Simulation-optimization integrated approach to planning ready mixed concrete production and delivery: Validation and applications

Powered by the simulation and optimization engines resulting from recent research, a computer system named HKCONSIM is ready to provide concrete plant managers with decision support in making the best operation strategy for delivering concrete to multiple site clients. This paper demonstrates case studies of HKCONSIM applications in practical settings with emphasis on addressing two questions: (1) ¿Can HKCONSIM capture the complexities of the real world?¿ and (2) ¿How to take advantage of HKCONSIM to attain customer satisfaction and cost effectiveness?¿ A case study describing one-day operations of the batch plant is used to illustrate the decision support functions HKCONSIM can provide. The case study consists of four parts: (1) input data preparation, (2) the definitions of relevant measures of the system performance, (3) simulation model validation by comparing the simulation outputs against the actual records, and (4) further optimization analysis under three ¿what-if¿ scenarios postulated with practical implications. In conclusion, the batch plant operators can draw on HKCONSIM to augment their experiences, corroborate their intuitions, and create new intelligence in coping challenges in day-by-day operations planning.