The selection of materials handling methods in construction by simulation

This paper describes the development of a dynamic interactive simulation model for selecting construction equipment in building and civil engineering projects. The simulation uses real data obtained from site studies to construct operation times and equipment cycles for handling materials from all despatch points delivered to work crews. In this manner by changing variables such as crane type, size and location, skip size, delivery system and construction crew sizes the effects on utilization levels and costs can be evaluated for different methods of working. The process was facilitated by adopting the tailor-made continuous simulation software program STELLA which uses the principle of fluid flow and tank storage analogous to stock movement of materials.