This thesis compares different mixed integer programming (MIP) formulations for sequencing of tasks in the context of avionics scheduling. Sequencing is a key concern in many discrete optimisation problems, and there are numerous ways of accomplishing sequencing with different MIP formulations. A scheduling tool for avionic systems has previously been developed in a collaboration between Saab and Linköping University. This tool includes a MIP formulation of the scheduling problem where one of the model components has the purpose to sequence tasks. In this thesis, this sequencing component is replaced with other MIP formulations in order to study whether the computational performance of the scheduling tool can be improved. Different scheduling instances and objective functions have been used when performing the tests aiming to evaluate the performances, with the computational times of the entire avionic scheduling model determining the success of the different MIP formulations for sequencing. The results show that the choice of MIP formulation makes a considerable impact on the computational performance and that a significant improvement can be achieved by choosing the most suitable one.

Background: In treatment planning for intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT), we aim to deliver the prescribed dose to the target yet minimize the dose to adjacent healthy tissue. Mixed-integer programming (MIP) has been applied in radiation therapy to generate treatment plans. However, MIP has not been used effectively for IMPT treatment planning with dose-volume constraints. In this study, we incorporated dose-volume constraints in an MIP model to generate treatment plans for IMPT. Methods: We created a new MIP model for IMPT with dose volume constraints. Two groups of IMPT treatment plans were generated for each of three patients by using MIP models for a total of six plans: one plan was derived with the Limited-memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (L-BFGS) method while the other plan was derived with our MIP model with dose-volume constraints. We then compared these two plans by dose-volume histogram (DVH) indices to evaluate the performance of the new MIP model with dose-volume constraints. In addition, we developed a model to more efficiently find the best balance between tumor coverage and normal tissue protection. Results: The MIP model with dose-volume constraints generates IMPT treatment plans with comparable target dose coverage, target dose homogeneity, and the maximum dose to organs at risk (OARs) compared to treatment plans from the conventional quadratic programming method without any tedious trial-and-error process. Some notable reduction in the mean doses of OARs is observed. Conclusions: The treatment plans from our MIP model with dose-volume constraints can meetall dose-volume constraints for OARs and targets without any tedious trial-and-error process. This model has the potential to automatically generate IMPT plans with consistent plan quality among different treatment planners and across institutions and better protection for important parallel OARs in an effective way.

This thesis proposes and verifies a number of optimization models for re-designing a master surgery schedule with minimized peak inpatient load at the ward. All models include limitations on Operating Rooms and surgeons availability. Surgeons` preference is included with regards to a consistent weekly schedule over a cycle. The uncertain in patients` length of stay was incorporated using discrete probability distributions unique to each surgeon. Furthermore, robust optimization was utilized to protect against the uncertainty in the number of inpatients a surgeon may send to the ward per block. Different scenarios were developed that explore the impact of varying the availability of operating rooms on each day of the week. The models were solved using Cplex and were verified by an Arena simulation model.

