Simulation Cache to Expedite Complex Modeling and Simulation Processes

A method is provided for determining optimum positions in a region for a plurality of sensors that are capable of detecting occurrence of a hazard in the region. The hazard may be a chemical, biological, and/or radiological hazard in solid, liquid or gas form. A "simulation cache" is provided that stores data representing interaction of the hazard with sensors at each of the plurality of candidate locations in the region for each of the plurality of sensor types. Data is then retrieved from the simulation cache as needed for evaluation a particular candidate sensor solution comprising one or more sensors of one or more sensor types at corresponding ones of the candidate locations. An optimization algorithm may be used to select a candidate sensor solution. The data that is retrieved from the simulation cache for a selected candidate sensor solution is evaluated with respect to certain performance criteria. The simulation cache greatly reduces the time required to generate an optimum sensor layout because it separates the hazard modeling and sensor performance modeling from the optimization algorithm. By capturing this data at one time for storage in the simulation cache, it is not necessary to re-run the hazard simulations for each candidate sensor location generated by the optimization algorithm.