Prediction and improvement of labor productivity using hybrid system dynamics and agent-based modeling approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa Khanzadi ◽  
Farnad Nasirzadeh ◽  
Mostafa Mir ◽  
Pouya Nojedehi
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Hybrid Simulation ◽  
Simulation Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Execution Strategy

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a hybrid simulation approach for predicting the value of labor productivity taking account of various continuous influencing factors and the interactions between different agents involved in the project. Design/methodology/approach The various continuous factors affecting labor productivity are simulated using system dynamics (SD). The heterogeneity of different agents involved in the project and their interactions is accounted using agent-based modelling (ABM). The developed ABM and SD models are finally integrated to simulate the value of labor productivity taking account of all the influencing factors. Findings The proposed hybrid simulation tool is implemented in a real project to evaluate its perfomance. The value of labor productivity is simulated by taking account of all the influencing factors. The most appropriate execution strategy is then selected using the developed hybrid SD-ABM approach to improve productivity. It is shown that the number of working groups and their movement patterns affect the severity of the groups’ interferences which will in turn affect the value of labor productivity. Practical implications This research helps project managers to predict and improve the value of labor productivity taking account of all the influencing factors. Originality/value It is believed that the proposed hybrid SD-ABM simulation approach offers a novel and robust tool for modeling labor productivity because the effects of various continuous influencing factors and the interactions between different agents are taken into account through the combination of SD and ABM. Many complex problems faced in construction projects involve interacting elements of a different nature, and the integration of SD with ideas from ABM offers potential to combine the strengths of the two methodologies to solve the problem.

scholarly journals Modeling of workers’ learning behavior in construction projects using agent-based approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 559-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Behzad Mahjoubpour ◽  
Farnad Nasirzadeh ◽  
Mahmoud Mohammad Hosein Zadeh Golabchi ◽  
Maryam Ramezani Khajehghiasi ◽  
Mostafa Mir
Keyword(s):  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Steel Structure ◽  
Learning Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Social Ability ◽  
And Performance

Purpose Learning as the way in which labor acquire new knowledge and skills has important strategic implications for the competitive advantage of an organization. The purpose of this paper is to present an agent-based modeling (ABM) approach to investigate the learning behavior of workers. The effect of interactions among different workers as well as the factors affecting the workers’ learning behavior is assessed using the proposed ABM approach. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, the processes through which the competency value of worker is changed are understood and the workers’ learning behavior is modeled, taking account of various influencing factors such as knowledge flow, social ability to teach and forgetting factor. Findings The proposed model is implemented on a real steel structure project to evaluate its applicability and performance. The variation in the competency value of different workers involved in the project is simulated over time taking account of all the influencing factors using the proposed ABM approach. Practical implications In order to assess the effect of interactions among welders as well as the welders’ characteristics on their learning behavior, the competence value of different welders is evaluated. Originality/value This research presents an ABM approach to investigate the workers’ learning behavior. To evaluate the performance of the proposed ABM approach, it was implemented on a real steel structure project. The learning behavior of different welders (agents) was simulated taking account of their interactions as well as the factors affecting the welders’ learning behavior. The project involved the welding of a 240-ton steel structure. The initial project duration was estimated as 100 days. In this project, it has been planned to execute the welding process using three different welders namely welder A, B and C.

Hybrid fuzzy-system dynamics approach for quantification of the impacts of construction claims

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1261-1276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farnad Nasirzadeh ◽  
David G. Carmichael ◽  
Mohammad Jafar Jarban ◽  
Mozhdeh Rostamnezhad
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Fuzzy System ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Quantitative Model ◽  
Related Structure ◽  
Flexible Tool ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Claims

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a novel hybrid fuzzy-system dynamics (SD) approach for the quantification of the impacts of construction claims. Design/methodology/approach The most significant claims affecting a project are identified. The various factors affecting the impacts of claims are identified. Then, the qualitative model of construction claims is constructed considering the complex inter-related structure of the influencing factors. The mathematical relationships among the variables are determined and the quantitative model of claims is built. Finally, fuzzy logic is integrated into the proposed model to take into account the existing uncertainties. Findings To show the capabilities of the proposed simulation model, it is implemented on a real project and the impacts of the identified claims on the project cost are quantified. It is shown that the external interactions among different claims can intensify their overall impact. Research limitations/implications Identification of interactions among various influencing factors is not an easy job when there are a large number of claims in a project. Well-qualified experts and the existence of historical data may limit the application of the proposed method in projects with limited data and/or qualified experts. Practical implications The proposed hybrid fuzzy-SD approach provides a practical and flexible tool that can be used in various construction projects to assess the cost impacts of construction claims taking into account their complex interactions. Using the proposed method, the accuracy of achieved results is increased compared to conventional methods that are used for the quantification of claims since the complex inter-related structure of influencing factors and the claims interactions are taken into account. One of the capabilities of the proposed hybrid fuzzy-SD method is its flexibility. Depending on the type of contract and the parties involved in the project, the proposed hybrid fuzzy-SD method can be used during different stages of the project life cycle to model and quantify claims. Originality/value The proposed approach may present a flexible and robust method for quantification of construction claims. The novelty aspects of this paper are as follows: the extensively complex structure of claims arising from both internal and external interactions is accounted for using SD. The existing uncertainties affecting the impacts of a claim are taken into account.

