Choosing optimal crane position in a construction site - Scelta della posizione ottimale delle gru in cantiere

Nowadays cranes, despite their types, are the cornerstone of productive construction sites. In particular, tower cranes, the most commonly used, hoist and transport any kind of loads in a building site, being often on the critical path of construction projects. Identifying the ideal number and position of tower cranes in a construction site is of paramount importance because it can save time and thus money. Moreover, it can reduce conflicts among different cranes, thus avoiding clashes and improving site safety. Focusing on productivity and safety, an algorithm to optimize the positions of tower cranes in a construction site have been defined according to four criteria. The relative importance of these has been assessed with interviews with experts using pairwise comparison. Two case studies proved that the proposed algorithm allows to choose cranes optimal positions in order to maximize site productivity and safety. Moreover, the case studies showed that the optimization process can be easily integrated in a BIM based design and construction process. Further work on the optimization process would allow for considering other optimizing criteria and widening the scope of the algorithm