Spatio-temporal deduction of floor construction based on the agent modeling of construction actors

Abstract

Agent-based modeling and simulation can help reveal the progress and information flow of construction and assess on-site construction strategies based on a bottom–up approach. Despite research on multiple decision agents in the construction process, questions regarding the on-site behavior of construction performers and their interaction with the site remain unanswered. This study aims to simulate the evolution of the construction process and time-space congestion in the space-limited floor plan of a building construction with multiple construction actors involved. It first establishes a multidimensional simulation environment that includes work procedures, work planes, and component states. It then summarizes the spatio-temporal attributes of the construction behaviors that encapsulate them as construction agents. Finally, the interaction mechanism between the agent and multidimensional simulation environment and the competition mechanism between agents are defined, such that the effects of the congestion, process, and materials can be simulated based on the actions of the agents. The results of the established multiagent system (MAS) are verified based on traditional discrete-event time simulation results. Without considering the effects of resource (crew, materials, and equipment) flows, the simulation results of the two are consistent; the established MAS can additionally study the general emergence of results through the adjustment of agent attributes and serves as a reliable tool to predict the impact of construction measures for on-site managers. In addition, it can help analyze the adverse impact of work plane congestion on construction. Accordingly, a unique optimization direction is provided and verified.