A Hybrid Decision-Support Framework for Crisis-Induced Rescheduling in Infrastructure Projects
Integrating a Graph- Based Model with a Generative AI Interface
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14267/1588970X.2026.025Keywords:
project rescheduling, crisis management, graph-based decision support, hybrid AI method, intelligent decision-support, C61, D81, O22Abstract
This study presents a hybrid decision-support framework for crisis-induced rescheduling in a large-scale infrastructure project. Using a real-world case involving the insolvency of a critical architectural subcontractor, the study examines how project-continuation alternatives can be compared based on net financial gain, resource demand, and operational constraints. The deterministic component represents project activities and dependencies in a directed graph and calculates financial and resource indicators for the evaluated continuation alternatives. A generative artificial intelligence interface is then applied as an interaction layer over these deterministic outputs, enabling decision-makers to query and compare calculated scenarios in natural language. The empirical application illustrates how the framework can support the identification of a financially preferable continuation alternative and facilitate scenario comparison in a time-sensitive crisis setting. Since the evidence is derived from a single project structure and a single focal disruption type, the proposed framework is presented as a case-based methodological proof of concept that requires further validation across additional project and crisis contexts.
References
Abdelhafiez, E. A., & Awade, F. A. (2024). Risk management in Egyptian construction: Comparative analysis of general and banking sectors using advanced quantitative methods. Journal of Project Management, 9(4), 471–484. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.jpm.2024.7.002
Aigbavboa, C. O., Aghimien, D. O., Thwala, W. D., & Ngozwana, M. N. (2022). Unprepared industry meet pandemic: COVID-19 and the South Africa construction industry. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 20(1), 183–200. https://doi.org/10.1108/jedt-02-2021-0079
Alajmani, H., Ahmed, S., & El-Sayegh, S. M. (2024). Factors causing delays in the UAE construction industry amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction, 29(1), 135–151. https://doi.org/10.1108/jfmpc-02-2023-0006
Almutairi, S., Bakri, M., AlMunifi, A. A., Algahtany, M., & Aldalbahy, S. (2023). The status of the Saudi construction industry during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability, 15(21), 15432. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115432
Alsharef, A., Banerjee, S., Uddin, S. M. J., Albert, A., & Jaselskis, E. (2021). Early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the United States construction industry. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1559. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041559
Alzoubi, Y. I., Mishra, A., Topcu, A., & Cibikdiken, A. O. (2024). Generative artificial intelligence technology for systems engineering research: Contribution and challenges. International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management, 15(2), 169–179. https://doi.org/10.24867/ijiem-2024-2-355
Benczes, I., & Benczes, R. (2018). From financial support package via rescue aid to bailout: Framing the management of the Greek sovereign debt crisis. Society and Economy, 40(3), 431–445. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2018.40.3.9
Blaskovics, B., Czifra, J., Klimkó, G., & Szontágh, P. (2023). Impact of the applied project management methodology on the perceived level of creativity. Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, 20(3), 101–120. https://doi.org/10.12700/APH.20.3.2023.3.7
Bsisu, K. A.-D. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Jordanian civil engineers and construction industry. International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology, 13(5), 828–830. https://doi.org/10.37624/ijert/13.5.2020.828-830
Cui, N., Tian, W., & Bie, L. (2010). Rescheduling after inserting the buffer in critical-chain scheduling. In 2010 International Conference on Logistics Systems and Intelligent Management (ICLSIM) (pp. 1105–1110). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICLSIM.2010.5461129
Delgoshaei, A., Ariffin, M. K., Bin Baharudin, B. T. H. T., & Leman, Z. (2014). A Backward approach for maximizing net present value of multimode pre-emptive resource-constrained project scheduling problem with discounted cash flows using simulated annealing algorithm. International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management, 5(3), 151–158. https://doi.org/10.24867/ijiem-2014-3-117
Durán, G., Guajardo, M., & Zamorano, G. (2022). Mathematical models for rescheduling Ecuador’s 2020 professional football league season disrupted by COVID- 19. Society and Economy, 44(4), 360–377. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2022.00013
Gajdosikova, D., Valaskova, K., Kliestik, T., & Machova, V. (2022). COVID-19 Pandemic and its impact on challenges in the construction sector: A case study of Slovak Enterprises. Mathematics, 10(17), 3130. https://doi.org/10.3390/math10173130
García-Mata, C. L., Márquez-Gutiérrez, P. R., & Burtseva, L. (2015). Rescheduling in industrial environments: Emerging technologies and forthcoming trends. International Journal of Combinatorial Optimization Problems and Informatics, 6(3), 34–48. https://ijcopi.org/ojs/article/view/50
Hajdu, M. (1997). Network scheduling techniques for construction project management. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-5951-8
Hartyándi, M. J. (2025). Distrust and disillusionment toward generative artificial intelligence: Psychodramatic exploration of employee trust in organizational technology acceptance. Society and Economy, 47(2), 235–255. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2025.00002
Hazaa, Y. M. H., Almaqtari, F. A., & Al-Swidi, A. (2021). Factors influencing crisis management: A systematic review and synthesis for future research. Cogent Business & Management, 8(1), 1878979. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2021.1878979
Iqbal, M., Ahmad, N., Waqas, M., & Abrar, M. (2021). COVID-19 pandemic and construction industry: Impacts, emerging construction safety practices, and proposed crisis management. Brazilian Journal of Operations & Production Management, 18(2), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.14488/bjopm.2021.034
Kádár, B., & Jáki, E. (2024). COVID-19 and SMEs: An umbrella review of systematic literature (2020–2024) and future directions for entrepreneurship: Introduction to the “The entrepreneurial landscape in the post-COVID era: Insights, challenges, and future perspectives” special issue. Society and Economy, 46(4), 323–341. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2024.00017
