A procedure for quantitatively evaluating site layout alternatives

Construction site layout decisions affect the effort involved in materials handling, an activity which occupies a substantial portion of working time. Much computer software has been developed enabling construction managers to plan and visualize the layout of a construction site, but at present the lack of an accepted practical technique for evaluating the efficiency of a chosen site layout makes it difficult to choose objectively between possibilities, in the search for a better layout design. The research described in this paper explores the practicability of an evaluation procedure intended to help improve this situation, and effectively describes the use of a quantitative material flow network model as the basis for evaluating the efficiency of a given site layout option. The evaluation measure, 'total material flow time', is calculated as part of an evaluation procedure. A site trial of the procedure is described, and its necessary development into a computer assisted procedure is discussed.