Waiting Line Model in Construction Site

Cang Yeong Bok and Sie Long Kek

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia

Email : erickbok@ymail.com, slkek@uthm.edu.my

Abstract

Nowadays, many construction companies face the waiting line problem in their construction site and
cannot finish their project within schedule. This study is aimed at using the waiting line model and its
concept to help the performance of the construction site. The data set is obtained from Castle Royale
Towers Aundh-Khadki road, Pune. This data set is used for excavation process by Wheel mounter ripper.
The data of time cover loading, haul time for dumpers to and from, capacity and other details of the
trucks carrying out the muck outside the area. Operating characteristics is applied for measuring the
performance of the system. Besides that, the decision on total cost of the system and hourly production
are made by using the Griffin’s waiting line model. The total number of associated units are set to 5. As
the result, the total cost system is Rs. 16,300 (RM 1,067.45) and the hourly production is 28.30 m3 ,
where the unit cost is RS. 576.058 per 1 m3 for a hourly production. In conclusion, the use of the
Griffin’s waiting line model was applied successfully in studying the construction site in this study.

Keyword: Construction, Griffin’s Waiting line model, Performance

1.0 Introduction

Nowadays, many construction sites face the difficult problem with the time lost to line up of
the constructing and the cost of adding facilities for the queues for a system. As the result, they
will have lost a huge amount of business. Thus, the construction company starts applying the
queuing theory with waiting line model for cutting down the cost of productivity.
A waiting line model is comprising with single or numerous servers to provide a
service for customers, either finitely or infinitely. Additionally, the waiting line model is used
for determining an effective way of the operator working in a waiting line system [1]. Hence,
the average arrival rate of customers and average service time are importantly concerned in a
waiting line model. Moreover, the waiting line concept is applied to identify the performance
measures of the construction site and analysis the performance of the whole system of process
for ensuring the unwanted of cost to be reduced [2].
Besides that, the operating characteristics of the waiting line can be applied for
measuring the performance of the whole system. The construction site is simulated by using
the mean arrival rate of customers and the mean service rate. Hence, Griffin’s waiting line
model, which is an M/M/1 with finite source model, is established. The waiting line model
with the operating characteristics in this system of construction site is then analysed. M/M/1
with finite source has the following assumptions with only one server: the population of units
seeking service is finite, arrivals rate follows a Poisson distribution and service time is
exponentially distributed and customers are served on a FIFO basis [3], [4], [5]. Griffin’s
waiting line has fulfilled the model of M/M/1 with finite population

2.0 Problem Statement

Castle Royale Towers Aundh-Khadki road, Pune, which is a construction site [6], has faced
the problem of finishing the project due to the planning of the excavation system. The poor
planning of the project causes them cannot completed all work and job within the schedule.
The construction company team should be responsibility to act and to improve the operational
productive by using the concept of queuing theory with waiting line model to optimize the
construction processes for a success productivity and cost saving purposely.
So, the improvement performance should be carrying out for solving the problem and
saving the total cost of the system. The operating characteristics can be used for measuring the
performance of the excavation system which contains with 76 dumpers in the system. Besides,
Griffin’s waiting line model would be used for the improvement in the operational productivity
of the construction site. The total cost of the system and the hourly production can be
calculated by using Griffin’s waiting line model.

3.0 Methodology
In this section, the formula of operating characteristics of the excavation system is composed.
The Griffin’s waiting line model is pointed out on this section for finding the total cost of the
system and the hourly production.

3.1 Operating Characteristics

In this excavation system, a single server, single phase of system and single line of channel
with finite source is considered. The main operating characteristics of a waiting line system
are mean arrival rate and mean service rate, which are denoted by

 is mean arrival rate

 is mean service rate

When the population of potential customer is limited, the model will be different, which is
called as M/M/1 with finite population model. However, there is a dependent relationship
between the length of the queue and the arrival rate. The operating characteristics for the
waiting line M/M/1 with finite source model [2] are given as follow:

(a) Average utilization of the system (  )



 (3.1)

(b) Probability that the system is idle ( P0 )

1
P0  n
N
N!   
  
n  0  N  n !    (3.2)

(c) Average number of the customers waiting in line ( Lq )


Lq  N    1  P0  (3.3)
  

(d) Average number of the customers in the service system ( L )

L  Lq  1  P0  (3.4)
(e) Average time in line ( Wq )

Lq
Wq 
 N  L  (3.5)

(f) The average time in the system ( W )

1
W  Wq 
 (3.6)

3.2 Griffin’s Waiting Line Model

For finding the optimal total cost and hourly production, Griffin’s waiting line model is used
as follows [7],

i
n
n!   
Pi   P0
 n  r !   
(3.7)
i o

where,

 is mean arrival rate at any particular associated unit.

 is mean servicing rate of prime mover.
P0 is probability of associated units being not available in the system
Pi is probability of ‘i’ units being available in the system.
n is total number of associated unit with prime mover.
i is number of associated unit in the hourly production, including one being loaded.

