Construction Site Layout Planning Using a Simulation-Based Decision Support Tool

<i>Background</i>: A site layout plan is one of the important decisions to be made in the planning phase of each construction project as it can significantly impact on-site transportation, construction logistics, and safety. This decision could be complicated owing to the uncertainties i...

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Main Authors: SeyedReza RazaviAlavi, Simaan AbouRizk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:Logistics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/5/4/65
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author SeyedReza RazaviAlavi
Simaan AbouRizk
author_facet SeyedReza RazaviAlavi
Simaan AbouRizk
author_sort SeyedReza RazaviAlavi
collection DOAJ
description <i>Background</i>: A site layout plan is one of the important decisions to be made in the planning phase of each construction project as it can significantly impact on-site transportation, construction logistics, and safety. This decision could be complicated owing to the uncertainties inherent in construction projects and the complex relationships between the influencing factors and decision variables. <i>Methods</i>: To improve site layout planning, this study aims to develop a simulation-based decision support tool (DST) that enables planners to consider the following: (1) construction uncertainties, (2) construction resources (i.e., material, equipment, and workers), (3) site layout constraints, and (4) mutual impacts between site layout and construction plan variables, for site layout planning of construction projects. <i>Results</i>: The developed DST visualizes the site layout plan within a simulation environment and provides seamless interactions between the site layout model and the simulation model. These capabilities facilitate planning construction site layout using simulation by establishing two-way information flows between the site layout and simulation components, which can further promote application of simulation in construction site layout planning. Usefulness and practicality of the proposed DST is demonstrated in site layout planning of a steel erection project. <i>Conclusions</i>: Using this DST can reduce some common wastes in construction projects and the cost associated with them, including on-site transportation, material handling and storage, and waiting time for the material arrival.
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spelling doaj-art-cbe4f45b3ca64c68a20e6078a77ffedc2025-08-20T03:58:54ZengMDPI AGLogistics2305-62902021-09-01546510.3390/logistics5040065Construction Site Layout Planning Using a Simulation-Based Decision Support ToolSeyedReza RazaviAlavi0Simaan AbouRizk1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2W2, CanadaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2W2, Canada<i>Background</i>: A site layout plan is one of the important decisions to be made in the planning phase of each construction project as it can significantly impact on-site transportation, construction logistics, and safety. This decision could be complicated owing to the uncertainties inherent in construction projects and the complex relationships between the influencing factors and decision variables. <i>Methods</i>: To improve site layout planning, this study aims to develop a simulation-based decision support tool (DST) that enables planners to consider the following: (1) construction uncertainties, (2) construction resources (i.e., material, equipment, and workers), (3) site layout constraints, and (4) mutual impacts between site layout and construction plan variables, for site layout planning of construction projects. <i>Results</i>: The developed DST visualizes the site layout plan within a simulation environment and provides seamless interactions between the site layout model and the simulation model. These capabilities facilitate planning construction site layout using simulation by establishing two-way information flows between the site layout and simulation components, which can further promote application of simulation in construction site layout planning. Usefulness and practicality of the proposed DST is demonstrated in site layout planning of a steel erection project. <i>Conclusions</i>: Using this DST can reduce some common wastes in construction projects and the cost associated with them, including on-site transportation, material handling and storage, and waiting time for the material arrival.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/5/4/65site layout planningsimulationdecision support toolconstruction planninglogistics
spellingShingle SeyedReza RazaviAlavi
Simaan AbouRizk
Construction Site Layout Planning Using a Simulation-Based Decision Support Tool
Logistics
site layout planning
simulation
decision support tool
construction planning
logistics
title Construction Site Layout Planning Using a Simulation-Based Decision Support Tool
title_full Construction Site Layout Planning Using a Simulation-Based Decision Support Tool
title_fullStr Construction Site Layout Planning Using a Simulation-Based Decision Support Tool
title_full_unstemmed Construction Site Layout Planning Using a Simulation-Based Decision Support Tool
title_short Construction Site Layout Planning Using a Simulation-Based Decision Support Tool
title_sort construction site layout planning using a simulation based decision support tool
topic site layout planning
simulation
decision support tool
construction planning
logistics
url https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/5/4/65
work_keys_str_mv AT seyedrezarazavialavi constructionsitelayoutplanningusingasimulationbaseddecisionsupporttool
AT simaanabourizk constructionsitelayoutplanningusingasimulationbaseddecisionsupporttool