Abstract
Thanks to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, discrete event simulation is preferred for construction simulation, and the issue of how to model the production capacity of a continuous plant by using discrete event simulation is addressed. A plant of continuous nature relies on a material-handling mechanism (such as conveyor or pipeline) to continuously convey material delivered in truckloads to a designated activity location at the site. In contrast with discrete resources commonly encountered and matched in construction (such as a truck, an excavator, and a crane), a buffer is the hallmark of a continuous plant (such as unloading container); and one or multiple feeder resources (trucks) can be simultaneously processed subject to the production capacity of the plant. With a concrete pump example, we discuss the potential pitfall of simplifying a continuous plant as one discrete resource entity. Then, we formalize an approximate method for representing a continuous plant with N discrete resource entities in simulation of a predominantly discrete operations system. We also describe two practical applications: (1) modeling the production capacity of a magnetic separation plant in iron mining operations; (2) modeling the passing capacity of an urban road section in microtunneling and pipe-jacking operations. In conclusion, the proposed method adds to the usefulness and flexibility of a discrete simulation methodology in modeling complicated construction systems.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Computing in Civil Engineering - Proceedings of the 2013 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering |
Pages | 873-880 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Publication status | Published - 15 Nov 2013 |
Event | 2013 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering, IWCCE 2013 - Los Angeles, CA, United States Duration: 23 Jun 2013 → 25 Jun 2013 |
Conference
Conference | 2013 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering, IWCCE 2013 |
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Country/Territory | United States |
City | Los Angeles, CA |
Period | 23/06/13 → 25/06/13 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Civil and Structural Engineering