We present works on theory and applications for Mixed Integer Quadratically Constrained Quadratic Programs (MIQCQP). We introduce new mixed integer programming (MIP)-based relaxation and approximation schemes for general Quadratically Constrained Quadratic Programs (QCQP's), and also study practical applications of QCQP's and Mixed-integer QCQP's (MIQCQP). We first address a challenging tank blending and scheduling problem regarding operations for a chemical plant. We model the problem as a discrete-time nonconvex MIQCP, then approximate this model as a MILP using a discretization-based approach. We combine a rolling horizon approach with the discretization of individual chemical property specifications to deal with long scheduling horizons, time-varying quality specifications, and multiple suppliers with discrete arrival times. Next, we study optimization methods applied to minimizing forces for poses and movements of chained Stewart platforms (SPs). These SPs are parallel mechanisms that are stiffer, and more precise, on average, than their serial counterparts at the cost of a smaller range of motion. The robot will be used in concert with several other types robots to perform complex assembly missions in space. We develop algorithms and optimization models that can efficiently decide on favorable poses and movements that reduce force loads on the robot, hence reducing wear on this machine, and allowing for a larger workspace and a greater overall payload capacity. In the third work, we present a technique for producing valid dual bounds for nonconvex quadratic optimization problems. The approach leverages an elegant piecewise linear approximation for univariate quadratic functions and formulate this approximation using mixed-integer programming (MIP). Combining this with a diagonal perturbation technique to convert a nonseparable quadratic function into a separable one, we present a mixed-integer convex quadratic relaxation for nonconvex quadratic optimization problems. We study the strength (or sharpness) of our formulation and the tightness of its approximation. We computationally demonstrate that our model outperforms existing MIP relaxations, and on hard instances can compete with state-of-the-art solvers. Finally, we study piecewise linear relaxations for solving quadratically constrained quadratic programs (QCQP's). We introduce new relaxation methods based on univariate reformulations of nonconvex variable products, leveraging the relaxation from the third work to model each univariate quadratic term. We also extend the NMDT approach (Castro, 2015) to leverage discretization for both variables in a bilinear term, squaring the resulting precision for the same number of binary variables. We then present various results related to the relative strength of the various formulations. / Doctor of Philosophy / First, we study a challenging long-horizon supply acquisition problem for a chemical plant. For this problem, constraints with products of variables are required to track raw material composition from supply carriers to storage tanks to the production feed. We apply a mixed-integer nonlinear program (MIP) approximation of the problem combined with a rolling planning scheme to obtain good solutions for industry problems within a reasonable time frame. Next, we study optimization methods applied to a robot designed as a stack of Stewart platforms (SPs), which will be used in concert with several other types robots to perform complex space missions. When chaining these SPs together, we obtain a robot that is generally stiffer more precise than a classic robot arm, enabling their potential use for a variety of purposes. Our methods can efficiently decide on favorable poses and movements for the robot that reduce force loads on the robot, hence reducing wear on this machine, and allowing for a larger usable range of motion and a greater overall payload capacity. Our final two works focus on MIP-based techniques for nonconvex QCQP's. In the first work, we break down the objective into an easy-to-handle term minus some squared terms. We then introduce an elegant new MIP-based approximation to handle these squared terms. We prove that this approximation has strong theoretical guarantees, then demonstrate that it is effective compared to other approximations. In the second, we directly model each variable product term using a MIP relaxation. We introduce two new formulations to do this that build on previous formulations, increasing the accuracy with the same number of integer variables. We then prove a variety of useful properties about the presented formulations, then compare them computationally on two families of problems.

The global energy requirement is increasing at a rapid pace and fossil fuels have been one of the major players in meeting this growing energy demand. However, the resources for fossil fuels are finite. Therefore, it is essential to develop renewable energy sources like biofuels to help address growing energy needs. A key aspect in the production of biofuel is the biomass logistics chain that constitutes a complex collection of activities, which must be judiciously executed for a cost-effective operation. In this thesis, we introduce a two-phase optimization-simulation approach to determine tactical biomass logistics-related decisions cost effectively in view of the uncertainties encountered in real-life. These decisions include number of trucks to haul biomass from storage locations to a bio-refinery, the number of unloading equipment sets required at storage locations, and the number of satellite storage locations required to serve as collection points for the biomass secured from the fields. Later, an operational-level decision support tool is introduced to aid the "feedstock manager" at the bio-refinery by recommending which satellite storage facilities to unload, how much biomass to ship, how to allocate existing resources (trucks and unloading equipment sets) during each time period, and how to route unloading equipment sets between storage facilities. Another problem studied is the "Bale Collection Problem" associated with the farmgate operation. It is essentially a capacitated vehicle routing problem with unit demand (CVRP-UD), and its solution defines a cost-effective sequence for collecting bales from the field after harvest. / Master of Science

