Development of new model for optimal network scheduling with general type of cost function

In this paper, a new approach for solving a network scheduling problem is studied theoretically from the network topological point of view, and an effective algorithm to obtain optimal schedule is developed through formulation of new type optimal scheduling model. At the first stage, topological characteristics of the construction project network are analyzed mathematically focusing on the cut set structure and the route set structure. At the second stage, a scheduling model to obtain optimal schedule with the minimum project cost for project duration lambda is formulated utilizing the cut set structure and the route set structure studied at the above stage, and an effective algorithm is developed adopting dynamic programming (DP) procedure in which the algorithm is established using cut-network which is transformed topologically from original project network At the final stage, the new type model and algorithm developed through above stages are applied to practical CPM problem with general type of cost function which can not be solved by existing procedure called the primal-dual algorithm or network now algorithm.