Object-oriented technology for enhancing activity-based modeling functionality

Computer simulation is a powerful tool for analyzing and optimizing real-world systems with a wide range of successful applications. However, construction engineers have difficulty in mastering such techniques, particularly in modeling a construction process because existing simulation modeling methods require the user to manipulate many modeling elements in order to construct a simulation model for the process. The activity-based construction (ABC) modeling method provides an easy-to-use approach with one single element, e.g., activity, for modeling a construction process. This paper discusses the integration of object-oriented technology with ABC. The object-oriented technology allows each activity contain six classes of attributes describing the characteristics of the activity including duration, logical sequence, resource requirement, etc. These attributes are relevant to individual activities, and can be easily understood by an engineer who is familiar with the process. After incorporating these attributes, powerful modeling and simulation functions are realized. The integration greatly enhances the capability of ABC so that the enhanced ABC system has achieved both flexibility and ease-of-use essential for a construction simulation system.

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