Spatiotemporal Modelling for Construction Project Management

The arrival of building information modeling and four-dimensional (4D) simulation is forcing the construction industry to adapt its contractual, operational and technical modes. Currently, the 4D simulation model is either a bar chart or a linear diagram. Both methods are unsuitable for modeling building projects, as showing the work sequence, circulation and supply flow between sites is difficult. In addition, scheduling methods and software apply the critical path logic. This logic schedules activities, applies constraints between these activities and tries to optimize and level the allocated resources. Despite the almost exclusive popularity of this method, its representation of the construction operations remains deficient. This logic ignores the spatial site occupation aspect related to operations and teams’ rotation, traffics and intermediate stocks. The extensive use of this logic produces a complex network hard to follow and update. Planning and management building projects should tackle the coordination of works and the management of limited spaces, traffic and supplies. Activities cannot be performed without the resources available and resources cannot be used beyond the capacity of workplaces. Otherwise, work space congestion will negatively affect the flow of works, leading to errors and omissions and, consequently, low productivity and economic losses.

New complementary concepts have emerged, particularly the Last-Planner system, the Takt-Time and the Space Planning. Their objective is to increase collaboration, to ensure smooth flows of information, to improve productivity, to reduce all types of wastes in the process and to stabilize production. In addition, Space and Takt-Time planning links the spatial and temporal aspects, promotes efficient use of the site, defines optimal site occupancy rates, and ensures suitable rotation of the workforce in the different spaces.

Space planning and spatiotemporal implementation will improve the management of building construction projects. In view of the importance of these concepts, we are launching this Research Topic, which is aiming to report and discuss the most recent findings by researchers and professionals in this domain. The themes to be covered are as follows:

• Spatiotemporal scheduling techniques
• Deterministic or stochastic optimization process based on space planning
• Graphical optimization process based on space planning
• Modeling of procurement system, material flow and circulation on construction site
• Optimizing of procurement system, material flow and circulation on construction site
• Scheduling visual communication and information flow
• Takt-time planning
• Case studies
• Other related topics