Supply Chains Modelling and Simulation Framework:Graph-Driven Approach Using Ontology-Based Semantic Networks and Graph Database Paper presented at International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications (SimulTech) 2014 Full-Text available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mahmoud_Elbattah2/publication/294087825_Supply_Chains_Modelling_and_Simulation_Framework_Graph-Driven_Approach_Using_Ontology-Based_Semantic_Networks_and_Graph_Database/links/56bdd57308ae373cf1aaa930.pdf Authors: Mahmoud Elbattah and Owen Molloy National University of Ireland Galway mahmoud.elbattah@nuigalway.ie

1. SIMULTECH 2014
Supply Chains Modelling and Simulation Framework:
Graph-Driven Approach Using Ontology-Based
Semantic Networks and Graph Database
Mahmoud Elbattah, Owen Molloy
National University of Ireland Galway
m.elbattah1@nuigalway.ie

2. SIMULTECH 2014
Outline
• Supply Chains Background
• Research Problem
• The Proposed Framework & Methodology
• Expected Outcomes
2

3. SIMULTECH 2014
Supply Chains Background
3

4. SIMULTECH 2014
What is a Supply Chain?
4
Supplier Manufacturer Distribution Centre Retailer Customer
ProductFlow
Information Flow
Supplier
Supplier
Manufacturer
Manufacturer
Distribution Centre
Distribution Centre
Retailer
Retailer
Customer
Customer
.
.
.
.
.
.
Supply Chains Background

5. SIMULTECH 2014
Research Problem
5

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Outline of Challenges
6
Model
Share-ability
Simulation
Tools
Usability
Model
Scalability
Conceptual
Modelling
•How should supply chain
knowledge be represented?
•How to build models that
facilitatesharing of supply
chain knowledge?
•Buildingsimulationmodels
require much time, effort and cost.
•Rapidlygrowing supply chains imply
scalabilityissues. Research Problem
Challenges of
Modelling&
Simulationof Supply
Chains

7. SIMULTECH 2014
Potential Gaps in Literature
7
Conceptual
Modelling
• The lack of a standard basis for modellingsupply chains.
• The developed models might not help with scalability for large-scale
supply chains.
• The Lack of recognition that supply chains are neither completely
discrete nor continuous,but a mixture of both.
Supply
Chains
Ontology
• Apart from (Fayez, Rabelo, 2005), the ontologymainly addressed the
strategic level of supply chains.
• The shortage of industry-specific ontologies.
Simulation
Tools
• Simulationtoolswere mostly convenientfor simulationexperts.
• Automatic generation (model-drivenarchitecture) of simulationmodels
has been little addressed.
Research Problem

8. SIMULTECH 2014
The Proposed Framework
8

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Outline of Objectives
9
Conceptual
Modelling
• Providing a semantic-based modellingmethod for supply chains.
• Investigatingthe flexibilityand scalabilityprovidedby graph database
for buildingcomplexlarge-scale supply chain models.
Supply
Chains
Ontology
• Developing generic ontology that can describe the strategic, tactical
and operational levelsof supply chains.
• Developingspecific ontologyfor healthcaresupply chains.
Simulation
Models
• Automatic generationof simulationmodelsbased on high-level
conceptualmodels to help non-simulationexperts.
The Proposed Framework

10. SIMULTECH 2014
The Proposed Framework Overview
Simulation
Software
(AnyLogic)
Simulation Model
Auto-Generator
Graph Database
Semantic
Networks
Generic
Ontology
Domain
Ontologies
10
Semantic
Networks
Generic
Ontology
Domain
Ontologies
Graph Database
The Proposed Framework
Conceptual
Modelling

11. SIMULTECH 2014
Conceptual Modelling Approach
11

12. SIMULTECH 2014
Supply Chains as Big Graphs
• A virtual complex network of suppliers, manufacturers, wholesaler, retailers
and customers connected through upstream and downstream linkages.
• Apparently, it can be conceivable to consider modelling supply chains as
constructing “Big Graphs”.
12Conceptual Modelling Approach
A typical supply chain example.

13. SIMULTECH 2014
Supply Chains as Semantic Networks
13
An example of a semantic network.
Nodes  The supply chain participants (entities) interconnected.
Arcs  Predicates that can represent properties or relationships.
Conceptual Modelling Approach

14. SIMULTECH 2014
Supply Chains Ontology
1414
Domain
Ontologies
Generic
Ontologies
Extraction of
Ontology
•Based on the SCOR model.
•Classifying discrete & continuous
attributes
•Industry-specific ontologyfor
healthcare.
Conceptual Modelling Approach

15. SIMULTECH 2014
Models and Ontologies Storage with
Graph Database
15
Supply
Chain
Ontologies
Supply
Chain
Models
Graph Database
•Flexible graph-based models.
•Scalableschema-less models.
•Typically faster for associative
datasets.
•Potential flexibility to align
the ontology with RDF-based
format.
Conceptual Modelling Approach

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Building Simulation Models
16

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Automatic Generation of Simulation Models
17
Supply Chain
Ontology
Scenario Details
Simulation
Model
Parameters
Conceptual
Model
Simulation
Model
Automatic
Generator

18. SIMULTECH 2014
Expected Outcomes
18

19. SIMULTECH 2014
Expected Outcomes
• Higher flexibility and share-ability of supply chain models through
semantic graph-driven models.
• Extended potentials for storing large-scale supply chain models using
graph database.
• Extracting generic ontology for supply chains.
• Developing specific ontology for healthcare supply chains.
19Expected Outcomes

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Expected Outcomes (cont’d)
• Capability to build combined discrete-continuous models based on
discrete-continuousclassification of ontology attributes.
• Helping non-simulation experts by automatic generation of simulation
models.
20Expected Outcomes

21. SIMULTECH 2014
Thank You!
21
Mahmoud Elbattah
m.elbattah1@nuigalway.ie