Simulation operations and line of balance: integrated tools for decision making

This paper presents the joint implementation of the simulation of operations and lines of balance, as tools that help to improve the efficiency in construction project planning, where the integration of these tools has been scarce in the national and international field. This paper expounds the simulation results of the activities associated with the construction works of structure, assembly and casting of walls and slab, in a multi–story building. The construction system is modeled, according to the way it is done by the company, and with the help of the lines of balance, generating two alternative scenarios in order to compare the times and the average costs of project completion. The first scenario takes advantage of the slack found in the current system in relation to the time of initiation of activities, without changing the amount of human resources and equipment. In second scenario, the amount of human resources is slightly increased, and the amount of forms for walls and slab increases by 25%. From the results, companies have a methodology for planning and selecting the appropriate scenario, according to their convenience