Simulation models for three different country elevator configurations were created to assess the impact ofsegregating wheat into two different quality categories on queue length and time in the system compared to a nosegregationstrategy. Assumptions used to develop the three configurations resulted from an infrastructure characterization of the grainreceiving system(s) and scale ticket summary reports. The model configurations varied based on sampling location, numberof drives and receiving pits, number and capacity of bucket elevators, truck sizes, and storage capacity. Time data revealedthat locating the sampling station ahead of the scale is essential when segregating grain into two quality categories. The modelrepresenting country elevators with two legs (bucket elevators) and two drives appeared best suited for segregating grain.A historical verification test was performed using the 10 most active hours of the day for three commercial elevators andcomparing these data with model output. A degenerative test of model validation was performed by evaluating the tonsreceived with the percent small trucks and a sensitivity analysis was performed looking at the relationship between theaverage time a truck spends in the system and truck size. The results generated by this model conformed to expectations duringthe verification and validation process and appeared consistent with the observations of country elevators made by theresearchers. The models will provide a useful tool for future economic analysis of segregation activities at country elevators.
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Herrman et al. (2002) studied this question.