Holistic enhancement of the production analysis of bituminous paving operations

The construction and repair of highways are becoming very important in these days of crumbling infrastructure. Costs for these projects have continued to increase. In order for contractors to stay competitive, it is essential that their construction operations be as productive as possible. Money for research usually does not exist for the average contractor. An inexpensive solution for production studies is process simulation, which can help improve the productivity of construction operations. This paper focuses on the paving cycle of a highway resurfacing project, using MicroCyclone simulation software. The process modelling using MicroCyclone is applied readily to any construction cyclic process, and aids the engineer in determining the most economical and efficient way to plan resources for processes. Different production parameters are measured and translated to a utility factor that indicates the performance of the system. Results from the utility factor perspective are considered more sensitive in decision making, owing to the holistic nature of the utility factor. Numerous statistical runs were undertaken, and parameters were weighted and averaged. Based on the holistic analysis, it was possible to establish that 12 trucks were optimal for the system, a determination that cannot be made using deterministic analysis, but that a 7% waste of resources was unavoidable with the existing system of resources. This paper highlights the analytical method of using MicroCyclone output to generate useful information that can be used to compare in detail the performance of different scenarios.