Construction Management Utilizing 4D CAD and Operations Simulation Methodologies

The paper presents applications of simplified discrete-event simulation (SDESA), and 4D-GCPSU, to the National Stadium of the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Taking into account influential factors, e.g., resource, spatial condition, and the randomness of the construction process, the installation process of the steel-structure was simulated and optimized by using genetic algorithm (GA) optimization methodology. The operations simulation shortened the installation duration by 39 days (about 16% of the original total duration), guided the manufacturers to plan the construction processes, and provided specific suggestions on the entry time of the installation components, resulting in resource allocation optimization, resource saving, and construction efficiency improvement. Combining with the optimized schedule, the 4D visualization environment can discover time-space conflicts timely, and may assist project managers to reschedule the construction activities in tune with the site layout and resource allocation.