Optimization of Time–Cost-Environmental Impact Problems in Construction Projects with Grey Wolf Algorithm

In the conventional construction project management, the main focus is generally on the completion time and budget of the project. One of the main objectives of many decision-makers is to complete the project quickly and stay within the specified cost. However, the concepts of sustainability and environmental impact have recently gained prominence on a global scale, which has necessitated greater consideration of the environmental impacts of construction projects. Various scenarios and alternatives are generated during the project planning phase and each of these alternatives has different impacts on the total duration, cost and environmental impact of the project. Therefore, it has become critical for decision makers to identify the most appropriate option. The options selected for the activities can directly affect the overall success, efficiency and sustainability of the project. In the literature, many optimization algorithms have been proposed to solve such multi-objective problems. In this study, the effect of the grey wolf optimization algorithm, inspired by the hunting behavior of grey wolves in nature, on multi-objective time–cost-environmental impact problems encountered in the planning phase of construction projects is investigated. The performance and efficiency of the algorithm are compared with the algorithms in the literature. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.