Simulation based process mapping for the fabrication of bridge girders

Modern construction projects have been shifting to offsite prefabrication with hopes of enhancing performance and improving productivity. Off-site construction of structures such as heavy structural steel bridges involves the fabrication of a significant portion of the required construction components including bridge girders and assemblies in off-site fabrication facilities in a more controlled environment before delivering finished components to the construction site for erection. Unlike manufacturing, steel fabrication is labor intensive and less automated while undergoes frequent change orders and shop layout changes. These features make tracking the daily utilization of the workforce and thus labor cost and productivity difficult. To address this issue, a simplified discrete simulation approach (SDESA) is implemented to build an integrated data-driven system as an effective tool for modeling the operational details involved in the fabrication of bridge girders which supports estimating, scheduling and analyzing production.