Buffer Sizing of a Critical Chain Project Based on the Entropy Method

Abstract

Abstract:

To improve the efficiency of buffer management, and optimize the buffer estimation accuracy, a project buffer determination model is proposed based on project uncertainty. First, the entropy method is adopted to assess the uncertainty of the project and obtain the project variance. Second, the minimum duration of the project activity is estimated and the variance coefficient of the project is calculated with the consideration of the project resource supply. And then, a fuzzy method is used to determine the discrete degree, and calculate the project buffer. Finally, the proposed method is compared with the Cut and Paste Method (C&PM) and Root Square Error Method (RSEM) by using the Monte Carlo simulation. The experimental results show that the proposed method can improve the on-time completion rate, and reduce the cost and schedule.

Key words: Critical chain project management, buffer, uncertainty, entropy, variance coefficient

Zhang Junguang, Song Xiwei, Yang Shuang. Buffer Sizing of a Critical Chain Project Based on the Entropy Method[J]. , 2017, 29(1): 211-219.

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