Spatio-Temporal Planning Simulation of Temporary Elevators in Construction Using a Game Engine

Designing a reasonable and efficient transportation system of temporary elevators from the perspective of spatio-temporal planning is beneficial for the successful completion of construction projects. Specifically, the determination of the service date and floor of temporary elevators and the consideration of the limited availability of time and space should be taken seriously. The spatio-temporal planning of temporary elevators puts forward higher requirements for the display of planning solutions due to the complexity considering both time and space. However, current display ways are generally abstract, low-dimensional, and static, and even when the 4D model is adopted, the display effect of spatio-temporal planning solutions is still limited. This research presents a spatio-temporal planning simulation of temporary elevators in construction using a game engine to address those challenges. The workflow of the spatio-temporal planning simulation, divided into configuration and operation planning, consists of three steps: 1) import data into the game engine platform, 2) generate the spatio-temporal planning simulation scheme, and 3) conduct the spatio-temporal planning simulation. The results of the experimental test show that the presented spatio-temporal planning simulation way is intuitive and convenient, various planning elements are clearly shown, and corresponding planning information is efficiently conveyed, which can effectively enhance the display effect of spatio-temporal planning solutions.