Aspects of blocking on time-varying tandem queueing network
Abstract
Most real-world service systems are susceptible to queue capacity constraints, leading to a blockage of entities. Several blocking mechanisms can be implemented when capacity constraints influence the flow of entities through the system. This study investigates the comparative performance of blocking-after-service (BAS) and blocking-before-service (BBS) mechanisms by modelling a hospital emergency department with a finite capacity queue. The model is based on a two-station tandem network with finite capacity on the intermediate queue, and we developed transient performance measures for the system in both mechanisms. Using a numerical approach, we highlight how these mechanisms influence the time-varying number of patients and the virtual workload in the system. Our results demonstrate that the BAS mechanism slightly outperforms the BBS mechanism in reducing unwanted congestion.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
