Assessment and analysis of programs for the management of transport infrastructure construction projects

Abstract

The use of probabilistic non-alternative network models for planning investment construction projects has been thoroughly studied and has been widely used in construction practice for several decades. One of the common methods based on such models is the Program Evaluation and Review Technique. This method is for planning the project dates in which the durations of all or some of activities cannot be unambiguously determined due to the high degree of uncertainty in the external environment in which such projects are implemented. However, the problem of controlling the deadlines and milestones of an investment construction project based on the Program Evaluation and Review Technique has not been studied well enough. This article investigates the possibilities of applying the Program Evaluation and Review Technique to track and control the construction project schedule. A method based on monitoring the values of the probability function of the timely completion of the project is presented. The method takes into account possible deviations of the predicted completion date of the project and, if they exceed the established limits, prescribes the initiation of corrective measures. We give recommendations for improving the Program Evaluation and Review Technique that reduce its shortcomings in applying for control the construction period. The greatest effect can be obtained by combining the Program Evaluation and Review Technique with other known methods, in particular, the Critical Chain Project Management.