Optimal outbound dispatch policies: Modeling inventory and cargo capacity

In this paper, we present an optimization model for coordinating inventory and transportation decisions at an outbound distribution warehouse that serves a group of customers located in a given market area. For the practical problems which motivated this paper, the warehouse is operated by a third party logistics provider. However, the models developed here may be applicable in a more general context where outbound distribution is managed by another supply chain member, e.g., a manufacturer. We consider the case where the aggregate demand of the market area is constant and known per period (e.g., per day). Under an immediate delivery policy, an outbound shipment is released each time a demand is realized (e.g., on a daily basis). On the other hand, if these shipments are consolidated over time, then larger (hence more economical) outbound freight quantities can be dispatched. In this case, the physical inventory requirements at the third party warehouse (TPW) are determined by the consolidated freight quantities. Thus, stock replenishment and outbound shipment release policies should be coordinated. By optimizing inventory and freight consolidation decisions simultaneously, we compute the parameters of an integrated inventory/outbound transportation policy. These parameters determine: (i) how often to dispatch a truck so that transportation scale economies are realized and timely delivery requirements are met, and (ii) how often, and in what quantities, the stock should be replenished at the TPW. We prove that the optimal shipment release timing policy is nonstationary, and we present algorithms for computing the policy parameters for both the uncapacitated and finite cargo capacity problems. The model presented in this study is considerably different from the existing inventory/transportation models in the literature. The classical inventory literature assumes that demands should be satisfied as they arrive so that outbound shipment costs are sunk costs, or else these costs are covered by the customer. Hence, the classical literature does not model outbound transportation costs. However, if a freight consolidation policy is in place then the outbound transportation costs can no longer be ignored in optimization. Relying on this observation, this paper models outbound transportation costs, freight consolidation decisions, and cargo capacity constraints explicitly. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 49: 531–556, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/nav.10030     

New inequalities for finite and infinite group problems from approximate lifting

In this paper, we derive new families of facet‐defining inequalities for the finite group problem and extreme inequalities for the infinite group problem using approximate lifting. The new valid inequalities for the finite group problem include two‐ and three‐slope facet‐defining inequalities as well as the first family of four‐slope facet‐defining inequalities. The new valid inequalities for the infinite group problem include families of two‐ and three‐slope extreme inequalities. These new inequalities not only illustrate the diversity of strong inequalities for the finite and infinite group problems, but also provide a large variety of new cutting planes for solving integer and mixed‐integer programming problems. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2008     

在求“变”中推进西南边防部队转型发展

西南边防部队驻防于我国西南边境地区,西起西藏自治区的日土县,东至广西壮族自治区的防城港市,担负着边防管控和边境防御作战等重要职能,在捍卫国家主权和安全中地位作用十分特殊。随着军队调整改革的深入落实,西南边防部队正处于转型重塑的关键时期,必须紧紧围绕新形势、新体制、新职能,着眼应急指挥、军事训练、边境管控、内外环境等关键要素和现实问题,在求"变"中推进创新发展,不断提升履职能力,切实为捍卫国家领土主权完整和维护边境稳定提供坚强保证。     

An integer decomposition algorithm for solving a two‐stage facility location problem with second‐stage activation costs

We study a stochastic scenario‐based facility location problem arising in situations when facilities must first be located, then activated in a particular scenario before they can be used to satisfy scenario demands. Unlike typical facility location problems, fixed charges arise in the initial location of the facilities, and then in the activation of located facilities. The first‐stage variables in our problem are the traditional binary facility‐location variables, whereas the second‐stage variables involve a mix of binary facility‐activation variables and continuous flow variables. Benders decomposition is not applicable for these problems due to the presence of the second‐stage integer activation variables. Instead, we derive cutting planes tailored to the problem under investigation from recourse solution data. These cutting planes are derived by solving a series of specialized shortest path problems based on a modified residual graph from the recourse solution, and are tighter than the general cuts established by Laporte and Louveaux for two‐stage binary programming problems. We demonstrate the computational efficacy of our approach on a variety of randomly generated test problems. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2010     

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     

商务印书馆函授学校英文科学员来源地考察——基于《英语周刊》(1921-1922)记载的分析

商务印书馆函授学校英文科在中国近现代成人教育史、职业教育史上都占据着非常重要的位置.1921年至1922年期间的《英语周刊》对英文科学员来源地等信息均有着较为详细的记载,弥补了已发现的相关史料的不足,从而可以对其办学效果做出一个客观、精确的评价.通过《英语周刊》的相关记载,可以发现英文科学员来源地范围覆盖区域非常广泛,其学员来源地构成状况呈现出了多元化、多样化的特点.仅仅从学员来源地状况的角度去审视、考察,商务函授学校英文科取得了显著的办学效果,它在一定程度上弥补了普通学校教育资源的不足,有力促进了中国教育近代化事业的发展.     

浅析提高信息系统软件测试质量的途径

随着信息技术为核心的高新技术在军事信息系统中应用的不断深入，作为信息系统核心部分的软件系统质量成为影响系统效能与可靠性的关键。如何有效保证软件系统质量、提高信息系统的可靠性成为目前我军亟需解决的重要问题。本文从软件工程的角度出发，针对信息系统中的软件系统，结合软件测试技术的发展和我军信息系统的现状，提出了提高军事信息系统软件测试质量的几种途径。     

The building evacuation problem with shared information

In this article, the Building Evacuation Problem with Shared Information (BEPSI) is formulated as a mixed integer linear program, where the objective is to determine the set of routes along which to send evacuees (supply) from multiple locations throughout a building (sources) to the exits (sinks) such that the total time until all evacuees reach the exits is minimized. The formulation explicitly incorporates the constraints of shared information in providing online instructions to evacuees, ensuring that evacuees departing from an intermediate or source location at a mutual point in time receive common instructions. Arc travel time and capacity, as well as supply at the nodes, are permitted to vary with time and capacity is assumed to be recaptured over time. The BEPSI is shown to be NP‐hard. An exact technique based on Benders decomposition is proposed for its solution. Computational results from numerical experiments on a real‐world network representing a four‐story building are given. Results of experiments employing Benders cuts generated in solving a given problem instance as initial cuts in addressing an updated problem instance are also provided. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2008     

基于Monte Carlo仿真的武器装备贡献度评估法

为了更加科学、准确地对武器装备贡献度进行评估,从装备体系的角度出发,立足于作战任务实际,充分体现信息化条件下空战过程的随机性,提出了一种基于Monte Carlo仿真的武器装备贡献度评估法。对典型空中作战场景进行了任务阶段划分。提出了能够准确描述作战能力的指标项,建立了能够反映能力指标项的随机矩阵。并以拦截空中目标为作战背景,运用Monte Carlo仿真进行了验证,得出了与实际结果一致的结论。为武器装备的装备贡献度评估提供了理论支撑和方法模型。     

基于算法估计的网络端到端时延测量方法

在网络端到端延迟的测量中,常用的方法大多是通过发送探测包来直接得到端到端的时延值.由于存在时钟不同步的问题,所以测量结果的误差较大.针对此问题,在Sue B.Moon提出方法的基础上进一步改进,提出了一种基于算法估计的软件方法,该方法更好地解决了收发时钟不同步的问题,提高了测量的精度.