Models and algorithms for shuffling problems in steel plants

In this article, we study item shuffling (IS) problems arising in the logistics system of steel production. An IS problem here is to optimize shuffling operations needed in retrieving a sequence of steel items from a warehouse served by a crane. There are two types of such problems, plate shuffling problems (PSP) and coil shuffling problems (CSP), considering the item shapes. The PSP is modeled as a container storage location assignment problem. For CSP, a novel linear integer programming model is formulated considering the practical stacking and shuffling features. Several valid inequalities are constructed to accelerate the solving of the models. Some properties of optimal solutions of PSP and CSP are also derived. Because of the strong NP‐hardness of the problems, we consider some special cases of them and propose polynomial time algorithms to obtain optimal solutions for these cases. A greedy heuristic is proposed to solve the general problems and its worst‐case performances on both PSP and CSP are analyzed. A tabu search (TS) method with a tabu list of variable length is proposed to further improve the heuristic solutions. Without considering the crane traveling distance, we then construct a rolling variable horizon heuristic for the problems. Numerical experiments show that the proposed heuristic algorithms and the TS method are effective. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2012     

Irreducibility of joint inventory positions in an assemble‐to‐order system under (r,nQ) policies

In a typical assemble‐to‐order system, a customer order may request multiple items, and the order may not be filled if any of the requested items are out of stock. A key customer service measure when unfilled orders are backordered is the order‐based backorder level. To evaluate this crucial performance measure, a fundamental question is whether the stationary joint inventory positions follow an independent and uniform distribution. In this context, this is equivalent to the irreducibility of the Markov chain formed by the joint inventory positions. This article presents a necessary and sufficient condition for the irreducibility of such a Markov chain through a set of simultaneous Diophantine equations. This result also leads to sufficient conditions that are more general than those in the published reports. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2011     

马尔可夫过程的k/N系统使用任务完成能力分析

研究了任务期间允许换件维修和备件供应时k/N系统的任务完成能力.首先,利用马尔可夫过程分析了k/N系统的状态转移过程,研究了k/N系统在特定维修保障策略下的运行过程.然后,以k/N系统固定任务时间内在正常状态停留时间的分布函数作为其任务完成概率模型,并通过全概率分解和更新过程的分析方法对任务完成概率进行求解.最后,利用任务完成概率模型在Matlab中绘制了任务完成概率随任务时间、任务量、备件携行数量以及备件平均供应时间的变化曲线,讨论并分析了对任务完成概率的影响.     

The effect of al particle size on thermal decomposition,mechanical strength and sensitivity of Al/ZrH2/PTFE composite

To study the thermal decomposition of Al/ZrH2/PTFE with different Al particle size as well as mechanical strength and impact sensitivity under medium and low strain rates, molding-vacuum sintering was adopted to prepare four groups of power materials and cylindrical specimens with different Al particle size. The active decomposition temperature of ZrH2 was obtained by TG-DSC, and the quasi-static me-chanics/reaction characteristics as well as the impact sensitivity of the specimen were studied respec-tively by quasi-static compression and drop-hammer test. The results show that the yield strength of the material decreased with the increase of the Al particle size, while the compressive strength, failure strain and toughness increased first and then decreased, which reached the maximum values of 116.61 MPa, 191％, and 119.9 MJ/m respectively when the Al particle size is 12—14μm because of particle size grading. The specimens with the highest strength and toughness formed circumferential open cracks and reacted partly when pressed. Those with developmental cracks formed inside did not react. It is considered that fracture of specimens first triggered initial reaction between Al and PTFE to release an amount of heat. Then ZrH2 was activated and decomposed, and participated in subsequent reaction to generate ZrC. The impact sensitivity of the specimens decreased with the increase of Al particle size.     