3.3 Hourly Production and Total Cost

The hourly production and total cost are calculated by

(a) Hourly production ( Q )

Q  (1  P0 )    C (3.8)

Q is hourly production
C is mail haul unit capacity, which is 2.42 brass

(b) Total cost, C*

C*  C p  n  C A (3.9)

C* is total cost of system.

Cp is hourly cost of prime mover (Excavator), Rs.5,500
CA is hourly cost of associated unit (Dumper), Rs.2,200

4.0 Result and Discussion

In this section, the process of calculation of arrival and serving rates is made first. Then, the
calculation of the operating characteristics is carried out and the analysis is make before
analysis the performance of the excavation system. The result of the application of Griffin’s
waiting line model is discussed.

4.1 Result on Operating Characteristics

Average cycle time of Prime Mover = 22,445 / 76 = 295.33 seconds, rounded to 300 seconds.
Average haul time of Associated unit = 40,587 /76 = 534.04 seconds, set it as 540 seconds.
The rates of arrival and servicing in one hour are calculated by,

 = 3600 / 540 = 6.67

 = 3600 / 300 = 12

Average utilization is  = 6.67 / 12 = 0.56

Hence, the operating characteristics able to measure the performance of the
system, which arrival rate of the dumper is 6.67 and servicing rate of the prime mover
is recorded as 12. The average utilization is obtained, 0.56. Whereas the average 2.272
of number of dumpers are in queue and 3.246 of dumpers are in the system. The
average time of the dumper in the system is 0.278 hours or equal to 16.68 minutes.
Whereas the queue time in the system is 11.64 minute (0.194 hours). The 2.56% of
probability that is not available any unit dumper in the system, it indicates that 2.56%
machine server is busy. The summary result of operating characteristics is shown in
Table 4.1.

Table 4.1: Result of all Operating Characteristics

M/M/1 with FINITE SOURCE

Inputs
Arrival rate 6.67
Service rate 12
Population Size 5
Outputs
Mean time between arrivals 0.15
Mean time per service 0.083
Average utilization 0.556
Average number in system 3.246
Average number in queue 2.272
Average time in system 0.278
Average time in queue 0.194
Probability of no available unit in the system 0.0256
 4.2 Result on Total Cost and Hourly Production

Now, applying Griffin’s waiting line model, for finding the optimal cost,
i
n
n!   
Pi   P0
i o  n  r !   
There are total of 5 units of associated dumpers in the system and the result is shown in
Table 4.2

Table 4.2: Total 5 of associated units of dumpers in the system

Cumulative
Probabilit Sum of Probability of
Total not associated
number of y of ‘i’ Probability
units of ‘i’ units unit in the Hourly Total Total
associate system production Unit cost
being in being in cost cost
units in Q
system system 1 C *
C* C*
the system P0 
i Pi  Pi  Pi (m )
3
( Rs. ) ( RM ) Q
0 1 P0 1 P0 1 0 5300 347.09 ∞
1 2.8 P0 3.8 P0 0.263 21.40 7500 491.16 350.502
2 6.27 P0 10.07 P0 0.099 26.16 9700 635.23 370.841
3 10.54 P0 20.61 P0 0.049 27.63 11900 779.31 430.677
4 11.80 P0 32.41 P0 0.031 28.14 14100 923.38 500.995
5 6.61 P0 39.02 P0 0.026 28.30 16300 1067.45 576.058

For 1 of associated unit dumper to 1 unit of prime mover (Excavator), there are 21.40 m3 of
hourly production obtained with cost 7,500 Indian Rupee (Rs.), which is same with RM 491.16.
Whereas for 2 units of dumper with 1 unit of excavator, hourly production is 26.16 m3 and
total cost Rs. 9,700 (RM635.23). In addition, 3 units of associated unit work in the system
gives 27.63 m3 hourly production with cost Rs 11,900, which is same with RM 779.31.
Besides, 28.14 m3 of hourly production is obtained by 4 units of dumpers work in the
system with a prime mover and the cost is Rs. 14,100 (RM 923.38). The total cost of this
excavation system is RM 1,067.45 (Rs. 16,300) with the 28.30 m3 of hourly production. For
the unit cost of this system is Rs.576.058/ m3 unit of hourly production, which is equal to RM
37.73 per 1 m3 .

5.0 Conclusion

As the result, the performance of the construction site has been analysis and calculated by
using the operating characteristics. When 5 unit of dumpers in the system with 1 prime mover,
the optimal cost is obtained by RM 1067.45 (Rs.16300) and it is able to produce a maximum
3
28.296 m of hourly production. In conclusion, the use of the Griffin’s waiting line model was
applied successfully in studying the construction site in this study. Hence, the additional of
dumpers is supposedly added into the system in the future study and the best total cost of the
system is suggested to be found in order to make sure the total cost of system is within the
budget of company.
Reference

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