Visual Simulation Programming for Construction Operations

Discrete event simulation is an extremely valuable tool for construction operations. The application of simulation in construction has been limited due to the extreme hardship in developing valid simulation models and coding them in a simulation language. With the advent of object-oriented modeling and programming, simulation entities may be described in a format that encapsulates their characteristics and capabilities. This paper will detail on-going research aimed at the design of object-oriented entities that embody their performance characteristics and methods. The construction team, using a graphical user interface, may select one or more entities and specify the interaction of these entities in an intuitive format. The user will be capable of changing the number and/or mix of equipment with little or no change to the underlying simulation code. This research will also utilize the latest advances in the creation of graphical user interfaces.