Khajesaeedi, S., Sadjadi, S. J., Barzinpour, F., & Tavakkoli-Moghaddam, R. (2025). Resource-constrained project scheduling problem: Review of recent developments. Journal of Project Management, 10(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.jpm.2024.12.002
Khalilzadeh, M., Hosseini, S. H., & Ghaeli, R. (2020). A genetic algorithm-based method for solving multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem in uncertain environment. Journal of Project Management, 5(2), 79–86. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.jpm.2020.1.002
Loosemore, M., & Teo, M. M. M. (2002). The crisis management practices of Australian construction companies. Construction Economics and Building, 2(2), 15–26. https://doi.org/10.5130/ajceb.v2i2.2897
Miao, Q., Sun, X., Ma, C., Zhang, Y., & Gong, D. (2025). Rescheduling costs and adaptive asymmetric errors guided closed-loop prediction of power loads in mine integrated energy systems. Energy and AI, 21, 100516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyai.2025.100516
Mihály, K., & Kulcsár, G. (2023). A new many-objective hybrid method to solve scheduling problems. International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management, 14(4), 326–335. https://doi.org/10.24867/ijiem-2023-4-342
Morris, D. (2021). Geopolitical shift at a time of Covid-19 and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: A case study of Chinese innovation in multilateralism. Society and Economy, 43(3), 208–226. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2021.00003
Murthi, P., Poongodi, K., & Mahesh, V. (2023). Crisis management due to COVID- 19 in Indian construction industry: An overview. In A. Vilventhan, S. B. Singh, & V. S. K. Delhi (Eds.), Advances in construction materials and management: Select proceedings of ACMM 2022 (pp. 107–115). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-2552-0_9
Nessel, K. (2022). A negative career shock and career capital: The perspective of sports clubs personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Society and Economy, 44(4), 378–400. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2022.00017
Rajprasad, J., Thamilarasu, V., & Mageshwari, N. (2018). Role of crisis management in construction projects. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 7(2.12), 451–453. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i2.12.11515
Rani, H. A., Farouk, A. M., Anandh, K. S., Almutairi, S., & Rahman, R. A. (2022). Impact of COVID-19 on construction projects: The case of India. Buildings, 12(6), 762. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12060762
Roosta, S., Mirnajafizadeh, S. M., & Bazargan Harandi, H. (2023). Development of a robust multi-objective model for green capacitated location-routing under crisis conditions. Journal of Project Management, 8(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.jpm.2022.10.001
Sami Ur Rehman, M., Shafiq, M. T., & Afzal, M. (2022). Impact of COVID-19 on project performance in the UAE construction industry. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 20(1), 245–266. https://doi.org/10.1108/jedt-12-2020-0481
Sayaseng, S. (2020). Evidence of effective financial crisis management from South Korea: An example for other regions. Society and Economy, 42(1), 21–38. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2020.00002
Sfakianaki, E., Iliadis, T., & Zafeiris, E. (2015). Crisis management under an economic recession in construction: the Greek case. International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 14(4), 373–389. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijmdm.2015.074015
Stehlíková, B., Taušová, M., & Čulková, K. (2024). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic development of the mining and construction industry: Case study in Slovakia. Economies, 12(5), 119. https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12050119
Sun, H., Hao, Z., Hu, Z., Lv, J., & Wang, C. (2025). A rescheduling strategy based on deep reinforcement learning for new order insertion. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 159, 111676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engappai.2025.111676
Tasgetiren, M. F., Kizilay, D., & Kandiller, L. (2024). Solving blocking flowshop scheduling problem with makespan criterion using q-learning-based iterated greedy algorithms. Journal of Project Management, 9(2), 85–100. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.jpm.2024.2.002
Tosselli, L., Bogado, V., & Martínez, E. (2020). A repeated-negotiation game approach to distributed (re)scheduling of multiple projects using decoupled learning. Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory, 98, 101980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.simpat.2019.101980
Tóth, G., Kucséber, L., Pollák, Z., & Jáki, E. (2024). Financial resilience and adaptation: Analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses rated successful. Society and Economy, 46(4), 342–367. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2024.00014
Tran, V. D. (2020). The relationship among performance risk, safety risk, social risk, psychological risk, satisfaction and intentions to use grab service in Vietnam amid Covid-19 crisis. Journal of Project Management, 5(4), 201–210. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.jpm.2020.8.003
Wang, Z., Cai, X., & Liu, Z. (2023). Survival and revival: Transition path of the Chinese construction industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Engineering Management Journal, 35(4), 333–345. https://doi.org/10.1080/10429247.2022.2108670
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
All articles published in the journal are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY) 4.0 international license agreement and published open access, making them immediately and freely available to read and download. The CC-BY license agreement allows authors to retain copyright while allowing others to copy, distribute, and make some uses of the work.
Users have the right to copy, distribute and transmit an article, adapt the article and make commercial use of the article. The CC BY license permits commercial re-use of an open access article, as long as the author is properly attributed. This license permits, distribution and reproduction in any medium provided by the original work is properly cited.
Suitable reference form: Title of Article, Author, Journal Title, Volume, Issue.
If and when the manuscript is accepted for publication by the journal, the authors agree to automatically transfer the first right of publication to the journal, and permit the journal to apply a DOI to their articles and to archive them in databases and indexes. Copyrights for articles are retained by the authors.
