Site layout planning is the task of determining the optimum location of objects on the construction site, to reduce the costs of material handling and workflows, and to increase safety and productivity in projects. Different objects such as temporary facilities, tower cranes and material storage areas are located on the site to support construction activities. As the project progresses, the construction activities change, and accordingly the required objects change as well. Reflecting these changes in planning for the use of site space is the main challenge in generating optimum layouts for construction sites. Different approaches have been used to reflect the changes in site space requirements during projects. These approaches are usually grouped under the generic term dynamic site layout planning, but its exact meaning remains unclear. This study provides a more rigorous definition of the term by distinguishing between three approaches defined as static, phased and dynamic. The paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, and analyzes their differences through an example.The paper presents an example of a dynamic site layout model that considers the actual changes in space requirements on the construction site when generating optimum layouts. The model starts from an initial location for all the required objects and improves their location simultaneously. Accordingly, objects which enter the site in the later stages of the project will have the chance to compete with other objects and get optimum locations. A computational example is provided to demonstrate the results generated by a dynamic site layout model.
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