Deep learning-based forecasting for construction project duration at completion
Bibliographic record
Abstract
Project duration-at-completion (DAC) forecasting is a significant challenge in construction, where inaccuracies can lead to inefficient resource allocation, poor risk management, cost overruns, liquidated damages, and unrealistic stakeholder expectations. Especially during the construction phase, which manages the largest project budget and meets contractual milestones. This research aims to enhance DAC forecast accuracy by leveraging historical data using Deep Learning (DL), providing weekly work packages-level and project-level predictions.A Data Acquisition Model (DAM) collected duration-influencing factors per work package in a time series format, to then apply Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (CONV-1D), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) algorithms. Once the optimal was selected, the overall DAC was computed by consolidating individual predictions and using the current project schedule, Precedence Diagramming and Critical Path Methods. By doing so, LSTM outperformed MLP and CONV-1D, with MASE 0.27, 0.29, and 0.54 for Concrete, Excavation and Backfill work packages. The LSTM-based model surpassed the widely used EVM and ESM, while a Monte Carlo-based sensitivity analysis verified its robustness. This deep-learning model was automated through a GUI, delivering forecasting Gantt charts, performance curves, critical path charts, interacting with Primavera P6 to capture data. This model aims to leverage Artificial Intelligence capabilities in construction.
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How this classification was reachedexpand
Full frame machine prediction
Teacher imitationNot calibrated prevalence, not ground truth. Human validation pending. The Gemma side is a direct model label for every work in the frame, read from the title-only record. The Codex side is a classifier learned from the 10,348 direct Codex labels and calibrated to design-weighted sample rates; fields without enough sample support carry no Codex call. Candidate is the union of the two sides; consensus is their intersection. These outputs are machine_predicted_unvalidated and are not human labels.
Distilled classifier scores by category (both heads)
| Category | Codex | Gemma |
|---|---|---|
| Metaresearch | 0.001 | 0.003 |
| Meta-epidemiology (narrow) | 0.001 | 0.000 |
| Meta-epidemiology (broad) | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Bibliometrics | 0.001 | 0.001 |
| Science and technology studies | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Scholarly communication | 0.001 | 0.001 |
| Open science | 0.001 | 0.000 |
| Research integrity | 0.000 | 0.001 |
| Insufficient payload (model declined to judge) | 0.002 | 0.000 |
Machine scores (provisional)
The two teacher heads of the student model, read on this work. A score orders the frame for review; it never asserts a category, and the validation status ships verbatim with every row.
Baseline scores from an immature model (maturity gate not passed, 7 training rounds). Scores rank; they never assert a category.
score_only:v0-immature-baseline · verbatim from the scoring run: score_only means the number may rank works, and no category label ships from itClassification
machine, unvalidatedMachine predicted; a candidate call from one source (direct Gemma or distilled Codex), not a consensus.
How this classification was reached, model by model and score by score, is at the end of the page under "How this classification was reached".