0000000000074456
AUTHOR
Walter Ukovich
showing 19 related works from this author
Dynamic routing-and-inventory problems: a review
1998
The paper presents a review of the available literature on a class of problems denoted as dynamic routing-and-inventory (DRAI) problems. They are characterized by the simultaneous relevance of routing and of inventory issues in a dynamic environment, within the framework of distribution logistics. A classification scheme is first proposed for these problems. Then the results obtained in this area are summarized. Finally, the papers available in the literature are clustered and discussed according to the proposed scheme.
Large‐scale set partitioning problems: Some real‐world instances hide a beneficial structure
2006
In this paper we consider large‐scale set partitioning problems. Our main purpose is to show that real‐world set partitioning problems originating from the container‐trucking industry are easier to tackle in respect to general ones. We show such different behavior through computational experiments: in particular, we have applied both a heuristic algorithm and some exact solution approaches to real‐world instances as well as to benchmark instances from Beasley OR‐library. Moreover, in order to gain an insight into the structure of the real‐world instances, we have performed and evaluated various instance perturbations. Didelės matematinės aibės dalijimo problemų sprendimas, nagrinėjant reali…
Robust control of production-distribution systems
2007
A class of production-distribution problems with unknown-but-bounded uncertain demand is considered. At each time, the demand is unknown but each of its components is assumed to belong to an assigned interval. Furthermore, the system has production and transportation capacity constraints. We face the problem of finding a control strategy that keeps the storage levels bounded. We also deal with the case in which storage level bounds are assigned and the controller must keep the state within these bounds. Both discrete and continuous time models are considered. We provide basic necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of such strategies. We propose several possible feedback contr…
Autonomous agent system using dispatching rules in the negotiation protocol
2002
In this paper, the most important results obtained by the simulated application of autonomous agent paradigms to a. real factory are presented. The classical rules of dispatching are compared with the autonomous agents approach. In particular, the possibility of redesigning the negotiation rules in terms of currency in order to take into account even non-time-related costs is considered. Finally, a new project on the effective application of the autonomous agent system to a test bed, modelling a simplified firm, is proposed.
A hierarchic approach to production planning and scheduling of a flexible manufacturing system
1999
Abstract The paper deals with the problem of improving the machine utilization of a flexible manufacturing cell. Limited tool magazine space of the machines turns out to be a relevant bottleneck. A hierarchic approach for this problem is proposed. At the upper level, sets of parts that can be concurrently processed (batches) are determined. At the lower levels, batches are sequenced, linked, and scheduled. Methods taken from the literature are used for the solution of the latter subproblems, and an original mixed integer programming model is formulated to determine batches. The proposed methods are discussed on the basis of computational experience carried out on real instances.
DEA-like Models for the Efficiency Evaluation of Hierarchically Structured Units
2004
Abstract The knowledge of the internal structure of decision making units (DMUs) gives further insights with respect to the “black box” perspective when considering data envelopment analysis models. We present one-level and two-level hierarchical structures of the DMUs under evaluation. Each unit is composed of consecutive stages of parallel subunits all with constant returns to scale. In particular, the maximization of the relative efficiency of a DMU is studied. For the two-stage situation, different degrees of coordination among the subunits of the hierarchical levels are discussed. When some form of coordination has to be guaranteed, we introduce balancing constraints and we compare two…
Scheduling Multimodal Transportation Systems
2004
Abstract In this paper a Lagrangian based heuristic procedure for scheduling transportation networks is presented. The solution procedure schedules a single line at a time, possibly correcting the previous decisions at each step.
An exact algorithm for the min-cost network containment problem
2004
A network design problem which arises in the distribution of a public utility provided by several competitive suppliers is studied. The problem addressed is that of determining minimum-cost (generalized) arc capacities in order to accommodate any demand between given source–sink pairs of nodes, where demands are assumed to fall within predetermined ranges. Feasible flows are initially considered as simply bounded by the usual arc capacity constraints. Then, more general linear constraints are introduced which may limit the weighted sum of the flows on some subsets of arcs. An exact cutting plane algorithm is presented for solving both of the above cases and some computational results are re…
Two Job Cyclic Scheduling with Incompatibility Constraints
2001
The present paper deals with the problem of scheduling several repeated occurrences of two jobs over a finite or infinite time horizon in order to maximize the yielded profit. The constraints of the problem are the incompatibilities between some pairs of tasks which require a same resource.
Economic lot scheduling on multiple production lines with resource constraints
2003
Abstract This paper deals with the multiple production line economic lot scheduling problem, where some items cannot be produced concurrently since they compete for some discrete resources. In particular, cyclic schedules are sought for a problem where identical production lines are present, lost sales are allowed, and minimization of the long-range production, setup, inventory, and shortage penalty costs are required. A heuristic procedure for this problem is introduced, a numerical example is worked out and some computational experiments are presented.
Two-Player Noncooperative Games over a Freight Transportation Network''
2004
A game between two players acting on the same road transportation network is considered in this paper. The first player aims at minimizing the transportation costs, whereas the second player aims at maximizing her profit (or, in general, her utility) that is proportional to the flow passing through the arcs under her control. We introduce bilevel linear programming formulations for this problem. We derive conditions of existence and properties of the equilibrium points and propose an algorithm finding a local optimal solution. Finally, we present an application of the model to a real system involving trucks travelling through Europe from a Middle Eastern country.
Minimizing fleet operating costs for a container transportation company
2006
Abstract This paper focuses on a fleet management problem that arises in container trucking industry. From the container transportation company perspective, the present and future operating costs to minimize can be divided in three components: the routing costs, the resource (i.e., driver and truck) assignment costs and the container repositioning costs (i.e., the costs of restoring a given container fleet distribution over the serviced territory, as requested by the shippers that own the containers). This real-world problem has been modeled as an integer programming problem. The proposed solution approach is based on the decomposition of this problem in three simpler sub-problems associate…
Multiple-attribute decision support system based on fuzzy logic for performance assessment
2005
Abstract This paper deals with the problem of assessing the performance of a set of production units, simultaneously considering different kinds of information, yielded by a Data Envelopment Analysis, a qualitative data analysis and an expert assessment. The tool for integrating heterogeneous data is a model that applies fuzzy logic to decision support systems. The results obtained are a holistic performance assessment of each unit of the set and a ranking order of the units.
Staggering Periodic Replenishments
1999
The paper deals with the problem of staggering periodic replenishment orders associated to different frequencies. The particular multi-item, instantaneous replenishment case with known demand is considered. The practical interest for such a problem is twofold: staggering orders allows both a reduction of the costs incurred in holding goods and an efficient use of space in warehouses. Some specific models allowing staggering are considered and, for them, theoretical results and properties are provided.
Discrete frequency models for inventory management – an introduction
2001
Abstract The paper deals with the problem of devising a periodic replenishment policy when orders must be periodic, but only a given, discrete set of order frequencies can be used. The multi-item, instantaneous replenishment case with known demand is studied. In particular, staggering policies somehow arranging replenishments not to come at the same time instants are considered. The paper is composed of three parts: first, a taxonomy of several versions of the discrete frequency problem is proposed, according to different elements; in the second part, a general mixed integer programming model is proposed which is able to capture the peculiarities of the whole spectrum of this kind of proble…
A Behavioral Approach for Logistics System Analysis and Design: A Reverse Logistics Case
2002
Traditional logistic system analysis quite often assumes a single decisionmaker (the planner) operating in a state of complete information and full decision power. He pursues the objective of designing an efficient logistic network by solving a sequence of operational problems mainly in the form of optimization models. More realistically, one should consider that the decision power is actually distributed within the logistics system among different actors (agents or holons) having different (conflictual or cooperative) goals, following different behavioural rules and generating interdipendencies. The shift from a SAS (single-agent system) approach to a MAS (multi-agent system) one induces s…
DEA-like models for efficiency evaluation of specialized and interdependent units
2001
Abstract The problem of evaluating the efficiency of a set of specialized and interdependent decision making subunits (DMSUs) that make up a larger decision making unit (DMU) is considered. The DMSUs are interdependent, in the sense that part of the output produced by each of them may be used as an input by the other ones. They are also specialized, hence non-homogeneous, as they may have not the same inputs and outputs. For this problem, some efficiency indexes are introduced, and they are shown to satisfy some basic properties.
A two-phase insertion technique of unexpected customers for a dynamic dial-a-ride problem
2006
Abstract This work deals with a dynamic dial-a-ride problem with time window constraints. In particular, new unplanned requests for service may arise at a vehicle stop and the driver must decide in real-time whether to accept or reject them. For this problem, we have developed a two-phase insertion algorithm based on route perturbations: the first phase, which is run off-line when the vehicle moves between two successive stops, aims at creating a feasible neighborhood of the current route; while the second phase, which is run in real-time every time a new request occurs, inserts, when possible, the delivery stop of the new customer in the current route.
A review of DEA models when the internal structure of the decision making units is considered
2005
Classical Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models consider each Decision Making Unit (DMU), whose relative efficiency they evaluate, as a "black box", i.e., its internal structure is disregarded. The paper presents a comprehensive framework of the most advanced theoretical findings in DEA when the internal structure of the. DMUs is taken into account, thus giving directions for novel applications of such methodology and introducing it as a powerful toot for complex processes performance evaluation.