ElNimr, A A (2011) Enhancing space modeling and mobile resources planning in construction operations through a simulation driven visualization framework. PhD thesis, University of Alberta, Canada.
Abstract
Simulation modeling is a strong tool that has not been utilized to its expected potential in day to day construction industry activities. One of the reasons contributing to that is the inability of simulation models to depict changes in site space in an intuitive way. This research tries to address this limitation in simulation modeling by developing a simulation driven visualization (SDV) framework which helps in modeling changes in both: site space geometry and site layout, throughout a simulated construction project. This framework makes use of the robustness inherited in simulation techniques and 3D modeling to provide a powerful tool that addresses the inability of simulation models to represent construction sites’ spatial data in an intuitive way. The framework’s pathfinding mechanism extension (PME) builds on the framework ability to model changes in space, through performing tempo-spatial planning for resources mobilization in a dynamically changing site layout throughout the lifecycle of a construction project. This is done through the site mesh generation mechanism and the A* search algorithm implemented inside the framework. Simulation driven visualization is a relatively new area of research in the construction management field. This area of research integrates Computer-Aided Design (CAD) modeling with animation and simulation techniques to create SDV frameworks or mechanisms that build on the strengths of each of those individual components. Although the prominent of those frameworks have contributed much to this area of research in the construction management field, they do have some limitations. To achieve the aforementioned aims, this developed framework had to address some of the technical limitations that exist in the current construction research state of the art SDV mechanisms. This research presents a new SDV framework which uses distributed simulation as its foundation. In addition to using this framework to achieve the aforementioned goals, the framework is also used to validate construction logic and validate simulation models. The research also makes use of visual analytics and display design principles in the framework’s visualization component conceptual design and the transformation of the simulation’s object classes’ statuses into visualization behaviors, respectively.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Mahamed, Y |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction project; construction site; 3D modeling; animation; computer-aided design; lifecycle; site layout; visualization; simulation |
| Index terms: | lifecycle, spatial data, simulation modelling, construction industry, modelling, 3D modelling, geometry, spatial planning, construction operation, transformation, computer aided design, state of the art, construction project, conceptual design, visualization, site layout, design principle, construction site |
| Subjects: | design methods, mathematical modelling, business, computational design, research dissemination and communication, site logistics, project delivery, analytical methods, construction operations, work location, urban design, production management, spatial and geospatial analysis, design practice, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Project Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Digital Applications, Design Practice, Site Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here