The time dimension in site layout planning

• Site layout models are traditionally grouped into static and dynamic models.
• There are fundamental differences between those currently categorized as dynamic.
• It is proposed to divide these models into two groups of phased and dynamic models.
• A comparative analysis of three approaches of static, phased and dynamic is provided.
• An algorithm is developed to effectively represent dynamic layouts 2D drawings.

With regard to incorporation of the time factor, site layout models are traditionally grouped into two categories of static models (with no considerations of the changes over time), and dynamic models (reflecting the changes on the construction sites). This paper demonstrates that there are in fact fundamental differences in the assumptions and the final outcome of models that are currently all categorized under dynamic site layout planning models, and proposes that these should in fact be divided into two groups of phased and dynamic models. The paper provides a comparative analysis of the three approaches of static, phased and dynamic site layout planning. The strengths, limitations, and differences in the final results of the three approaches are demonstrated through numerical examples. Finally, existing methods for the 2D representation of dynamic site layouts are compared, and an improved algorithm is provided to represent dynamic site layouts in minimum number of overlap-free drawings.