Agent-embedded system dynamics (aeSD) modeling approach for analyzing worker policies: a research case on construction worker absenteeism

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sungjoo Hwang ◽  
Seungjun Ahn ◽  
SangHyun Lee
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Hybrid Simulation ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Simulation Experiments ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Modeling Approach ◽  
Policy Testing ◽  
Sd Model

Purpose Both system dynamics (SD) and agent-based modeling (ABM) have been used in simulation-based group dynamics research. To combine the advantages of both simulation approaches, the concept of SD-ABM hybrid simulation has been proposed. However, research efforts to compare the effectiveness of modeling approaches between the hybrid and non-hybrid models in the context of group dynamics study are rare. Against this background, this study aims to propose an agent-embedded SD (aeSD) modeling approach and demonstrate its advantages when compared to pure SD or ABM modeling approaches, based on a research case on construction workers’ social absenteeism. Design/methodology/approach The authors introduce an aeSD modeling approach to incorporate individual attributes and interactions among individuals in an SD model. An aeSD model is developed to replicate the behavior of an agent-based model previously developed by the authors to study construction workers’ group behavior regarding absenteeism. Then, the characteristics of the aeSD model in comparison with a pure ABM or SD model are demonstrated through various simulation experiments. Findings It is demonstrated that an aeSD model can capture the diversity of individuals and simulate emergent system behaviors arising from interactions among heterogeneous agents while holding the strengths of an SD model in identifying causal feedback loops and policy testing. Specifically, the effectiveness of the aeSD approach in policy testing is demonstrated through examples of simulation experiments designed to test various group-level and individual-level interventions to control social absence behavior of workers (e.g. changing work groupings, influencing workgroup networks and communication channels) under the consideration of the context of construction projects. Originality/value The proposed aeSD modeling method is a novel approach to how individual attributes of agents can be modeled into an SD model. Such an embedding-based approach is distinguished from the previous communication-based hybrid simulation approaches. The demonstration example presented in the paper shows that the aeSD modeling approach has advantages in studying group dynamic behavior, especially when the modeling of the interactions and networks between individuals is needed within an SD structure. The simulation experiments conducted in this study demonstrate the characteristics of the aeSD approach distinguishable from both ABM and SD. Based on the results, it is argued that the aeSD modeling approach would be useful in studying construction workers’ social behavior and investigating worker policies through computer simulation.

Modeling social sustainability in construction projects by integrating system dynamics and fuzzy‐DEMATEL method: a case study of highway project

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1595-1618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mozhdeh Rostamnezhad ◽  
Farnad Nasirzadeh ◽  
Mostafa Khanzadi ◽  
Mohammad Jafar Jarban ◽  
Masoud Ghayoumian
Keyword(s):  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Related Structure ◽  
Fuzzy Dematel ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
The Social

PurposeThis research aims to model the social dimension of sustainability in construction projects. A new hybrid system dynamic (SD)–fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method is proposed to analyze the various factors affecting social aspect of sustainability taking into account their complex interactions.Design/methodology/approachThe various factors affecting the social dimension of sustainable development are identified based on the opinions of 12 experts with an extensive experience in highway construction projects and a thorough knowledge and/or professional experience in the sustainability area. The qualitative model of social sustainability is constructed using SD approach and the complex inter-related structure of the various influencing factors are modeled using cause and effect feedback loops. Fuzzy set theory is applied to model the uncertainty of human judgments. The importance of various influencing factors is then determined quantitatively taking account of their complex interactions using the proposed SD-fuzzy DEMATEL method. The most significant influencing factors are finally determined.FindingsTo evaluate the performance of the proposed method, it is implemented on a real highway project and the importance of various factors affecting the social sustainability is determined. A set of complex interrelated factors affecting social sustainability are divided into cause and effect groups, and the root causes affecting the social sustainability performance of the project are determined. Therefore, the required managerial actions can be taken to improve the social sustainability.Research limitations/implicationsWell-qualified experts with a well-developed mental model of social sustainability are necessary to provide required input data for modeling social sustainability using the proposed approach. The absence of such experts could be a limitation for the implementation of the proposed model on a new project.Practical implicationsThe proposed Hybrid SD-fuzzy DEMATEL method provides a practical and robust tool to analyze the various factors affecting social sustainability taking into account their complex interactions.Originality/valueThe proposed method offers a more precise and accurate analysis of various factors affecting social sustainability of construction projects since the complex inter-related structure of influencing factors as well as the vague and imprecise nature of experts' judgment is taken into account efficiently.

