Operational Research Commons^™

Methods To Support The Project Selection Problem With Non-Linear Portfolio Objectives, Time Sensitive Objectives, Time Sensitive Resource Constraints, And Modeling Inadequacies, Neil C. Ranly

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force relies upon information production activities to gain insight regarding uncertainties affecting important system configuration and in-mission task execution decisions. Constrained resources that prevent the fulfillment of every information production request, multiple information requestors holding different temporal-sensitive objectives, non-constant marginal value preferences, and information-product aging factors that affect the value-of-information complicate the management of these activities. This dissertation reviews project selection research related to these issues and presents novel methods to address these complications. Quantitative experimentation results demonstrate these methods’ significance.

The Military Inventory Routing Problem: Utilizing Heuristics Within A Least Squares Temporal Differences Algorithm To Solve A Multiclass Stochastic Inventory Routing Problem With Vehicle Loss, Ethan L. Salgado

Theses and Dissertations

Military commanders currently resupply forward operating bases (FOBs) from a central location within an area of operations mainly via convoy operations in a way that closely resembles vendor managed inventory practices. Commanders must decide when and how much inventory to distribute throughout their area of operations while minimizing soldier risk. Technology currently exists that makes utilizing unmanned cargo aerial vehicles (CUAVs) for resupply an attractive alternative due to the dangers of utilizing convoy operations. Enemy actions in wartime environments pose a significant risk to a CUAV's ability to safely deliver supplies to a FOB. We develop a Markov decision process …

Multi-Level Multi-Objective Programming And Optimization For Integrated Air Defense System Disruption, Aaron M. Lessin

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. military's ability to project military force is being challenged. This research develops and demonstrates the application of three respective sensor location, relocation, and network intrusion models to provide the mathematical basis for the strategic engagement of emerging technologically advanced, highly-mobile, Integrated Air Defense Systems. First, we propose a bilevel mathematical programming model for locating a heterogeneous set of sensors to maximize the minimum exposure of an intruder's penetration path through a defended region. Next, we formulate a multi-objective, bilevel optimization model to relocate surviving sensors to maximize an intruder's minimal expected exposure to traverse a defended border region, …

Optimization And Management Techniques For Geo-Distributed Sdn-Enabled Cloud Datacenters' Provisioning, Khaled M. Alhazmi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Cloud computing has become a business reality that impacts technology users around the world. It has become a cornerstone for emerging technologies and an enabler of future Internet services as it provides on-demand IT services delivery via geographically distributed data centers. At the core of cloud computing, virtualization technology has played a crucial role by allowing resource sharing, which in turn allows cloud service providers to offer computing services without discrepancies in platform compatibility.

At the same time, a trend has emerged in which enterprises are adopting a software-based network infrastructure with paradigms, such as software-defined networking, gaining further attention …

Analysis Of Shanghai Aviation Hub Logistics Competitiveness, Tuo Chen

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Assessment And Comparison Of Aviation Manufacturing Industries Throughout Mexico And Brazil, Omar E. Morsi, Kelly A. Whealan-George, Aaron D. Clevenger

Aaron D. Clevenger

This literature review serves to provide insight and understanding in regards to the evolving aviation manufacturing industry throughout the globe and more specifically, Mexico and Brazil. Increased demand for aircraft units both in the commercial and private sectors have led to unprecedented expansions in aircraft manufacturing across the industry. In order to illuminate certain potentials and current growth levels of such industries, this review will delve into an array of information and specifications in regards to economic, political, and cultural influences throughout both Mexican and Brazilian markets respectively. In conclusion, the review will identify the transformation of an aviation manufacturing …

Economic Model Predictive Control Design Via Nonlinear Model Identification, Laura Giuliani, Helen Durand

Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Faculty Research Publications

Increasing pushes toward next-generation/smart manufacturing motivate the development of economic model predictive control (EMPC) designs which can be practically deployed. For EMPC, the constraints, objective function, and accuracy of the state predictions would benefit from process models that describe the process physics. However, obtaining first- principles models of chemical process systems can be time-consuming or challenging such that it is preferable to develop physics-based process models automatically from process operating data. In this work, we take initial steps in this direction by suggesting that because experiments that are used to characterize first-principles models often target specific types of data, an …

Modeling And Solution Approaches For Non-Traditional Network Flow Problems With Complicating Constraints, Negin Enayaty Ahangar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we model three network-based optimization problems. Chapter 2 addresses the question of what the operation plan should be for interdependent infrastructure systems in resource-constrained environments so that they collectively operate at the highest level. We develop a network-based operation model of these systems that accounts for interdependencies among them. To solve this large-scale model, a solution approach is proposed that relatively quickly generates high-quality solutions to the problem.

