Capacity assessment of Lasse’s quay and the impact of the quay extensions on waiting time by using a digital twin : Case Vaasa Harbour

Layout changes can be expensive. Especially changes in the layout of ports, such as the construction of new quays or the extension of quays, are often very expensive and the implementation of the construction work often takes a lot of time. For this reason, it is necessary to use the most appropriate means and tools to study the needs and possible effects of the extensions, so that the effects of the expensive construction works can be evaluated as comprehensively as possible. It is also often necessary to compare different extension options with each other to choose a solution where the ratio of costs and benefits is as efficient as possible. Kvarken Ports Ltd, which operates the port of Vaasa, wanted to find out the impact of different expansion options on the port's capacity and waiting times, as well as the most suitable schedule for liner traffic and the best possible location of the ramp used by liner traffic in the port. The study examined three different expansion phases. Phase 1, where the length of Lasse's Quay was increased by 144 meters, Phase 2, where the ramp used by liner traffic is located at the southern end of Lasse's Quay, and Phase 2, where the liner traffic ramp is located in the new quay area. Anylogic 8 software was used in the study, which is a versatile simulation software that can be used to implement various simulation models such as logistics, supply chain, and production facility simulations. Anylogic 8 was used to create Discrete-event simulation models of the Present state of the port, Phase 1, and two different versions of Phase 2. The operation of these models was tested by increasing Lasse's Quay traffic between 0-25% in six different simulation runs per scenario model. The schedules for the 5-year simulation tests were created using the 2021-2022 schedule data. Data on the utilization rate of Lasse's Quay and the waiting times of ships were collected from different scenarios. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that the planned extensions will significantly reduce waiting times at Lasse's Quay in all traffic growth scenarios. The best location for the liner traffic ramp is in the new quay area, but also the location at Lasse's quay does not cause excessive congestion and is cheaper and faster to implement. The best arrival time for liner traffic is on Tuesday at 4 p.m. It is worth noting that with better planning and traffic optimization, the operation of Lasse's Quay could be made more efficient.Layout muutokset voivat olla kalliita. Erityisesti satamien layoutin muutokset, kuten uusien laiturien rakentaminen tai laiturien laajentaminen, ovat usein erittäin kalliita ja rakennustöiden toteuttaminen vie usein paljon aikaa. Tästä syystä laajennustarpeiden ja mahdollisten vaikutusten selvittämiseen on käytettävä tarkoituksenmukaisia metodeita ja työkaluja, jotta kalliiden rakennustöiden vaikutukset voidaan arvioida mahdollisimman kattavasti. Usein on myös tarpeen vertailla eri laajennusvaihtoehtoja keskenään, jotta voidaan valita ratkaisu, jossa kustannusten ja hyötyjen suhde on mahdollisimman tehokas. Vaasan satamaa operoiva Kvarken Ports Oy halusi selvittää erilaisten laajennusvaihtoehtojen vaikutusta sataman kapasiteettiin ja odotusaikoihin, sopivimman aikataulun linjaliikenteelle, sekä linjaliikenteen käyttämän rampin parhaan mahdollisen sijoituspaikan satamassa. Tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin kolmea eri laajennusvaihetta: Vaihe 1, jossa Lassen laiturin pituutta kasvatettiin 144 metriä; Vaihe 2, jossa linjaliikenteen käyttämä ramppi sijaitsee Lassen laiturin eteläpäässä; ja toinen vaihtoehto Vaiheesta 2, jossa linjaliikenteen käyttämä ramppi sijaitsee uudella laiturialueella. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin työkaluna Anylogic 8 -ohjelmistoa, joka on monipuolinen simulointiohjelmisto, jonka avulla voidaan luoda ja toteuttaa erilaisia simulaatiomalleja, kuten logistiikka-, toimitusketju- ja tuotantolaitossimulaatioita. Anylogic 8:lla luotiin Diskreetti-tapahtumasimulaatiomallit sataman nykytilasta, vaiheesta 1 ja vaiheen 2 kahdesta eri vaihtoehdosta. Näiden mallien toimintaa testattiin lisäämällä Lassen laiturin liikennettä välillä 0–25 % kuudessa eri liikenteen kasvuskenaariossa. 5 vuoden simulaatiotestien aikataulut luotiin käyttämällä vuosien 2021–2022 aikataulutietoja. Eri skenaarioista kerättiin tietoja Lassen laiturin käyttöasteesta ja laivojen odotusajoista. Tutkimuksen tulosten perusteella voidaan päätellä, että kaikki suunnitellut laajennukset vähentävät merkittävästi Lassen laiturin liikenteen odotusaikoja kaikissa liikenteen kasvuskenaarioissa. Linjaliikenteen käyttämän rampin paras mahdollinen sijainti on uudella laiturialueella, mutta myöskään sijainti Lassen laiturilla ei aiheuta liiallista ruuhkautumista ja on kustannuksiltaan halvempi, sekä nopeampi toteuttaa. Linjaliikenteen paras saapumisaika Lassen laituriin on tiistaina klo 16. On huomionarvoista, että paremmalla suunnittelulla ja liikenteen optimoinnilla Lassen laiturin toimintaa voitaisiin tehostaa

