An overview of the COSYE environment for construction simulation

As the degree of complexity in construction systems increases, the concepts of construction simulation must be advanced and formalized in practice as the primary means for designing, analyzing, planning, and controlling construction projects and facilities. Whereas the prevalent approach for simulating construction operations has traditionally been discrete-event process interaction simulation, the authors propose a strategic re-engineering of simulation methods in dynamic Construction Synthetic Environments (COSYE). The High Level Architecture (HLA) is identified as one of the most promising approaches to address the challenges faced by construction simulation and decision support. This architecture has been adopted as the basis of a new generation of modeling and simulation tools. In this paper, the authors propose a model for developing virtual environments to capture all features, resources and processes required to design, build, and maintain a facility, outlining the COSYE environment and federation structure, and describing a test application in construction bidding simulation.