Using specification and description language for life cycle assesment in buildings

The definition of a Life Cycle Assesment (LCA) for a building or an urban area is a complex task due to the inherent complexity of all the elements that must be considered. Furthermore, a multidisciplinary approach is required due to the different sources of knowledge involved in this project. This multidisciplinary approach makes it necessary to use formal language to fully represent the complexity of the used models. In this paper, we explore the use of Specification and Description Language (SDL) to represent the LCA of a building and residential area. We also introduce a tool that uses this idea to implement an optimization and simulation mechanism to define the optimal solution for the sustainability of a specific building or residential.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A aprendizagem da simulação através dos diagramas ciclo de atividades : uma ferramenta de modelação

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia e Gestão de Sistemas de InformaçãoA metodologia de ensino e aprendizagem da simulação para estudantes universitários, nomeadamente no que concerne à simulação discreta, não tem dado o desejável relevo à compreensão dos conceitos-base da simulação — antes se concentra nas questões de sintaxe associadas às ferramentas de simulação utilizadas, nos quais se incluem ferramentas comerciais de simulação e linguagens de programação genéricas. Esta é tida como uma das razões para que a simulação não tenha ainda atingido os níveis de utilização que o seu inegável potencial de aplicabilidade exigiria. Este trabalho pretende, por isso, explorar formas de reforçar o entendimento dos conceitos basilares da simulação, apoiadas no esforço de modelação — Diagramas de Ciclo de Atividades. Assim, pretende-se desenvolver uma ferramenta que exija aos alunos esse conhecimento de modelação e que, através dos modelos construídos, consiga construir o programa de simulação, que quando executado permitirá analisar os resultados da simulação. Uma vez que se desconhece a exequibilidade da construção da ferramenta a que nos propomos, e porque a atividade é um conceito, historicamente, pouco explorado pelos fabricantes de ferramentas de simulação, para justificar o investimento no desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta desta natureza, proceder-se-á neste trabalho à construção de um primeiro protótipo. Depois de enquadrado o problema que se pretende resolver com o desenvolvimento da ferramenta, e de definidos os objetivos para o protótipo, proceder-se-á descrição de cada um dos esforços de desenvolvimento. A validade da solução apresentada será posta à prova através da resolução de três casos de estudos, normalmente utilizados no ensino de simulação.The methodology of learning and teaching simulation for college students, namely in regard to the discrete simulation, has not given the desired emphasis to the understanding of the basic concepts of simulation – instead it concentrates on questions of syntax, associated to the tools employed for simulation, in which are included commercial tools for simulation and generic programming languages. This is regarded as one of the reasons why simulation has not yet achieved the levels of use that its undeniable potential of applicability would demand. This work therefore seeks to explore ways of reinforcing the understanding of the core concepts of simulation, supported on the effort of modeling – Activity Cycle Diagrams. Thus, it is intended the development of a tool that demands from the students, that modeling knowledge, and through the constructed models, be able to build the simulation program. Since one does not know the feasibility of the construction of the tool that we propose, and because the activity is a concept historically poorly explored by the manufacturers of simulation tools, to justify the investment on the development of a tool of this nature, it will be undertaken, in this work, the construction of the first prototype. Once framed the problem to be solved with the development of the tool, and the definition of the objectives for the prototype, it will be described every one of the efforts of development. The validity of the solution presented will be put to the test by the resolution of three case studies, normally used in the teaching of simulation

Simulation of product transportation in open pit mines

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Engineering Johannesburg, 2015Open pit mines account for more than 60 percent of all surface mines, and haulage costs account for almost 60 percent of total operating costs for these mines. It necessitates maintaining an efficient haulage system where all fleet equipment performs effectively to achieve the mine’s objectives. Discrete event simulation supported by animation offers a powerful method for evaluating such systems. This research has developed a simulation software program using Visual Basic for Application (VBA), GPSS/H (General Purpose Simulation System), and PROOF 5 animation. Remaining within the defined assumptions and boundary conditions, the research combines the powers of three software languages to build a general-purpose, data-driven, and user-friendly simulation program. The research focuses on the study and simulation of some of the important complexities of the truck haulage system. These include uncertainty or system randomness, fleet heterogeneity, multi-loader multi-dump sites, bunching of haulers, and hauler dispatching. In the developed simulation program, the user is required to provide the inputs in the user-friendly environment of VBA. The simulation program arranges the inputs in a pre-arranged format and then sends them to GPSS/H. The simulation language generates a discrete event simulation model based on the receiving structural and operational data. After simulating the system, the model generates the simulation outputs and animation commands in separate files. VBA displays a summary of the simulation results, and PROOF 5 demonstrates the results in a 2-dimensional graphical animation along with detailed information. This research also includes three case studies based on hypothetical mines for the analysis of simulation results. It establishes comparisons between the dispatching policies of fixed allocation and variable allocation of Minimize Production Requirements (MPR), and shows that the MPR policy is more suitable to achieve the quality control objectives. The developed simulation program contributes by demonstrating the powers of simulation to analyse open pit haulage systems. It also shows how simulation can be utilized as a useful technique to answer many ‘what-if?’ questions and scenarios

MULTIPLE DISCRETE-EVENT SIMULATION AND ANIMATION MODELS TO ASSIST MODERN MINING OPERATIONS

This research investigation was conducted to develop, execute, and analyze a collection of discrete-event system simulation and animation models for different modern mining operations and systems, including two open-pit gold mines, an aggregate mine (sand and gravel), an open-cast (strip) coal mine, and an underground mine evacuation operation. The mine simulation and animation models aimed to study and assess a wide range of practical unique and common "what if?" scenarios that the mine engineers and managers of the case studies posed in different aspects during the research. A comprehensive and detailed literature review was also performed to provide a summary of the published discrete-event system simulation projects and their applications in the mining and mineral industry. The simulation results of the investigation were effectively implemented to assist the engineers in maximizing the productivity of the mines, improving the operation processes, reducing the environmental impact of the haulage operations, and enhancing the equipment utilization in various case studies. In addition, due to the shortage of powerful and flexible computer simulation tools in designing and analyzing underground mining evacuation operations and rescue equipment with respect to the mine operating characteristics and layout, the discrete-event system simulation and animation technique was innovatively implemented for modeling these complex systems. GPSS/H® and PROOF Professional® were the simulation language and animation software used for this research work