Effective Human Resources Recruiting and Hiring Practices for Improving Organizational Performance

The purpose of this single case study was to explore the recruiting and hiring practices used by human resources (HR) and recruitment managers to support organizational goals for performance improvement. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 4 HR and recruitment managers from a vegetation management company in Pennsylvania and review of organizational documents. Bertalanffy\u27s general systems theory (GST) and Thelen and Smith\u27s dynamic systems theory (DST) were the basis for the study\u27s conceptual framework. Data reliability and validity were achieved through an interview protocol, member checks, interview transcriptions, and methodological triangulation. The study included an inductive analysis of interviewees\u27 responses to identify patterns and themes. Four themes emerged from data analysis: improved strategies, practices, and processes to strengthen performance; methods for adhering to contractor and federal compliance requirements; sound measurement of HR performance and evaluation of candidates\u27 needs; and incorporation of recruitment process outsourcing. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to improve HR strategies used to attract candidates through social media applications, competitive compensation packages, and streamlined onboarding processes. These practices and new workers may lead to increased productivity and a competitive advantage for businesses, which may result in enhanced employment opportunities in Pennsylvania communities

Hybrid Multiresolution Simulation & Model Checking: Network-On-Chip Systems

abstract: Designers employ a variety of modeling theories and methodologies to create functional models of discrete network systems. These dynamical models are evaluated using verification and validation techniques throughout incremental design stages. Models created for these systems should directly represent their growing complexity with respect to composition and heterogeneity. Similar to software engineering practices, incremental model design is required for complex system design. As a result, models at early increments are significantly simpler relative to real systems. While experimenting (verification or validation) on models at early increments are computationally less demanding, the results of these experiments are less trustworthy and less rewarding. At any increment of design, a set of tools and technique are required for controlling the complexity of models and experimentation. A complex system such as Network-on-Chip (NoC) may benefit from incremental design stages. Current design methods for NoC rely on multiple models developed using various modeling frameworks. It is useful to develop frameworks that can formalize the relationships among these models. Fine-grain models are derived using their coarse-grain counterparts. Moreover, validation and verification capability at various design stages enabled through disciplined model conversion is very beneficial. In this research, Multiresolution Modeling (MRM) is used for system level design of NoC. MRM aids in creating a family of models at different levels of scale and complexity with well-formed relationships. In addition, a variant of the Discrete Event System Specification (DEVS) formalism is proposed which supports model checking. Hierarchical models of Network-on-Chip components may be created at different resolutions while each model can be validated using discrete-event simulation and verified via state exploration. System property expressions are defined in the DEVS language and developed as Transducers which can be applied seamlessly for model checking and simulation purposes. Multiresolution Modeling with verification and validation capabilities of this framework complement one another. MRM manages the scale and complexity of models which in turn can reduces V&V time and effort and conversely the V&V helps ensure correctness of models at multiple resolutions. This framework is realized through extending the DEVS-Suite simulator and its applicability demonstrated for exemplar NoC models.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Computer Science 201

Variantenmanagement in der Modellbildung und Simulation unter Verwendung des SES/MB Frameworks

Die vorliegende Arbeit leistet einen Beitrag zur Entwicklung von allgemeinen Methoden zum Variantenmanagement in der Modellbildung und Simulation bis auf die Ebene der Simulationsexperimente und zur automatisierten Ausführung von Simulationsexperimenten. Der Lösungsvorschlag basiert auf der modular-hierarchischen Modellbildung und dem System Entity Structure/Model Base Framework. Das Variantenmanagement umfasst die Phasen Variantenanalyse, -formalisierung, -implementierung und –generierung. Weiterhin wird ein Konzeptrahmen zum automatisierten Experimentieren erarbeitet.This thesis contributes to the development of general methods for variant management in modelling and simulation up to the simulation experiments’ level and their automated execution. The proposed solution is developed based on the modular-hierarchical modeling approach and the System Entity Structure/Model Base Framework. The variant management comprises the phases variant analysis, variant formalization, variant implementation and variant generation. Moreover, a framework for automated experimentation is proposed

A New Specification-based Qualitative Metric for Simulation Model Validity

International audienceInformal validation techniques such as simulation are extensively used in the development of embedded systems. Formal approaches such as model-checking and testing are important means to carry out Verification and Validation (V&V) activities. Model-checking consists in exploring all possible behaviours of a model in order to perform a qualitative and quantitative analysis. However, this method remains of limited use as it runs into the problem of combinatorial explosion. Testing and model-checking do not take into account the context of use objectives of the model. Simulation overcomes these problems but it is not exhaustive. Submitted to simulation scenarios which are an operational formulation of the V&V activity considered, simulation consists in exploring a subset of the state space of the model. This paper proposes a formal approach to assess simulation scenarios. The formal specification of a model and the simulation scenarios applied to that model serve to compute the effective evolutions taken by the simulation. It is then possible to check whether a simulation fulfils its intended purpose. To illustrate this approach, the application study of an intelligent cruise controller is presented. The main contribution of this paper is that combining simulation objectives and formal methods leads to define a qualitative metric for a simulation evaluation without running a simulation