Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML
In 2001, Athens International Airport will operate as a completely new airport. Possible conflicts have to be recognized and optimization measures need to be developed during the planning and realization phases of this project.
The aim of the project, which was carried out by the Fraunhofer IML Project Center Aviation Logistics, was to use the Fraunhofer IML simulation tool SIMIS to model both the equipment and future operating processes of the Athens International Airport and to analyze and evaluate them with regard to total traffic. In addition to ground traffic, the study also included taxiing on the apron.
The first step involved the development of a functioning simulation model. The individual modules of the simulation tool represented the flight schedule, volume, structure, cargo distribution, current road network, the resources being used and the strategies used to deploy them. EXCEL inputs were used to define the required simulation experiments with regard to the requirements and problems.
Then, the results of the simulation were evaluated in the form of protocols and statistics which were then further processed in EXCEL. The throughput rate, utilization and throughput times of selected reference values were depicted as time profiles as well as peak values, total values and mean values. Auto CAD was used to visualize traffic and movement peak times and possible conflicts between, for example, ground traffic and taxiing.