An extension of the (szwarc) truck assignment problem

In this journal in 1967. Szware presented an algorithm for the optimal routing of a common vehicle fleet between m sources and n sinks with p different types of commodities. The main premise of the formulation is that a truck may carry only one commodity at a time and must deliver the entire load to one demand area. This eliminates the problem of routing vehicles between sources or between sinks and limits the problem to the routing of loaded trucks between sources and sinks and empty trucks making the return trip. Szwarc considered only the transportation aspect of the problem (i. e., no intermediate points) and presented a very efficient algorithm for solution of the case he described. If the total supply is greater than the total demand, Szwarc shows that the problem is equivalent to a (mp + n) by (np + m) Hitchcock transportation problem. Digital computer codes for this algorithm require rapid access storage for a matrix of size (mp + n) by (np + m); therefore, computer storage required grows proportionally to p². This paper offers an extension of his work to a more general form: a transshipment network with capacity constraints on all arcs and facilities. The problem is shown to be solvable directly by Fulkerson's out-of-kilter algorithm. Digital computer codes for this formulation require rapid access storage proportional to p instead of p². Computational results indicate that, in addition to handling the extensions, the out-of-kilter algorithm is more efficient in the solution of the original problem when there is a mad, rate number of commodities and a computer of limited storage capacity.     

Properties of a multifacility location problem involving euclidian distances

This paper considers a problem of locating new facilities in the plane with respect to existing facilities, the locations of which are known. The problem consists of finding locations of new facilities which will minimize a total cost function which consists of a sum of costs directly proportional to the Euclidian distances among the new facilities, and costs directly proportional to the Euclidian distances between new and existing facilities. It is established that the total cost function has a minimum; necessary conditions for a mimumum are obtained; necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for the function to be strictly convex (it is always convex); when the problem is “well structured,” it is established that for a minimum cost solution the locations of the new facilities will lie in the convex hull of the locations of the existing facilities. Also, a dual to the problem is obtained and interpreted; necessary and sufficient conditions for optimum solutions to the problem, and to its dual, are developed, as well as complementary slackness conditions. Many of the properties to be presented are motivated by, based on, and extend the results of Kuhn's study of the location problem known as the General Fermat Problem.     

Heuristic solution to a discrete collection model

A discrete time Collection Model is formulated, involving the completion of a touring objective on a network with stochastic node states. Heuristic touring strategies are constructed, there being as yet inadequate analytic results for its optimal solution. Effectiveness of the heuristics is assessed by comparing expected tour times under the heuristics with expected tour times given perfect information. A branch and bound algorithm is presented for computing the perfect information tour times.     

Statistical concepts in computational mathematics

For a young science and even for most old ones, the intensity and variety of activities involved in computer science are unsurpassed. In an effort to provide the extremely varied training needed in the field, curriculum planners have tended to slight probability and statistics. Rarely has it been a requisite and only occasionally a desired elective However, not only is an adequate foundation in probability and statistics necessary for such external computer applications as tracking and other data reduction, Monte Carlo techniques, gaming, operations research, traffic analyses, etc., but it also plays an important role in internal applications to computer science and technology This effort in Rand's continuing study of computational mathematics and its applications offers a number of examples in various areas of computational mathematics and computing machine arithmetic-to say nothing of computer design, time sharing, and the like-to support the thesis that probability and statistics should be a requisite, not simply an elective or, even worse, ignored, at any institution offering a program in computer science. Further more, a potentially profitable source of research problems can be found in the interface between probability and statistics and computer science.     

A branch-bound algorithm for the capacitated facilities location problem

This paper discusses a mixed integer programming method for solving the Facilities Location Problem with capacities on the facilities. The algorithm uses a Decomposition technique to solve the dual of the associated continuous problem in each branch-bound iteration. The method was designed to produce the global optimum solution for problems with up to 100 facilities and 1,000 customers. Computational experience and a complete example are also presented in the appendix.     

Vessel allocation by linear programming

This paper presents a linear programming model of a fleet of vessels which is required to transport quantities of cargo, such as coal, iron ore, limestone, and salt from certain producing ports to specific destination ports. This model has been implemented and is currently being used both for planning purposes and as an aid in scheduling the trips to be made by each vessel.     

Application of renewal theory to continuous sampling plans

Renewal theory is used to study the effectiveness of a class of continuous sampling plans first introduced by Dodge. This approach provides a simple way of viewing and computing the long-run Average Outgoing Quality (AOQ) and its maximum AOQL. More importantly, it is used to study the average outgoing quality in a short production run through an approximation formula AOQ^*(t). Formulas for AOQ and AOQ^*(t) are provided. By simulation, it is found that AOQ^*(t) is sufficiently accurate in situations corresponding to actual practice.     

A (Q,R) inventory model with lost sales and erlang-distributed lead times

The exact expression is derived for the average stationary cost of a (Q,R) inventory system with lost sales, unit Poisson demands, Erlang-distributed lead times, fixed order cost, fixed cost per unit lost sale, linear holding cost per unit time, and a maximum of one order outstanding. Explicit expressions for the state probabilities and a fast method of calculating them are obtained for the case of Q greater than R. Exponential lead times are analyzed as a special case. A simple cyclic coordinate search procedure is used to locate the minimum cost policy. Examples of the effect of lead time variability on costs are given.