A hybrid simulation approach for site layout planning in construction projects

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hosein Taghaddos ◽  
Mohammad Hosein Heydari ◽  
AmirHosein Asgari
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Discrete Event ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Hybrid Simulation ◽  
Simulation Approach ◽  
Dynamic Features ◽  
Layout Planning ◽  
Discrete State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Site Layout

Purpose This study aims to propose a hybrid simulation approach for site layout and material laydown planning in construction projects considering both the project’s continuous and discrete state. Design/methodology/approach Efficient site layout planning (SLP) is a critical task at the early stages of the project to enhance constructability and reduce safety risks, construction duration and cost. In this paper, external and internal conditions affecting SLP gets identified. Then dynamic features of project conditions and project operations are analyzed by using a hybrid simulation approach combining continuous simulation (CS) and discrete event simulation (DES). Findings An efficient site layout plan regarding the project conditions results in cost efficiency. Instead of using DES or CS alone, this paper uses a hybrid simulation approach. Such a hybrid method leads to more accurate results that enable construction managers to make better decisions, such as material management variables. The proposed approach is implemented in a real construction project (i.e. earthmoving operation) to evaluate the hybrid simulation approach’s performance. Practical implications The proposed approach is implemented in a real construction project (i.e. earthmoving operation) to evaluate the performance of the hybrid simulation approach. Originality/value Although DES is used widely in construction simulation, it involves some limitations or inefficiencies. On the other hand, modeling resource interactions and capturing the construction project’s holistic nature with CS or system dynamics face some challenges. This study uses a hybrid DES and CS approach to enhance commercial construction projects’ SLP.

Factors affecting the delivery of optimum health and safety on construction projects during the covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benviolent Chigara ◽  
Tirivavi Moyo
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Monitoring And Enforcement

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of construction professionals relative to factors that affect the delivery of optimum health and safety (H&S) on construction projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a quantitative design which entailed the distribution of a web-based questionnaire among construction professionals, namely, architects, construction/project managers, engineers, H&S managers and quantity surveyors working for contractors and construction consultants in Zimbabwe. The data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Factor analysis was used to reveal interrelated significant sets of factors affecting the delivery of optimum H&S. Findings Factor analysis revealed nine components/factors: change and innovation-related, monitoring and enforcement-related, production-related, access to information and health service-related, on-site facilities and welfare-related, risk assessment and mitigation-related, job security and funding-related, cost-related and COVID-19 risk perception-related factors as the significant factors affecting the delivery of optimum H&S during the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe. Research limitations/implications The results highlighted the need for social dialogue among construction stakeholders to support initiatives that will enhance the delivery of H&S on construction projects. Construction stakeholders may find the results useful in highlighting the areas that need improvement to protect workers’ H&S during the pandemic. However, the small sample limits the generalisability of the results to construction sectors in other regions. Originality/value The study investigated factors affecting the delivery of optimum H&S during the COVID-19 to inform interventions to enhance H&S.

scholarly journals A Hybrid Simulation Modelling Framework for Combining System Dynamics and Agent-Based Models

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Le Khanh Ngan Nguyen ◽  
◽  
Susan Howick ◽  
Itamar Megiddo ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Hybrid Simulation ◽  
Simulation Modelling ◽  
Agent Based Models ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Modelling Framework

A dynamic Modelling of Labor Productivity Impacts Arising from Change Orders in Road Projects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zain Ghazi Al-Kofahi ◽  
Amirsaman Mahdavian ◽  
Amr Oloufa
Keyword(s):  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Productivity Loss ◽  
Dynamic Modelling ◽  
Change Orders ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Road Projects ◽  
Change Order ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sd Model

It is vital to investigate the system dynamics (SD) between the change orders and labor productivity to identify the causes of the productivity loss of the construction projects. Most productivity loss studies were financed from the contractor’s part and rely on the contractor’s data. This research highlighted the problem of productivity loss resulting from issuance of a change order by utilizing a previously developed SD model. It conducted a sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of overtime, overmanning, temperature and learning on the behavior of the SD model quantifying change orders' impact on labor productivity. Based on the results, SD provides more reliable results comparing with the measured mile analysis (MMA) approach for the compensation request, considering the leading factors affecting the productivity loss other than the change order. The model developed in this study can accept or reject the responsibility of a change order for occurrence of productivity loss.

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