A new efficient simulated annealing algorithm for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem and its multiple mode version

This paper describes new simulated annealing (SA) algorithms for the resource-constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP) and its multiple mode version (MRCPSP). The objective function considered is minimisation of the makespan. The conventional SA search scheme is replaced by a new design that takes into account the specificity of the solution space of project scheduling problems. For RCPSP, the search was based on an alternated activity and time incrementing process, and all parameters were set after preliminary statistical experiments done on test instances. For MRCPSP, we introduced an original approach using two embedded search loops alternating activity and mode neighbourhood exploration. The performance evaluation done on the benchmark instances available in the literature proved the efficiency of both adaptations that are currently among the most competitive algorithms for these problems. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.