An industry perspective on the role of equipment-based earthmoving simulation

Over the last two decades, simulation of construction operations has gained momentum in its ability to provide solutions and understand complex problems. However, there still remains a distinct gap between its role in academia and industry. This gap is not necessarily due to the strategy - process interaction or activity scanning - but in the orientation towards application. The success of a simulation program lies in harnessing the collaborative features within a complex pattern of hierarchical levels and user groups. For this purpose, simulation is classified into macro and micro-level. User groups vary from manufacturer to supplier, and to the owner (contractor). The purpose varies from designing machines and components, to sales and customer-support, and to process design and improvement. The functions of a simulation program must facilitate decision-making for each user group that can be only achieved by the integration of micro- and macro-level simulation. In addition, the role of simulation will constantly evolve with the advent of emerging technologies. In this paper, the authors present a discussion on the role of simulation in e-commerce from the perspective of construction equipment industry