A Study on Construction Schedule Management Methods under Disruptive Conditions Based on Combinatorial Thinking

Abstract With the increasing frequency of disruptions in construction projects, the traditional Critical Path Method (CPM) shows limitations in handling schedule disturbances due to its static structure and inflexible adjustment mechanisms. This paper proposes a schedule sensitivity assessment method under disruptive conditions, based on a combinatorial thinking model. By representing the project network with matrices and scanning multi-task combinations, we introduce two indices-Schedule Sensitivity Index (SSI) and Cost Sensitivity Index (CSI)-to quantify how combinations of tasks affect overall project objectives under different disturbance scenarios. A simulated case based on a construction project is used to illustrate the approach. For example, under combined schedule-cost variation, the AGF task group induces the greatest schedule delay, while the ILM group exhibits the lowest overall sensitivity. The proposed method indicates potential to support decision-making in resource allocation and may improve adaptability the adaptability of construction schedule management under uncertain and dynamic conditions.