Optimal path finding in direction,location, and time dependent environments

This article examines optimal path finding problems where cost function and constraints are direction, location, and time dependent. Recent advancements in sensor and data‐processing technology facilitate the collection of detailed real‐time information about the environment surrounding a ground vehicle, an airplane, or a naval vessel. We present a navigation model that makes use of such information. We relax a number of assumptions from existing literature on path‐finding problems and create an accurate, yet tractable, model suitable for implementation for a large class of problems. We present a dynamic programming model which integrates our earlier results for direction‐dependent, time and space homogeneous environment, and consequently, improves its accuracy, efficiency, and run‐time. The proposed path finding model also addresses limited information about the surrounding environment, control‐feasibility of the considered paths, such as sharpest feasible turns a vehicle can make, and computational demands of a time‐dependent environment. To demonstrate the applicability and performance of our path‐finding algorithm, computational experiments for a short‐range ship routing in dynamic wave‐field problem are presented. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2012     

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     

Economic lot sizing with constant capacities and concave inventory costs

This article studies the classical single‐item economic lot‐sizing problem with constant capacities, fixed‐plus‐linear order costs, and concave inventory costs, where backlogging is allowed. We propose an O(T³) optimal algorithm for the problem, which improves upon the O(T⁴) running time of the famous algorithm developed by Florian and Klein (Manage Sci18 (1971) 12–20). Instead of using the standard dynamic programming approach by predetermining the minimal cost for every possible subplan, we develop a backward dynamic programming algorithm to obtain a more efficient implementation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2012     

Partial equilibrium in risk‐based production decisions

Characteristically, a small subset of operational problems admit risk neutrality when contingent claims methodology were used in their analysis. That is, for the majority of manufacturing and production problems, operating cash flows are not directly linked to prices of traded assets. However, to the extent that correlations can be estimated, the methodology's applicability to a broader set of operational problems is supported. Our article addresses this issue with the objective of extending the use of contingent claims techniques to a larger set of operational problems. In broad terms, this objective entails a partial equilibrium approach to the problem of valuing uncertain cash flows. To this end, we assume risk aversion and cast our approach within Merton's intertemporal capital asset pricing model. In this context, we formulate a “generic” production valuation model that is framed as an exercise in stochastic optimal control. The model is versatile in its characterization and can easily be adapted to accommodate a wide‐ranging set of risk‐based operational problems where the underlying sources of uncertainty are not traded. To obtain results, the model is recast as a stochastic dynamic program to be solved numerically. The article addresses a number of fundamental issues in the analysis risk based decision problems in operations. First, in the approach provided, decisions are analyzed under a properly defined risk structure. Second, the process of analysis leads to suitably adjusted probability distributions through which, appropriately discounted expectations are derived. Third, through consolidating existing concepts into a standard and adaptable framework, we extend the applicability of contingent claims methodology to a broader set of operational problems. The approach is advantageous as it obviates the need for exogenously specifying utility functions or discount rates.© 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2011     

火力分配环协同度的编队反导决策优化

舰艇编队协同反导决策是一个多阶段多目标的决策系统,依据模糊权距离和隶属度概念,考虑系统中各阶段的协同关系,提出基于火力分配环协同度的概念,将模糊优选理论与动态规划原理有机地结合起来,寻求基于舰艇编队协同反导的多阶段多目标优化的最优均衡策略,并应用于解决舰艇编队协同反导决策的优化中,得出了具有指导意义的结论。     

基于多智能体的反导传感器任务规划算法

首先探讨了反导作战中各类传感器资源的构成特点和功能划分,然后基于多智能体multy-agent system(MAS)的分布式人工智能技术提出了适应反导作战需求的传感器任务规划体系架构,既而深入分析了体系架构中各类agent的主要功能,最后给出了一个实体层传感器的任务规划流程和算法实例,为构建高效率、智能化的反导作战多传感器任务规划技术提供了一种有效的研究方法。     

假目标配置数量模型及其效费比分析

在现代战争中,示假伪装的地位越来越重要。引入了真假目标的发现识别概率的指数分布模型,综合考虑作战时间、真假目标价格比等因素,确定战场生存能力和配置假目标成本两个目标函数,并以最小加权偏差法确定两者权重,建立基于多目标决策的假目标配置数量模型。最后结合实际问题,将各参数条件带入模型计算出假目标的最佳配置数量,同时利用假目标的效费比模型进行检验分析,从而为战时假目标配置数量的确定提供参考依据。