Rapid deployment of simulation models for building construction applications

This paper presents a knowledge based approach to increase the use of simulation in the construction industry without its users having to become or hire experts in simulation techniques. The premise of this approach is to use existing process-related schedule information as inputs to create a functioning simulation model with little or no user intervention. It explains analytical capabilities and limitations of schedules and simulation, reviews previous discrete event simulation studies, and discusses integrating knowledge from this domain. It describes the architecture of the WorkSim^® system. A case study presents processes of a real construction project. The conceptual and pragmatic feasibility of converting schedules into simulations is tested with its representative sample dataset. Modeling and analyzing this case study establishes the technical viability of the ideas discussed in the paper. Future work will examine challenges to the quality of such models, e.g. their resolution, required resource data, and duration distributions.