Location Optimization of Tower Cranes on High-Rise Modular Housing Projects

In high-rise modular housing complex projects, tower crane layout planning is the key to ensuring the efficient lifting of components during construction. To improve the lifting efficiency of the cranes and control costs, the layout plan should minimize the distance the tower cranes must move the prefabricated units. The distance between the trailer holding the components, the tower crane, and the structure under construction should be kept to a minimum. However, most current studies consider the relative positions of the tower crane and the trailer without fully considering the movement efficiency of the trailer, and when multiple trailers and multiple tower cranes are involved, the optimization scheme is more complicated. In this study, a mathematical model based on mixed integer linear programming (MILP) is built to determine the type and location of tower cranes as well as the location of trailers to solve the problem of situating multiple tower cranes in a high-rise modular housing complex project. Finally, the validity and practicality of the model are demonstrated with case studies.