This paper presents a new application of process simulation to construction activities to assess the operational and economic impacts of technological innovations. The first construction model developed is structural steel erection, and this model is used to identify the potential benefits and costs of eight specific erection innovations, and any changes that may be required in material, equipment, or process to use them. The model includes the process flow diagram of detailed tasks which is matched to specific design elements, production rates, operating conditions and resources to calculate activity durations, taking into account the capacity of the resources, worker safety, structural stability and other constraints. The results from the simulation model incorporating the erection innovations indicate that structural steel erection could be significantly improved by the use of some technical innovations. In addition, the use of simulation for the evaluation of construction methods offers great promise.
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