Integration of discrete event simulation with other modeling techniques to simulate construction engineering and management: an overview

Abstract

Although Discrete Event Simulation (DES) has been the preferred simulation technique in construction operation studies, it suffers from limitations, such as narrowed focus at the operational level. To minimize the effect of DES limitations, researchers have proposed the integration of DES with other simulation techniques, such as agent-based modeling (ABM), system dynamics (SD), and virtual environments (VE). However, limited studies have discussed whether this integration process minimizes DES’ limitations and to what extent. This study summarizes 99 journal manuscripts in the existing literature published between 2010-2020, focusing on integrating DES with ABM, SD, and VE. This study found that the integration of DES with ABM, SD, and VE addressed multiple of DES’ limitations, namely, the lack of human behaviors in process-oriented modeling, the limited strategic perspective, and challenges related to the verification and validation of DES models’ outputs. Ultimately, this study calls for future studies to evaluate the simultaneous integration of DES, ABM, and SD modeling techniques so the complexity of construction projects can be truly accounted for, as comprehensive simulation tools will require the integration of multiple methods to counterbalance their limitations.

Integrated Agent-Based Simulation and Game Theory Decision Support Framework for Cash Flow and Payment Management in Construction Projects

“…DES is a simulation technique that represents a system through a sequence of processes with events such that the state of resources related to these processes changes in discrete steps [40]. These characteristics make DES an ideal simulation technique for studying construction operations and activities as they typically follow the sequence set in a project schedule and utilize a unique combination of resources [40].…”

“…DES is a simulation technique that represents a system through a sequence of processes with events such that the state of resources related to these processes changes in discrete steps [40]. These characteristics make DES an ideal simulation technique for studying construction operations and activities as they typically follow the sequence set in a project schedule and utilize a unique combination of resources [40]. On the other hand, ABMS is a simulation modeling technique that represents a system from the perspective of its constituent units or agents that interact in and with an environment based on specified rules with the aim of predicting the potential emergent behavior [36].…”