The facility layout problem (FLP) is one of the most important and challenging problems in both the operations research and industrial engineering research domains. In FLP research, the continuous-representation-based FLP can consider all possible all-rectangular department solutions. Given this flexibility, this representation has become the representation of-choice in FLP research. Much of this research is based on a methodology of mixed integer programming (MIP) models. However, these MIP-FLP models can only solve problems with a limited number of departments to optimality due to a large number of binary variables used in the models to prevent departments from overlapping. Our research centers around the sequence-pair representation, a concept that originated in the Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) design literature. We show that an exhaustive search of the sequence-pair solution space will result in finding the optimal layout of the MIP-FLP and that every sequence-pair solution is binary-feasible in the MIP-FLP. Based on this fact, we propose a methodology that combines the sequence-pair and MIP-FLP model to efficiently solve large continuous-representation-based FLPs. Our heuristic approach searches the sequence-pair solution space and then use the sequence-pair representation to simplify and solve the MIPFLP model. Based on this methodology, we systematically study the different aspects of the FLP throughout this dissertation. As the first contribution of this dissertation, we present a genetic algorithm based heuristic, SEQUENCE, that combines the sequence-pair representation and the most recent MIPFLP model to solve the all-rectangular-department continuous-representation-based FLP. Numerical experiments based on different sized test problems from both the literature and industrial applications are provided and the solutions are compared with both the optimal solutions and the solutions from other heuristics to show the effectiveness and efficiency of our heuristic. For eleven data sets from the literature, we provide solutions better than those previously found. For the FLP with fixed departments, many sequence-pairs become infeasible with respect to the fixed department location and dimension restrictions. As our second contribution, to address this difficulty, we present a repair operator to filter the infeasible sequence-pairs with respect to the fixed departments. This repair operator is integrated into SEQUENCE to solve the FLP with fixed departments more efficiently. The effectiveness of combining SEQUENCE and the repair operator for solving the FLP with fixed departments is illustrated through a series of numerical experiments where the SEQUENCE solutions are compared with other heuristics' solutions. The third contribution of this dissertation is to formulate and solve the FLP with an existing aisle structure (FLPAL). In many industrial layout designs, the existing aisle structure must be taken into account. However, there is very little research that has been conducted in this area. We extend our research to further address the FLPAL. We first present an MIP model for the FLPAL (MIP-FLPAL) and run numerical experiments to test the performance of the MIP-FLPAL. These experiments illustrate that the MIP-FLPAL can only solve very limited sized FLPAL problems. Therefore, we present a genetic algorithm based heuristic, SEQUENCE-AL, to combine the sequence-pair representation and MIP-FLPAL to solve larger-sized FLPAL problems. Different sized data sets are solved by SEQUENCE-AL and the solutions are compared with both the optimal solutions and other heuristics' solutions to show the effectiveness of SEQUENCE-AL. The fourth contribution of this dissertation is to formulate and solve the FLP with non-rectangular-shaped departments. Most FLP research focuses on layout design with all rectangular-shaped departments, while in industry there are many FLP applications with non-rectangular-shaped departments. We extend our research to solve the FLP with nonrectangular-shaped departments. We first formulate the FLP with non-rectangular-shaped departments (FLPNR) to a MIP model (MIP-FLPNR), where each non-rectangular department is partitioned into rectangular-shaped sub-departments and the sub-departments from the same department are connected according to the department's orientation. The effect of different factors on the performance of the MIP-FLPNR is explored through a series of numerical tests, which also shows that MIP-FLPNR can only solve limited-sized FLPNR problems. To solve larger-sized FLPNR problems, we present a genetic algorithm based heuristic, SEQUENCE-NR, along with two repair operators based on the mathematical properties of the MIP-FLPNR to solve the larger-sized FLPNR. A series of numerical tests are conducted on SEQUENCE-NR to compare the SEQUENCE-NR solutions with both the optimal solutions and another heuristic's solutions to illustrate the effectiveness of SEQUENCE-NR. As the first systematic research study on a methodology that combines the sequence-pair representation and the MIP-based FLP, this dissertation addresses different types of continuous-representation based facility layout design problems: from block layout design with and without fixed departments to re-layout design with an existing aisle structure, and from layout design with all-rectangular-shaped departments to layout design with arbitrary non-rectangular-shaped departments. For each type of layout design problem, numerical experiments are conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of our specifically designed family of sequence-pair and MIP-based heuristics. As a result, better solutions than those previously found are provided for some widely used data sets from the literature and some new datasets based on both the literature and industrial applications are proposed for the first time. Furthermore, future research that continues to combine the sequence-pair representation and the MIP-FLP model to solve the FLP is also discussed, indicating the richness of this research domain. / Ph. D.

