Cell-based representation and analysis of spatial resources in construction simulation

Space is one of the resources that may cause crucial problems during construction. Discrete event simulation has been widely used in construction to allocate resources and improve productivity or mitigate conflicts. However, simulation research that provides an explicit method to investigate possible space conflicts is still limited. This paper suggests a cell-based modeling approach to represent space resources in construction simulation, which enables conflict analysis and visualization of the work site and the occupation of spaces. A detailed procedure for the cell-based modeling method is discussed. The new modeling approach is compared with MicroCYCLONE as a representative of conventional construction simulation tools to identify the advantages and limitations of each method in spatial resource representation. Furthermore, a case study is used to demonstrate the feasibility of the new approach. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.