Effect of the end cap on the fragment velocity distribution of a cylindrical cased charge

The prediction of the fragment velocity distribution of a cylindrical cased charge with end caps is one of the key issues to assess the damage efficiency of the warhead. However, limited work has been con-ducted to predict the fragment velocity distributions along the axis of cylindrical cased charges with end caps. This paper presents a study of the velocity distribution of fragments caused by the explosion of a cylindrical cased charge with end caps. The fragment velocity distribution and the end cap velocity were determined by an X-ray radiography method, and the axial fragment distribution was determined by witness plates. It was found that the velocities of fragments, especially near the edge, were increased when the end caps were added, and the position of maximum velocity is closer to the non-detonation end. The fragment velocities were increased, and the fragment projection range was decreased with the increase of the thickness of the end cap. A formula for fragment velocity distributions of a cylindrical cased charge with end caps, which is based on Huang's formula, was proposed by the theoretical analysis and data fitting and validated experimentally. The results indicate that the proposed formula is accurate in predicting the fragment velocity distribution along the axis of a cylindrical cased charge with end caps detonated at one end.     

Background dominant colors extraction method based on color image quick fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm

A quick and accurate extraction of dominant colors of background images is the basis of adaptive camouflage design. This paper proposes a Color Image Quick Fuzzy C-Means (CIQFCM) clustering algorithm based on clustering spatial mapping. First, the clustering sample space was mapped from the image pixels to the quantized color space, and several methods were adopted to compress the amount of clustering samples. Then, an improved pedigree clustering algorithm was applied to obtain the initial class centers. Finally, CIQFCM clustering algorithm was used for quick extraction of dominant colors of background image. After theoretical analysis of the effect and efficiency of the CIQFCM algorithm, several experiments were carried out to discuss the selection of proper quantization intervals and to verify the effect and efficiency of the CIQFCM algorithm. The results indicated that the value of quantization intervals should be set to 4, and the proposed algorithm could improve the clustering efficiency while maintaining the clustering effect. In addition, as the image size increased from 128 × 128 to 1024 × 1024, the efficiency improvement of CIQFCM algorithm was increased from 6.44 times to 36.42 times, which demonstrated the significant advantage of CIQFCM algorithm in dominant colors extraction of large-size images.     

Blast resistance evaluation of urban utility tunnel reinforced with BFRP bars

To improve corrosion-resistance of shallow-buried concrete urban utility tunnels(UUTs),basalt fiber reinforced polymer(BFRP)bars are applied to reinforce UUTs.As the UUT must have excellent survival capability under accidental explosions,a shallow-buried BFRP bars reinforced UUT(BBRU)was designed and constructed.Repetitive blast experiments were carried out on this BBRU.Dynamic responses,damage evolutions and failure styles of the BBRU under repetitive explosions were revealed.The tunnel roof is the most vulnerable component and longitudinal cracks develop along the tunnel.When the scaled distance is larger than 1.10 m/kg1/3,no cracks are observed in the experiments.When the BBRU is severely damaged,there are five cracks forming and developing along the roof.The roof is simplified as a clamped-supported one-way slab,proved by the observation that the maximum strain of the transverse bar is much larger than that of the longitudinal bar.Dynamic responses of the roof slab are predicted by dynamic Euler beam theory,which can consistently predict the roof displacement under large-scaled-distance explosion.Compared with the UUT reinforced with steel bars,the BBRU has advantages in blast resistance with smaller deflections and more evenly-distributed cracks when the scaled distance is smaller than 1.260 m/kg1/3 and the steel bars enter plastic state.Longer elastic defamation of the BFRP bars endows the UUT more excellent blast resistance under small-scaled-distance explosions.     

亚微秒负脉冲高电压击穿的水介质开关特性的实验研究

本文提供了在02装置上进行的水中亚微秒负脉冲高电压击穿的实验研究的结果。击穿场强≥250KV/cm,进行统计性测量。实验研究用的电极材料为不锈钢,尺寸和形状各有不同。     

全垫升式气垫船水压场数值模拟

提出了任意分布的气垫压力所产生的水压场的计算方法 ,对椭圆域上均匀分布的气垫压力产生的水压场进行了数值模拟 ,并将计算结果与实验进行了比较 .结果表明 ,用数值模拟的方法研究全垫升式气垫船水压场是可行的     

基于多属性决策方法的防空C3I系统效能评估

介绍了防空C3I系统效能的定义及效能评估的一般处理过程.针对效能指标的多样性,提出了基于多属性决策(MADM)的效能评估方法,并通过一个示例给出MADM方法的处理过程,有效地解决了防空C3I系统效能评估这一复杂而困难的问题,仿真结果证明了方法的可行性.