| Based on queueing theory and game theory, simulation is used to study a model for balancing congestion and security of a screening system. Security network is realistic and used in practice, but is complex to analyze, especially when facing with strategic applicants. To our best knowledge, no previous work studies a multi-stage security screening network using game theory and queueing theory. This research fills this gap using simulation. For multi-stage screening, how to determine the optimal screening probabilities in each stage is critical. Potential applicants may also have access to information such as screening policy and other applicants' behavior, and then adjust their application strategies accordingly. We use queueing theory to study the waiting time and use game theory to study the strategic interactions between the approver and the applicants. We use Arena simulation software to build the screening system with three major components: arrival process, screening process, and departure process. Running the simulation, we use different parameters values as input and collect output data for analysis. We use MATLAB graphic user interface (GUI) to collect user inputs, then export data for Arena simulation through Excel, and finally export simulation results from Arena to MATLAB for analysis and visualization. This research provides some insights to security screening simulation problems. |
