SCSC2003 Abstract S21689
Framework for Integration of Lean Concepts and Simulation Methodology for Efficiency of Drainage Operations Maintenance Crews
Framework for Integration of Lean Concepts and Simulation Methodology for Efficiency of Drainage Operations Maintenance Crews
Submitting Author: Mr. Albert Agbulos
Abstract:
The City of Edmonton’s Drainage Operations Branch oversees the inspection, maintenance, and repair of the city’s drainage network. The network covers an area of 700.6 km2 to serve the city’s growing population currently at 657,509. The activities performed by the section consume a large amount of funding and, therefore, are sensitive to any improvement in productivity. As a follow up to the 1999 Efficiency Audit conducted by the Office of the City Auditor, the Work Analysis Study of the City of Edmonton’s Drainage Services Branch was initiated in June 2001 in collaboration with the University of Alberta’s Construction Engineering & Management Group. This study applies the industrial engineering philosophy for work measurement, lean concepts, and simulation analysis to capture current work methods, generate and test alternative methods, and develop new standards. The selected work crews are: Commercial Establishment Investigation (CEI), Service Line Rodding (SLR), Catch Basin
Cleaning (CBC), High Pressure Flushing (HPF), Low Pressure Flushing (LPF), and Mainline Televising (MTV). Crews engaged in the LPF activity were chosen as a pilot study to improve work methods, develop a standard using simulation, and to verify any productivity improvement based on the simulation model’s output. By monitoring the LPF crews over a period of time to account for the learning curve, a 29% improvement in productivity was demonstrated. As a result of the pilot crew, an increase in efficiency of crews has been realized and quantified, and the City managers are able to develop productivity standards as well as baseline and target performance levels for maintenance drainage activities. The focus of the paper will be on the MTV crews, as an example, to discuss the methodology in applying lean concepts using simulation analysis to demonstrate the potential gains in crew productivity.
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