Optimization of Earthmoving Operations in Construction Engineering through the Integration of Discrete Event Simulation and Genetic Algorithms

Earthmoving in the Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) field is a critical process that significantly impacts the project's time and cost. Earthwork involves applying various expensive pieces of equipment, such as shovels and trucks, to displace a certain amount of earth, which is costly and time-consuming. Inefficient allocation of these resources can lead to severe waste of time and cost overruns, ultimately extending the project's completion time. This paper introduces an innovative tool designed to mitigate these issues. A framework is proposed to optimize the allocation of shovels and trucks by integrating Discrete Event Simulation (DES) with a Genetic Algorithm (GA). The presented approach initiates by assigning shovels to dig points based on their capacities and allocating a proper truck fleet to each shovel, thereby improving the efficiency of the earthmoving process. The combination of DES and GA provides a robust framework that enhances resource utilization and significantly reduces overall project duration and costs. The results indicated an increase in the average utilization rate of shovels and trucks, from ۵۶% to ۵۸.۵۲%. This study's findings demonstrate the presented approach's effectiveness in achieving more efficient earthmoving operations in construction projects, paving the way for its broader application in the field.

کلیدواژه ها:

Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) ، Discrete Event Simulation (DES) ، Genetic Algorithm (GA) ، Earthmoving ، Optimization.