Work breakdown structure (WBS) development for underground construction

a r t i c l e i n f o A work breakdown structure (WBS) can prove to be pivotal to successful project management planning. There are few published studies about the methodologies or tools to develop the appropriate WBS for a project, and those that are available are limited to the specific areas of construction such as apartment-building construction and boiler manufacturing. This research has an emphasis on developing a methodology with higher generaliz-ability, which has the capability to be customized to complex underground projects. To address this issue, a new methodology that employs hierarchical neural networks to develop the WBS of complex underground projects is presented. This methodology has been applied to several tunnel case studies and it has been shown that for a real project, the model is able to generate the WBS and its activities that are comparable to those generated by a project planner. Consequently, it is concluded that these modeling methods have the capacity to significantly improve the WBSs for complex underground projects and improve key project tasks, such as workload planning, cost estimating and scheduling. A comprehensive efficient work breakdown structure (WBS) can prove pivotal within project management planning processes by partitioning projects into stages, deliverables and work packages. Consequently , it can positively impact other project management processes, such as activity definition, project schedule, risk analysis and response, control tools or project organization [1]. The planning of underground work and WBSs is different from other civil construction, when one considers the complexity, uncertainty and large number of activities involved [2]. An experienced complex underground project manager knows that despite detailed planning and execution , there is always the possibility of errors, mishaps and unexpected outcomes on the horizon. Developing the work breakdown structure of a complex underground project in a systematic, thorough, and method-ological manner will decrease the potential for unwanted possibilities while providing a baseline for planning, estimating, scheduling and effective project management. Despite such significance and repercussions, there is a dearth of research concerning methodologies or tools for the development of appropriate work breakdown structures (WBSs) for a project. The available research is mostly limited to a given range of construction projects, and therefore, the generalizability of the research remains limited to specific conditions. However, more recent research utilizing case-based reasoning (CBR) methods offers valuable material while providing a model for the acquisition and reuse of specific planning knowledge. …