Parallel Genetic Algorithms for Optimizing Resource Utilization in Large-Scale Construction Projects

This paper presents the development of a parallel multiobjective genetic algorithm framework to enable an efficient and effective optimization of resource utilization in large-scale construction projects. The framework incorporates a multiobjective optimization module, a global parallel genetic algorithm module, a coarse-grained parallel genetic algorithm module, and a performance evaluation module. The framework is implemented on a cluster of 50 parallel processors and its performance was evaluated using 183 experiments that tested various combinations of construction project sizes, numbers of parallel processors and genetic algorithm setups. The results of these experiments illustrate the new and unique capabilities of the developed parallel genetic algorithm framework in: (1) Enabling an efficient and effective optimization of large-scale construction projects; (2) achieving significant computational time savings by distributing the genetic algorithm computations over a cluster of parallel processors; and (3) requiring a limited and feasible number of parallel processors/computers that can be readily available in construction engineering and management offices.