Modeling the time factor in site planning

This paper presents a methodology for the generation of dynamic site layout that accounts for the changes on construction sites over project's construction period. Unlike previous methods, in the proposed methodology the order in which objects are added to the layout is not limited to their time of arrival on site. Rather, they are arranged on a predefined priority order, which can differ for each project due to its unique conditions. As such, the proposed methodology reserves space for objects with higher priority, despite their late arrival on site. As a result, the model allows for addition of objects to the layout in non-consecutive time intervals. The location of each object is determined in a space created individually for each object, referred to as analysis layout. The use of analysis layouts allows for space recycling and provides a time-space conflict feedback. Consequently, the developed methodology leads to space-conflict-free dynamic layouts. In the end an efficient algorithm is introduced to present the generated dynamic layout in a series of consecutive partial layouts. Each partial layout displays the arrangement of objects on the site during a time interval. The methodologies presented in this paper are portable and do not limit themselves to a specific site space analysis and allocation approach. Therefore, they could be utilized in conjunction with different approaches developed earlier by others.