Simulation of the Illinois waterway locks system

A computer simulation model of the locks system on the Illinois Waterway is described. The model was developed using ProModel for Windows and includes boats and barge tows traveling through the locks system and operation of the locks. Entities with attributes are used to simulate the boats and barge tows that enter the system, travel either upstream or downstream through the locks, and then leave the system. Locations are used for the locks and for entry and exiting of the boats and barge tows. The operation of the locks is simulated through the use of variables, resources, and operation logic in the processing module. The handling of both boats and barge tows in the locks greatly complicates the simulation model, since their differences in size is significant. For example, a lockage can easily handle ten or more boats, while a barge tow with fifteen barges can require a double lockage (typically nine barges for the first lockage and six barges and the tow boat for the second lockage). At times both barge tows and boats are included in a single lockage.