Evacuation planning is an important disaster management tool. A large-scale evacuation of a region by automobile is a difficult task, especially as demand is often greater than supply. This is made more difficult as the imbalance of supply and demand actually reduces supply due to congestion. Currently, most of the emphasis in evacuation planning is on supply management. The purpose of this dissertation is to introduce and study sophisticated demand management tools, specifically, staging and routing of evacuees. These tools can be used to produce evacuation strategies that reduce or eliminate congestion. A strategic planning model is introduced that accounts for evacuation dynamics and the non-linearities in travel times associated with congestion, yet is tractable and can be applied to large-scale networks. Objective functions of potential interest in evacuation planning are introduced and studied in the context of this model. Insights into the use of staging and routing in evacuation management are delineated and solution techniques are developed. Two different strategic approaches are studied in the context of this model. The first strategic approach is to control the evacuation at a disaggregate level, where customized staging and routing plans are produced for each individual or family unit. The second strategic approach is to control the evacuation at a more aggregate level, where evacuation plans are developed for a larger group of evacuees, based on pre-defined geographic areas. In both approaches, shelter requirements and preferences can also be considered. Computational experience using these two strategic approaches, and their respective solution techniques, is provided using a real network pertaining to Virginia Beach, Virginia, in order to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed methodologies. / Ph. D.

No description available.

The goal of this dissertation is to study optimization models that integrate location, production, inventory and transportation decisions for industrial products and apply the knowledge gained to develop supply chains for agricultural products (biomass). We estimate unit cost for the whole biomass-to-biofuels’ supply chain which is the per gallon cost for biofuels up till it reaches the markets. The unit cost estimated is the summation of location, production, inventory holding, and transportation costs. In this dissertation, we focus on building mathematical models for designing and managing the biomass-to-biofuels’ supply chains. The computational complexity of the developed models makes it advisable to use heuristic solution procedures. We develop a Lagrangean decomposition heuristic. In our heuristic, we divide the problem into two sub-problems, sub-problem 1 is a transportation problem and sub-problem 2 is a combination of a capacitated facility location and production planning problem. Subproblem 2 is further divided by commodities. The algorithm is tested for a number of different scenarios. We also develop a decision support system (DSS) for the biomass-to-biofuels’ supply chain. In our DSS, the main problem is divided into four easy-to-solve supply chain problems. These problems were determined based on our knowledge of supply chain and discussions with the experts from the biomass and biofuels’ sector. The DSS is coded using visual basic applications (VBA) for Excel and has a simple user interface which assists the user in running different types of supply chain problems and provides results in form of reports which are easy to understand.

In this thesis, we study the role of interdiction in the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), which naturally arises in humanitarian logistics and military applications. We assume that in a general network, each arc has a chance to be interdicted. When interdiction happens, the vehicle traveling on this arc is lost or blocked and thus unable to continue the trip. We model the occurrence of interdiction as a given probability and consider the multi-period expected delivery. Our objective is to minimize the total travel cost or to maximize the demand fulfillment, depending on the supply quantity. This problem is called the Vehicle Routing Problem with Interdiction (VRPI). We first prove that the proposed VRPI problems are NP-hard. Then we show some key analytical properties pertaining to the optimal solutions of these problems. Most importantly, we examine Dror and Trudeau's property applied to our problem setting. Finally, we present efficient heuristic algorithms to solve these problems and show the effectiveness through numerical studies. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)