Library-based simulation modeling in construction

Discrete event simulation modeling has been used successfully in a wide range of industrial and manufacturing applications. In construction applications, even though simulation has been applied, it still is extremely limited in terms of wide deployment in construction projects. Several reasons limit the effective implementation of this technology in construction. Chief among them is the time needed to develop the simulation model. While developing models for industrial applications is just as time consuming, the perpetual nature of manufacturing activities, and the fact that there are often hundreds of thousands of the same product produced, may make this investment worthwhile. However, this is not the case in construction. In this research, the authors approach the problem through the development of a library of preprogrammed construction resources. The user need only select the required resources, and specify the project logic by linking these resources together. The library developed is mainly used in a `specific' type of projects such as shield tunneling, high rise construction etc. We will report on our research and contrast this approach with other approaches in the literature.