Comparing PROMODEL and SDESA in modeling construction operations

The research presented applies the PROMODEL alongside a simplified discrete-event simulation approach (SDESA) and its software platform resulting from in-house construction research for modeling typical construction operations. The characteristics and modeling needs for construction and manufacturing systems are compared in general. A simple earth-moving operation and a real site operation integrating concreting and waste handling practices serve as case studies to illustrate the features, advantages, and limitations of PROMODEL and SDESA. It is found that SDESA can adequately, precisely depict the construction operations with much less learning and modeling efforts compared with PROMODEL. Particular comparisons between the two methodologies are made on (1) resource transit times, (2) activity priorities, (3) resource utilization rates, and (4) basic model structures (i.e. production-line vs. vehicle-loop).