Exact Methods for the Resource Availability Cost Problem

Abstract

In this chapter, an exact method for the RACP problem is built from a combination of an RCPSP exact solver and RCPSP heuristic. In the RACP, the objective is to find the resource values that yield the least cost while finishing the project before the deadline. In the present method, the project feasibility is assessed by fixing the RACP resources and solving the underlying RCPSP with an exact algorithm. The idea is to reduce the number of RCPSP subproblems to be solved by sweeping the search space with a branching strategy that generates good bounds along the search. This approach is called the modified minimum bounding algorithm (MMBA). In the algorithm, we also employ a heuristic method in order to find an upper bound for the project cost. We fully describe the MMBA including possible alternative implementations. We also include an integer programming formulation of the RACP to be used directly or in subproblem solvers.