Automation of Multi-Tower Crane Location Optimization in Pre-Fabricated Construction Sites: An Application Programming Interface Approach

Cranes play a significant role in construction cost and time management. Tower cranes are highly used in dense urban residential construction sites due to congestion and lack of enough space for the crane's foundation. However, optimizing the location of tower cranes in construction sites with multiple cranes and multiple trailers in an integrated application core is still a gap in the literature. This study aims to fill this gap by developing an application programming interface (API) for Navisworks, a common software in building information modeling (BIM), to facilitate practical use. The focus of this paper is on prefabricated structural elements that are planned to be lifted by tower cranes. The research utilizes VB.net language to develop the API and connects an access database containing tower cranes' information for the optimization process. A case study is presented to validate the outcomes of the API. The results show the best locations for tower cranes and the least possible cost and time based on the database factors and each crane's pick-point location. This application has the potential to significantly save construction budget and time.