J. Artif. Intell. Tools.

[7]  Steve Scott,et al.  Case-Bases Incorporating Scheduling Constraint Dimensions - Experiences in Nurse Rostering , 1998, EWCBR.

[8]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  Enhancing case-based reasoning for personnel rostering with selected tabu search concepts , 2007, J. Oper. Res. Soc..

[9]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  Case-Based Reasoning in Course Timetabling: An Attribute Graph Approach , 2001, ICCBR.

[10]  Rainer Kolisch.  Serial and parallel resource-constrained project scheduling methods revisited: Theory and computation , 1994 .

[11]  Arno Sprecher,et al.  Multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling by a simple, general and powerful sequencing algorithm , 1998, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[12]  Rainer Kolisch,et al.  Semi-active, active, and non-delay schedules for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem , 1995 .

[13]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  Case-based selection of initialisation heuristics for metaheuristic examination timetabling , 2007, Expert Syst. Appl..

[14]  Padraig Cunningham,et al.  On the use of CBR in optimisation problems such as the TSP , 1995, ICCBR.

[15]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  Structured cases in case-based reasoning - re-using and adapting cases for time-tabling problems , 2000, Knowl. Based Syst..

[16]  Salah E. Elmaghraby,et al.  Activity networks: Project planning and control by network models , 1977 .

[17]  Luiz Satoru Ochi,et al.  Hybrid Heuristics for Dynamic Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem , 2010, Hybrid Metaheuristics.

[18]  Kazuo Miyashita,et al.  CABINS: A Framework of Knowledge Acquisition and Iterative Revision for Schedule Improvement and Reactive Repair , 1995, Artif. Intell..

[19]  Erik Demeulemeester,et al.  Resource-constrained project scheduling: A survey of recent developments , 1998, Comput. Oper. Res..

[20]  James H. Patterson,et al.  A Comparison of Exact Approaches for Solving the Multiple Constrained Resource, Project Scheduling Problem , 1984 .

[21]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  Multiple-retrieval case-based reasoning for course timetabling problems , 2006, J. Oper. Res. Soc..

[22]  Ramón Alvarez-Valdés Olaguíbel,et al.  Chapter 5 – HEURISTIC ALGORITHMS FOR RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED PROJECT SCHEDULING: A REVIEW AND AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS , 1989 .

[23]  Luc Lamontagne,et al.  Case-Based Reasoning Research and Development , 1997, Lecture Notes in Computer Science.

[24]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  A novel approach to finding feasible solutions to personnel rostering problems , 2003 .

[25]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  Storing and Adapting Repair Experiences in Employee Rostering , 2002, PATAT.

[26]  Barry Smyth,et al.  Case-Based Reasoning in Scheduling: Reusing Solution Components. , 1996 .

[27]  R. Kolisch,et al.  Heuristic algorithms for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem: classification and computational analysis , 1999 .

[28]  Rolf H. Möhring,et al.  Resource-constrained project scheduling: Notation, classification, models, and methods , 1999, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[29]  J. M. Tamarit,et al.  Project scheduling with resource constraints: A branch and bound approach , 1987 .

[30]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  A hybrid metaheuristic case-based reasoning system for nurse rostering , 2009, J. Sched..

[31]  Sanja Petrovic,et al.  Case-based heuristic selection for timetabling problems , 2006, J. Sched..