Applications of multi-agent systems from the perspective of construction management: A literature review
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 27 July 2021
Issue publication date: 24 November 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The applications of multi-agent systems (MASs) are considered to be among the most promising paradigms for detailed investigations and reliable problem-solving methods, and MAS applications make it possible for researchers and practitioners to better understand complex systems. Although a number of prior studies have been conducted to address complex issues that arise from construction projects, few studies have summarised the applications and discussed the capacity of MASs from the perspective of construction management. To fill the gap, this paper provides a comprehensive literature review of MAS applications from the perspective of construction management.
Design/methodology/approach
Web of Science and Scopus are the most commonly used international databases in conducting the literature reviews. A total of 86 relevant papers published in SCI-Expanded, SSCI and Ei Compendex journals related to the application of MASs from the perspective of construction management are selected to be analysed and discussed in this paper.
Findings
Based on the 86 collected publications, the utilisations of MASs to support the management of the supply chain and the improvement of project performance are identified from the perspective of construction management, the characteristics and barriers of current MAS applications are analysed, a framework for developing agent-based models to address complex problems is proposed, and future research directions of MAS applications are discussed.
Originality/value
This review can serve as a useful reference for scholars to enhance their understanding of the current research and guide future research on MASs. The proposed framework can help build agent-based models to address complex problems in construction management.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Declaration of interest statement: No author has any conflict of interest to disclose, and the manuscript is approved by all authors for publication. The work described was original research that has not be published previously, and not under consideration for elsewhere, in whole or in part.
The authors wish to thank the Research Grants Council, the Innovation and Technology Commission, the Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University for the funding support to the research which has contributed to the preparation of this paper.
Citation
Xiang, L., Tan, Y., Shen, G. and Jin, X. (2022), "Applications of multi-agent systems from the perspective of construction management: A literature review", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 29 No. 9, pp. 3288-3310. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-01-2021-0038
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited