A resource based simulation approach with application in earthmoving/strip mining

Construction simulation is unique as it involves complex systems characterized by a great deal of uncertainty, dynamic interactions of system components and large numbers of tasks and resources. Simulation methods used in construction must be capable of addressing issues often encountered in large and complex systems, yet be easy to use by an unsophisticated simulationist, the construction engineer. The paper discusses how simulation can implemented in the earthmoving sector of the construction industry. A summary of a method that enables assembling a simulation model by reference to the main resources involved in the operation is first presented. This is followed by an example application from the field of earthmoving that was observed in a strip-mining application of oil-sands at the Syncrude mine in Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada.