A self‐adapting genetic algorithm for project scheduling under resource constraints

This papers deals with the classical resource‐constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP). There, the activities of a project have to be scheduled subject to precedence and resource constraints. The objective is to minimize the makespan of the project. We propose a new heuristic called self‐adapting genetic algorithm to solve the RCPSP. The heuristic employs the well‐known activity list representation and considers two different decoding procedures. An additional gene in the representation determines which of the two decoding procedures is actually used to compute a schedule for an individual. This allows the genetic algorithm to adapt itself to the problem instance actually solved. That is, the genetic algorithm learns which of the alternative decoding procedures is the more successful one for this instance. In other words, not only the solution for the problem, but also the algorithm itself is subject to genetic optimization. Computational experiments show that the mechanism of self‐adaptation is capable to exploit the benefits of both decoding procedures. Moreover, the tests show that the proposed heuristic is among the best ones currently available for the RCPSP. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 49: 433–448, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/nav.10029     

AUSMPW+格式在高超声速热化学非平衡流数值模拟中的应用

将AUSMPW+格式应用到高超声速热化学非平衡流场的数值模拟中。为提高精度,采用了三阶MUSCL插值方法。与LU SGS方法结合,提高了单步计算效率和收敛性。采用热化学非平衡十一组元气体模型求解了非定常轴对称Navier Stokes方程组,得到了收敛结果。数值模拟结果与文献结果进行了对比,并在弹道靶中进行了钢质圆球的实验验证。计算结果与文献、实验的对比说明,AUSMPW+格式可以在热化学非平衡流的数值模拟中精确地捕捉到强弓形激波,得到准确的空气动力系数。     

Balancing a one‐way corridor capacity and safety‐oriented reliability: A stochastic optimization approach for metro train timetabling

In urban rail transit systems of large cities, the headway and following distance of successive trains have been compressed as much as possible to enhance the corridor capacity to satisfy extremely high passenger demand during peak hours. To prevent train collisions and ensure the safety of trains, a safe following distance of trains must be maintained. However, this requirement is subject to a series of complex factors, such as the uncertain train braking performance, train communication delay, and driver reaction time. In this paper, we propose a unified mathematical framework to analyze the safety‐oriented reliability of metro train timetables with different corridor capacities, that is, the train traffic density, and determine the most reliable train timetable for metro lines in an uncertain environment. By employing a space‐time network representation in the formulations, the reliability‐based train timetabling problem is formulated as a nonlinear stochastic programming model, in which we use 0‐1 variables to denote the time‐dependent velocity and position of all involved trains. Several reformulation techniques are developed to obtain an equivalent mixed integer programming model with quadratic constraints (MIQCP) that can be solved to optimality by some commercial solvers. To improve the computational efficiency of the MIQCP model, we develop a dual decomposition solution framework that decomposes the primal problem into several sets of subproblems by dualizing the coupling constraints across different samples. An exact dynamic programming combined with search space reduction strategies is also developed to solve the exact optimal solutions of these subproblems. Two sets of numerical experiments, which involve a relatively small‐scale case and a real‐world instance based on the operation data of the Beijing subway Changping Line are implemented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.     

Revisiting the justification for an all-volunteer force

In 1968, President Nixon established the Commission on an All-Volunteer Armed Force, or the Gates Commission, which served as the impetus and justification for an All-Volunteer Force (AVF). At the end of its deliberations, the commission recommended abolishing the draft and transforming the U.S. military into a force of volunteers beginning in 1973. Interestingly, the debate regarding the merits of both systems appeared to be largely economic – with cost–benefit analysis playing the primary role. Lately, we are beginning to see a new, politically-motivated impetus for returning to a “system of national service.” The ideas spurring this debate are many: the need to reaffirm the nation state, the commitment of citizens to the state, political ownership and oversight of the forces, the need for social equity in serving the nation, limiting the support for armed conflict by burden-sharing among citizens, and equitably spreading the personal cost of war.     

The one‐warehouse multiretailer problem with an order‐up‐to level inventory policy

We consider a two‐level system in which a warehouse manages the inventories of multiple retailers. Each retailer employs an order‐up‐to level inventory policy over T periods and faces an external demand which is dynamic and known. A retailer's inventory should be raised to its maximum limit when replenished. The problem is to jointly decide on replenishment times and quantities of warehouse and retailers so as to minimize the total costs in the system. Unlike the case in the single level lot‐sizing problem, we cannot assume that the initial inventory will be zero without loss of generality. We propose a strong mixed integer program formulation for the problem with zero and nonzero initial inventories at the warehouse. The strong formulation for the zero initial inventory case has only T binary variables and represents the convex hull of the feasible region of the problem when there is only one retailer. Computational results with a state‐of‐the art solver reveal that our formulations are very effective in solving large‐size instances to optimality. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2010     

BOS技术在流动测量中的应用

背景纹影技术是新近提出的一种流动显示技术。与纹影、干涉等传统流动显示方法相比,BOS技术不仅具有高时空分辨率,同时还可以对流场密度梯度场进行定量测量。根据BOS技术的原理,搭建了一套BOS系统,采用该系统测量了蜡烛火焰上方的热对流流场,得到了热对流流场的瞬态流动结构,验证了BOS系统的性能。在此基础上,采用BOS系统对超声速混合层进行了实验研究,得到了超声速混合层的精细空间结构和密度梯度场的定量分布,实验结果充分体现出BOS技术在流动测量中的巨大优势。     

Scheduling with variable time slot costs

In this article, we study a class of new scheduling models where time slot costs have to be taken into consideration. In such models, processing a job will incur certain cost which is determined by the time slots occupied by the job in a schedule. The models apply when operational costs vary over time. The objective of the scheduling models is to minimize the total time slot costs plus a traditional scheduling performance measure. We consider the following performance measures: total completion time, maximum lateness/tardiness, total weighted number of tardy jobs, and total tardiness. We prove the intractability of the models under general parameters and provide polynomial‐time algorithms for special cases with non‐increasing time slot costs.© 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2010     

Multi‐item capacitated lot‐sizing problems with setup times and pricing decisions

We study a multi‐item capacitated lot‐sizing problem with setup times and pricing (CLSTP) over a finite and discrete planning horizon. In this class of problems, the demand for each independent item in each time period is affected by pricing decisions. The corresponding demands are then satisfied through production in a single capacitated facility or from inventory, and the goal is to set prices and determine a production plan that maximizes total profit. In contrast with many traditional lot‐sizing problems with fixed demands, we cannot, without loss of generality, restrict ourselves to instances without initial inventories, which greatly complicates the analysis of the CLSTP. We develop two alternative Dantzig–Wolfe decomposition formulations of the problem, and propose to solve their relaxations using column generation and the overall problem using branch‐and‐price. The associated pricing problem is studied under both dynamic and static pricing strategies. Through a computational study, we analyze both the efficacy of our algorithms and the benefits of allowing item prices to vary over time. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2010     

Equivalent accelerated life testing plans for log‐location‐scale distributions

Accelerated life testing (ALT) is widely used to determine the failure time distribution of a product and the associated life‐stress relationship in order to predict the product's reliability under normal operating conditions. Many types of stress loadings such as constant‐stress, step‐stress and cyclic‐stress can be utilized when conducting ALT. Extensive research has been conducted on the analysis of ALT data obtained under a specified stress loading. However, the equivalency of ALT experiments involving different stress loadings has not been investigated. In this article, a log‐location‐scale distribution under Type I censoring is considered in planning ALT. An idea is provided for the equivalency of various ALT plans involving different stress loadings. Based on this idea, general equivalent ALT plans and some special types of equivalent ALT plans are explored. For demonstration, a constant‐stress ALT and a ramp‐stress ALT for miniature lamps are presented and their equivalency is investigated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2010     

固冲发动机补燃室凝相碳颗粒燃烧研究

应用改进的移动火焰锋面(MFF)模型,分析了环境压力、温度等参数对碳颗粒燃烧过程的影响。在此基础上,研究了固冲发动机补燃室内碳颗粒的燃烧过程,得到了固冲补燃室环境中的碳颗粒燃烧特性,并通过固冲直连式试验验证了数值模拟结果。结果表明:补燃室中大部分碳颗粒在进气道出口附近燃烧。