State-dependent queues and finite capacity queueing network models of facilities are important tools for the topological design of facilities, the routing of customers, and the allocation of resources to accommodate customer traffic. Key properties of these M/G/C/C queueing models and their applicatins in facility planning are described in detail. The incorporatin of these concepts, tools, and techniques is important to the OR profession because they provide a unifying, system-wide planning methodology for tackling the many complex issues of designing, analyzing, and synthesizing pedestrian traffic flows in large-scale facilities and their environments. The scope and limitations of the methodology are demonstrated in the design of a pedestrian/vehicular circulation system of a large regional hospital campus.
Abstract