Scheduling redundancy optimization for precast production to enhance disruption management in prefabricated construction

Abstract

Redundancy is a highly effective approach for minimizing losses in precast production when faced with inevitable disruptions. However, existing studies have primarily focused on enhancing production redundancy in order to mitigate losses caused by disruptions, without considering the added production costs resulting from decreased efficiency. Besides, the cost-effectiveness of redundancy design may be influenced by the disruption types and their associated risk levels, which has not been thoroughly investigated. In this paper, a redundancy optimization model for precast production is proposed to achieve the trade-off between the redundancy benefits and the additional costs involved. The concept of production scheduling redundancy is firstly defined, and the benefits derived from its implementation are quantified. Additionally, different scenarios with high, moderate, and low occurrence levels of disruptions are designed to optimize the production redundancy in different situations. On this basis, the effectiveness and cost-benefits of redundancy are compared subject to various types and levels of disruptions. Finally, a case study is conducted to illustrate the model. The findings show that the machine breakdown is the most critical disruption in the precast production, and implementing redundancy measures prove to be more cost-effective in situations characterized by higher levels of risk. Besides, the optimal degree of redundancy is related to both the levels and the types of disruptions. The methodology of this paper can provide insights for disruption management in precast production and give full play to the benefits of prefabricated construction.