Semester of Graduation

Fall 2025

Degree

Master of Science in Industrial Engineering (MSIE)

Department

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Modern innovations have made it possible to cast concrete elsewhere and then place it in buildings or other construction sites as needed and this technique is called precast. Precast materials have a limited shelf life, so considering it in planning, inventory, and supply-chain design helps reduce waste and keep materials dependable in modern construction. Efficient management of precast concrete supply chain is essential for ensuring that construction projects of various transportation infrastructures are completed on time and within budget. This research introduces an integrated inventory model based on a cooperative policy between a single precast manufacturer and a single precast material vendor. Unlike traditional inventory models that assume constant demand, this study incorporates probabilistic demand to reflect market variability more realistically. Additionally, the perishability of various precast materials is explicitly considered, influencing the inventory and procurement strategies significantly. The developed model aims to minimize the integrated cost of inventory management, accounting for ordering, holding, backordering, perishability-related wastage, and penalty costs incurred from delayed shipments beyond specified thresholds. A nonlinear mathematical formulation captures these complex interactions and serves as the basis for deriving optimal inventory policies, including reorder points and order quantities. The solution methodology combines analytical solutions with iterative numerical techniques, accommodating diverse scenarios with varying probabilistic demand distributions. Numerical examples illustrate the practical application and efficacy of the proposed model, offering critical insights for precast concrete supply chains aiming to balance cost-efficiency and material utilization effectively.

Date

10-31-2025

Committee Chair

Sarker, Bhaba R.

Available for download on Monday, October 30, 2028

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