Chapter 3 presents a routing model for a single train within a railyard with the objective of minimizing the total length traveled by train. The difference between this problem …

Configuring Traditional Multi-Dock, Unit-Load Warehouses, Mahmut Tutam

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The development of expected-distance formulas for multi-dock-door, unit-load warehouse configurations is the focus of the dissertation. From formulations derived, the width-to-depth ratios minimizing expected distances are obtained for rectangle-shaped, unit-load warehouse configurations. Partitioning the storage region in the warehouse into three classes, the performance of a multi-dock-door, unit-load warehouse is studied when storage regions can be either rectangle-shaped or contour-line-shaped. Our first contribution is the development of formulas for expected distance traveled in storing and retrieving unit loads in a rectangle-shaped warehouse having multiple dock doors along one warehouse wall and storage racks aligned perpendicular to that wall. Two formulations …

Barge Prioritization, Assignment, And Scheduling During Inland Waterway Disruption Responses, Liliana Delgado-Hidalgo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Inland waterways face natural and man-made disruptions that may affect navigation and infrastructure operations leading to barge traffic disruptions and economic losses. This dissertation investigates inland waterway disruption responses to intelligently redirect disrupted barges to inland terminals and prioritize offloading while minimizing total cargo value loss. This problem is known in the literature as the cargo prioritization and terminal allocation problem (CPTAP). A previous study formulated the CPTAP as a non-linear integer programming (NLIP) model solved with a genetic algorithm (GA) approach. This dissertation contributes three new and improved approaches to solve the CPTAP.

The first approach is a decomposition …

Solving School Bus Routing And Student Assignment Problems With Heuristic And Column Generation Approach., Di Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we solve a school bus routing problem of transporting students including special education (handicapped) students and assigning them in Oldham county education district. The main contribution of this research is that we consider special education students (Type-2) along with other students (Type-1) and design a comprehensive school bus schedule to transport both kinds of students at the same time. Also, a student assignment mathematical model is presented to optimize the number of bus stops in use as well as one important measure of service quality, the total student walking distance. Comparing to the classic clustering methods, heuristic …

Developing Optimization Techniques For Logistical Tendering Using Reverse Combinatorial Auctions, Jennifer Kiser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In business-to-business logistical sourcing events, companies regularly use a bidding process known as tendering in the procurement of transportation services from third-party providers. Usually in the form of an auction involving a single buyer and one or more sellers, the buyer must make decisions regarding with which suppliers to partner and how to distribute the transportation lanes and volume among its suppliers; this is equivalent to solving the optimization problem commonly referred to as the Winner Determination Problem. In order to take into account the complexities inherent to the procurement problem, such as considering a supplier’s network, economies of scope, …

Minimizing The Variance Of Fulfillment Cycle Time In A Central Fill Pharmacy: Why And How, Mohamed El Tonbari, Leon Mcginnis

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

Poster 31

Transportation Service Provider Collaboration: Benefits And Insights, Steven Roesch, Kimberly Ellis

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

Poster 30

Dynamic Batching For Order Picking In Warehouses, Jelmer Pier Van Der Gaast, Bolor Jargalsaikhan, Kees Jan Roodbergen

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

Poster 26

Digital Design Of Intralogistics Systems: Flexible And Agile Solutions To Short-Cyclic Fluctuations, Christoph Pott, Anike Murrenhoff, Moritz Wernecke, Philipp-Akira Burger

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

Poster 20

Urban Parcel Logistics Hub And Network Design: The Impact Of Modularity And Hyperconnectivity, Benoit Montreuil, Shannon Buckley, Louis Faugere, Reem Khir, Shahab Derhami

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

Poster 27

Integrated Intermodal Network Design With Nonlinear Inter-Hub Movement Costs, Mohammad Ghane-Ezabadi, Hector A. Vergara

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

Poster 11

Shuttle-Based Storage And Retrieval Systems With Robotic Order-Picking Shuttle Carrier, Tone Lerher

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

Poster 12

On The Unique Features And Benefits Of On-Demand Distribution Models, Jennifer Pazour, Kaan Unnu

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

Poster 6