Effective simulation studies using domain specific simulation building blocks
Edwin C. Valentin · Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) · 2011
In the past 13 years that I have been working in the domain of simulation modeling I have discussed the challenges in the field with a lot of people with a wide variety of background.To mention two extremes: With my friends I mainly spoke about the use of providing insight in queues, resulting in practical jokes were my advice was requested to help selecting the best queue at our local supermarket.Just as practical, but more interesting were the discussions with real life problem owners."Are two berths sufficient?", "Is this silo large enough?" or "Can we improve the production by 10%?" are just a couple of the many real life problems I have tackled.This dissertation could not have been developed without these real life problems, but if you are reading this dissertation to find the answers to the questions then I have to disappoint you.This dissertation focuses around the question whether a different way of performing simulation studies is more effective.Years I have been claiming "Yes, building blocks will rule the world", but putting that down in the right words have given me more headaches than all my simulation studies, modeling problems and unexplainable errors together.And thanks to all the help, support, motivation and inspiration I have received an end has been put to this pending challenge of writing a dissertation."Schrijven is schrappen" 1 has never been my best point, but I owe it to both my promotores Henk Sol and Alexander Verbraeck that they kept on telling me to stick to what I can and know.If I look back to some of the documents I have asked them to review, then it is a miracle they did not kick me out.Instead they kept on helping and guiding me towards a complete research and not just two dozen of fun simulation studies without any relation.On the other hand, I have had the opportunity to participate in these simulation studies and apply there my ideas and suggestions.I want to thank my contacts at the different institutes and (simulation) companies as well as the students and colleagues that actively worked with me in these projects, especially