DFW Maintains Security Efficiency During Expansion Project

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport's Terminal Redevelopment and Improvement Program (TRIP) required updating 60% to 70% of each of its four terminals — a project of extraordinary operational complexity spanning years of active construction. The core challenge was maintaining security efficiency and passenger throughput throughout the phased renovation while simultaneously planning for a significant anticipated rise in passenger volumes. Without a rigorous model of how the transition would unfold over time, planners had no reliable way to forecast staffing requirements, anticipate checkpoint bottlenecks, or ensure service levels remained acceptable across all four terminals as construction phases overlapped and shifted.

To manage the complexity of the phased expansion, a simulation model was developed using Rockwell Automation's Arena Simulation software — a discrete-event simulation tool within Rockwell's FactoryTalk design suite. The Arena model was constructed to span the full 7-year transition period, mapping each phase of terminal updates against corresponding resource requirements. By building a virtual replica of passenger flows through the terminals, planners could run scenario analyses to determine how staffing levels, security checkpoint configurations, and worker schedules would need to evolve as construction progressed. The digital twin approach allowed decision-makers to stress-test assumptions about passenger growth and operational capacity without disrupting live operations, providing a data-driven foundation for long-range workforce and infrastructure planning across all four terminals simultaneously.

The Arena Simulation model delivered actionable visibility into the operational dynamics of the multi-year expansion. Key outputs included:

• Passenger wait times at security and other checkpoints modeled across staffing configurations
• Passenger frequency patterns by time of day, week, and season — enabling more precise shift planning
• Worker scheduling requirements aligned to anticipated passenger volume increases at each terminal phase

These findings allowed DFW planners to determine the appropriate scheduling for various worker categories throughout the expansion, reducing the risk of understaffing during peak periods and overstaffing during construction-constrained phases.

• Discrete-event simulation should be applied before committing to staffing plans on long-horizon infrastructure projects — models surface bottlenecks that static spreadsheets miss.
• A multi-year planning horizon requires phased modeling; simulate each transition step, not just the end state.
• Passenger-level detail (wait times, arrival frequency) produces more reliable workforce forecasts than aggregate throughput estimates alone.
• Digital twin tools like Arena Simulation apply beyond traditional manufacturing — airports, logistics hubs, and large facilities share the same resource-optimization challenges.
• Model early enough that findings can actually shape procurement, hiring, and scheduling decisions before construction locks in constraints.