Multi-mode resource constrained project scheduling problem: a survey of variants, extensions, and methods

The Multi-Mode Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (MMRCPSP) is one of the most important problems in project scheduling context. The MMRCPSP consists of activities to be scheduled subject to precedence and resource constraints. The effort needed in order to accomplish activities in the MMRCPSP is a discrete function of job performing modes. However, MMRCPSP is a basic model with a rather too restrictive assumptions to be applied practically. Therefore, there are many extensions over basic MMRCPSP model in terms of objective functions, resource constraints, and solving procedures. This research is aiming at fulfilling tow ambitions. First, to collect researches related MMRCPSP and to classify them based on a framework consisting of six distinct classes. Second, to indicate current trends and potential areas of future research. In order to fulfill the second goal a new mathematical method is proposed and applied which identify recent trends and gaps in a systematic manner.