Approximation results for min‐max path cover problems in vehicle routing

This article studies a min‐max path cover problem, which is to determine a set of paths for k capacitated vehicles to service all the customers in a given weighted graph so that the largest path cost is minimized. The problem has wide applications in vehicle routing, especially when the minimization of the latest service completion time is a critical performance measure. We have analyzed four typical variants of this problem, where the vehicles have either unlimited or limited capacities, and they start from either a given depot or any depot of a given depot set. We have developed approximation algorithms for these four variants, which achieve approximation ratios of max{3 ‐ 2/k,2}, 5, max{5 ‐ 2/k,4}, and 7, respectively. We have also analyzed the approximation hardness of these variants by showing that, unless P = NP , it is impossible for them to achieve approximation ratios less than 4/3, 3/2, 3/2, and 2, respectively. We have further extended the techniques and results developed for this problem to other min‐max vehicle routing problems.© 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2010     

Dynamic capacity reservation and due date quoting in a make‐to‐order system

We consider a make‐to‐order manufacturer facing random demand from two classes of customers. We develop an integrated model for reserving capacity in anticipation of future order arrivals from high priority customers and setting due dates for incoming orders. Our research exhibits two distinct features: (1) we explicitly model the manufacturer's uncertainty about the customers' due date preferences for future orders; and (2) we utilize a service level measure for reserving capacity rather than estimating short and long term implications of due date quoting with a penalty cost function. We identify an interesting effect (“t‐pooling”) that arises when the (partial) knowledge of customer due date preferences is utilized in making capacity reservation and order allocation decisions. We characterize the relationship between the customer due date preferences and the required reservation quantities and show that not considering the t‐pooling effect (as done in traditional capacity and inventory rationing literature) leads to excessive capacity reservations. Numerical analyses are conducted to investigate the behavior and performance of our capacity reservation and due date quoting approach in a dynamic setting with multiple planning horizons and roll‐overs. One interesting and seemingly counterintuitive finding of our analyses is that under certain conditions reserving capacity for high priority customers not only improves high priority fulfillment, but also increases the overall system fill rate. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2008     

On efficient algorithms for finding efficient salvo policies

We consider the salvo policy problem, in which there are k moments, called salvos, at which we can fire multiple missiles simultaneously at an incoming object. Each salvo is characterized by a probability p_i: the hit probability of a single missile. After each salvo, we can assess whether the incoming object is still active. If it is, we fire the missiles assigned to the next salvo. In the salvo policy problem, the goal is to assign at most n missiles to salvos in order to minimize the expected number of missiles used. We consider three problem versions. In Gould's version, we have to assign all n missiles to salvos. In the Big Bomb version, a cost of B is incurred when all salvo's are unsuccessful. Finally, we consider the Quota version in which the kill probability should exceed some quota Q. We discuss the computational complexity and the approximability of these problem versions. In particular, we show that Gould's version and the Big Bomb version admit pseudopolynomial time exact algorithms and fully polynomial time approximation schemes. We also present an iterative approximation algorithm for the Quota version, and show that a related problem is NP-complete.     

Technical note: Finite-time regret analysis of Kiefer-Wolfowitz stochastic approximation algorithm and nonparametric multi-product dynamic pricing with unknown demand

We consider the problem of nonparametric multi-product dynamic pricing with unknown demand and show that the problem may be formulated as an online model-free stochastic program, which can be solved by the classical Kiefer-Wolfowitz stochastic approximation (KWSA) algorithm. We prove that the expected cumulative regret of the KWSA algorithm is bounded above by where κ₁, κ₂ are positive constants and T is the number of periods for any T = 1, 2, … . Therefore, the regret of the KWSA algorithm grows in the order of , which achieves the lower bounds known for parametric dynamic pricing problems and shows that the nonparametric problems are not necessarily more difficult to solve than the parametric ones. Numerical experiments further demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed KW pricing policy by comparing with some pricing policies in the literature.     

A multi‐stage stochastic programming approach for network capacity expansion with multiple sources of capacity

In networks, there are often more than one sources of capacity. The capacities can be permanently or temporarily owned by the decision maker. Depending on the nature of sources, we identify the permanent capacity, spot market capacity, and contract capacity. We use a scenario tree to model the uncertainty, and build a multi‐stage stochastic integer program that can incorporate multiple sources and multiple types of capacities in a general network. We propose two solution methodologies for the problem. Firstly, we design an asymptotically convergent approximation algorithm. Secondly, we design a cutting plane algorithm based on Benders decomposition to find tight bounds for the problem. The numerical experiments show superb performance of the proposed algorithms compared with commercial software. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 600–614, 2017     

Weak aging properties for coherent systems with statistically dependent component lifetimes

As a relevant topic in reliability theory, the preservation of aging properties under the formation of various coherent structures contributes to improving system performance through better structure design and more effective system maintenance. The classical research in this line usually focuses upon coherent systems with independent component lifetimes. Recently, some authors discussed the preservation of IFR, NBU, and DMRL in the setting of dependent component lifetimes. This paper further investigates sufficient conditions for coherent systems with dependent component lifetimes to preserve aging properties including NBUC, NBU (2), DMRL, and their dual versions. Some examples are presented to illustrate coherent structures and typical copula functions fulfilling the present sufficient conditions as well.     

复合材料结构传热分析的新的高阶热层合理论研究

提出了新的高阶热层合理论及相应的有限元模型．新的高阶热层合理论比作者最初提出的一阶热层合理论［１］前进了一大步,它有效克服了一阶热层合理论中存在的计算缺陷．大量数值算例表明了高阶热层合理论的精确有效性．算例还对铺设角和纵厚比对层合板温度场的影响进行了分析,并得到了一些有意义的结论．     

在转换过程中的代价——谈传统文化与青少年思想政治教育

青少年对传统文化的拒斥与西方文化的亲睐使思想政治工作的开展变得异常艰难,而加强传统文化教育,注意秩序建构,控制青少年思想弹性是使政治思想工作正常开展的有利途径。     

Short‐term capacity allocation problem with tool and setup constraints

We consider a short‐term capacity allocation problem with tool and setup constraints that arises in the context of operational planning in a semiconductor wafer fabrication facility. The problem is that of allocating the available capacity of parallel nonidentical machines to available work‐in‐process (WIP) inventory of operations. Each machine can process a subset of the operations and a tool setup is required on a machine to change processing from one operation to another. Both the number of tools available for an operation and the number of setups that can be performed on a machine during a specified time horizon are limited. We formulate this problem as a degree‐constrained network flow problem on a bipartite graph, show that the problem is NP‐hard, and propose constant factor approximation algorithms. We also develop constructive heuristics and a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure for the problem. Our computational experiments demonstrate that our solution procedures solve the problem efficiently, rendering the use of our algorithms in real environment feasible. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2005