الفهرس 
Time-Cost Trade-off (TCTO)Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Time-cost trade-off (TCTO) is one of the viable techniques in project management. Finding near-optimum solution is a very important goal that received a great deal of interest. In this research, based on predesigned surveying questionnaire the main parameters are figured-out and an optimization model is developed employing genetic algorithm technique for TCTO problem that minimizes project direct cost and takes into account discounted as well as net cash flow time with and without uncertainty with the least possible duration. Costs of activities are assumed to be incurred at their finish times, uniformly distributed or following S-curve pattern. A questionnaire was designed, distributed then analyzed to incorporate the recommended parameters in this study. The model provides near-optimal solution in which precise discrete activity time-cost function is used. An interactive computer program, TCTO SMART, has been developed for controlled cash flow with and without uncertainty. TCTO SMART employs Genetic Algorithm for solving the proposed mathematical model for optimizing time-cost tradeoff taking into consideration activity cost distribution, interest rate, mark-up, retention and indirect cost rate. Model formulation and implementation are deliberately delineated, verified and validated then implemented to several real life projects with activity - and location - based schedules. The predictions of the proposed model demonstrated that selected activities’ durations as well as costs and consequently optimal project duration significantly differ from traditional analysis if only conventional cash flow is considered. This may reflect the prospective of the owner or the contractor per se.