Designing construction processes in buildings by heuristic optimization

• The construction of multi-storey building is optimized.
• The paper combines some optimization strategies by means of specially developed computer software.
• Random Walk, Descent Local Search and Simulated Annealing are used.
• Construction time, cost and safety are improved.

This paper describes a computer tool for calculating and validating loads on floor slabs and shores in the construction of multistorey buildings with in situ casting. Its chief novelty lies in its optimization unit, designed to produce appropriate and optimum construction processes, which was created by applying exact and heuristic methods: Random Walk (RW), Descent Local Search (DLS) and Simulated Annealing (SA). The system has shown that it can improve three of the most important aspects involved in construction: time, cost and safety. In some cases the optimal solutions were achieved while reducing up to 53% of the cost of the shoring system, in shorter construction time, and meeting all the usual requirements for the construction of this type of building.