Resource Allocation Capabilities of Commercial Project Management Software Packages for Resource Leveling and Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problems - A Comparative Study

Sep 12, 2026

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Construction project scheduling often relies on CPM, yet CPM alone does not handle how limited resources should be allocated across activities. This study evaluates how commercial project management software supports Resource Leveling (RLP) and the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP). RLP targets smoother resource usage histograms while preserving CPM duration, whereas RCPSP minimizes makespan under resource limits. Three software versions are tested across 640 literature instances using thirteen priority rules, with RCPSP results compared to a Serial Scheduling Scheme and practical implementation challenges discussed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time7 min

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Introduction

Resource categories

Classical scheduling approaches (CPM, PERT)

Resource leveling and RCPSP concepts

Resource allocation capabilities of commercial project management software packages for resource leveling and resource constrained project scheduling problems: A comparative study Noor Hussein Farooq Albayati 1, Saman Aminbakhsh 2 1 Atilim University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye 2 Atilim University, Department of Civil Engineering, Ankara, Türkiye Article History Received 16 March 2023 Accepted 31 May 2023 Keywords Resource allocation Resource leveling problem Resource constrained project scheduling problem Project management software Serial scheduling scheme Abstract In construction project management the critical path method (CPM) is the most used technique for project scheduling. Although this technique provides many advantages for project managers, it cannot efficiently deal with the allocation of the resources. Therefore, alternative techniques have been introduced to address resource allocation requirements of the projects. Of these techniques, Resource Leveling (RLP) aims to minimize the fluctuation in resource usage histograms while maintaining the duration obtained by CPM. Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP), on the other hand, aims to secure the shortest CPM duration without violating the resource constraints. RLP and RCPSP are vital for effective utilization of project resources (e.g., manpower, machinery, and equipment) as they help precluding intermittent usage or over-allocation of the resources. Keeping the resource usage at a relatively constant level through RLP would result in a decrease in the overall project cost as the additional costs required to demobilize and remobilize the resources will be minimized. Shortening the makespan while meeting the resource constraints through RCPSP would lead to improved resource utilization and cost savings as well. The main objective of this study is, therefore, to analyze effectiveness and efficiency of the most widely used commercial project management software packages in solving resource allocation problems. To this end, the most recent versions – as per the date of this study – of three software packages, namely, Microsoft Project Professional 2019, Primavera P6 Professional 2019, and Asta Powerproject version 15.0.01.489 are examined. The performance of the practiced software is evaluated based on thirteen different priority rules over a set of problem instances available in the literature. The practiced problems include 640 instances providing a diverse combination of network complexity, activity number, and resource type number. Results obtained by the software for RCPSP are also compared with the solutions provided by the Serial Scheduling Scheme – a heuristic method. The findings of this study reveal that whilst all the three software packages manage to provide comparable results, Asta PowerProject transpire to be the all-round best performing method while Primavera sports the fastest leveling module. This study also sheds light on the challenges and practical hurdles to utilization of the aforementioned software for resource allocation purposes. 1. Introduction Resources are commonly classified into two classes: renewable resources and non-renewable resources. The difference between the two main categories of resources is shown in Fig. 1. Nonrenewable resources refer to consumable resources, such as money, fuel, energy, and raw materials. The objective is minimizing the total utilization value of non-renewable resources in the available range of project durations. In contrast with the nonrenewable resources, renewable resources like manpower, machines, and various other capital equipment are necessary for the execution of the project [1] . In construction projects, the Critical Path Method (CPM) suggested by Kelley and Walker [2] and the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) introduced by Malcolm et al. [3] have widely been used for planning and controlling of proj

FAQs

Why can CPM be insufficient for construction project scheduling?

CPM helps determine schedules based on activity durations, but it cannot efficiently address how to allocate limited resources during project execution. When resource availability is ignored, schedules can become unrealistic.

What is the difference between Resource Leveling (RLP) and RCPSP?

RLP aims to minimize fluctuations in resource usage while maintaining the CPM-determined duration. RCPSP aims to achieve the shortest CPM duration without violating resource constraints.

How does the study evaluate the performance of commercial project management software?

The study tests three software packages using thirteen priority rules across 640 problem instances with varied network complexity, activity counts, and resource-type counts, then compares RCPSP outputs with the Serial Scheduling Scheme heuristic.

Sep 12, 2026

Upload by Fez