Construction Safety Related Behaviors Modeling And Simulation

The pervasive unsafe behaviors are regarded as the primary causation of accidents on construction sites. Therefore it is vital to have a thorough understanding of the characteristics and patterns of those behaviors. Because of the complexity of the problem and the limitation of the existing research methods, the understanding of the causation of unsafe behaviors remains superficial, and the interaction among management behaviors and workers’ behaviors remains unclear. Based on system dynamics modeling and agentbased modeling, this thesis aims at the systematic and programmed characterization of management and workers’ behaviors as well as the causal-effect relationships in between, so as to enable a better understanding of construction safety related behaviors.First, a system dynamics model is developed. By regarding the management of construction safety as a system, the system’s individual, environmental factors as well as the underlying management factors are identified. Based on this, the system dynamics model for construction safety related behaviors is developed to characterize the causal structure of the system through logical deduction and expert interviews. The model tests imply that safety and production can actually support each other, management factors on supervisory level are effective on the improvement of workers’ safety awareness, and preventive actions are more effective than reactive actions on the enhancement of safety performance.Second, an agent-based behavior model is developed. The theoretical model for the description of worker behavior is firstly introduced. An experiment platform is then used for the modeling of worker behavior. The modeling parameters are calibrated and validated using the experiment data. Thereafter, the agent-based behavior model for construction safety related behaviors, which contains the primary cognitive processes, is developed based on an improved experiment platform. Moreover, a policy implication test is conducted to study the effects of incentive measures on workers’ behaviors. The result shows that penalty measures work best in correcting workers’ unsafe behaviors under the experiment circumstance.Third, an agent-based interaction model is developed. Based on the agent-based behavior model, by regarding safety performance as an emergent property of the behaviors and interactions of construction workers and management teams, the agentbased interaction model for construction safety related behaviors is developed. The model is also based on the design of simulated working environment and task as well as the modeling of individual behaviors and interactions. Based on the simulation results, the effects of behaviors of the senior manager, the safety officer and supervisors on the safety performance of construction workers are examined, and relevant implications for construction safety management practice are discussed.Fourth, a simulation framework for the modeling of construction safety related behaviors is proposed, which integrates both a macro perspective and a micro perspective. The framework is established by the modeling of system level, agent interaction level and agent behavior level. A simplified case study is used to test the suitableness of the proposed framework.This thesis serves as a foundamental research for the modeling of construction safety related behaviors. The system dynamics model and agent-based model developed provide a brand new approach for further and thorough study of construction safety related behaviors, and will enable a better understanding of the characteristics and patterns of these behaviors, especially for unsafe behaviors. The proposed simulation framework for the modeling of construction safety related behaviors can be a helpful foundation for the further development of practical safety management tools, so as to enhance safety management and eliminate accidents on construction sites.