Search results for "Data type"
showing 10 items of 1183 documents
Main Steps in Image Processing and Quantification: The Analysis Workflow
2019
In the last decades, the variety of programs, algorithms, and strategies that researchers have at their disposal to process and analyze image files has grown extensively. However, these are only pointless tools if not applied with the careful planning required to achieve a succesful image analysis. In order to do so, the analyst must establish a meaningful and effective sequence of orderly operations that is able to (1) overcome all the problems derived from the image manipulation and (2) successfully resolve the question that was originally posed. In this chapter, the authors suggest a set of strategies and present a reflection on the main milestones that compose the image processing workf…
Reverse-safe data structures for text indexing
2021
We introduce the notion of reverse-safe data structures. These are data structures that prevent the reconstruction of the data they encode (i.e., they cannot be easily reversed). A data structure D is called z-reverse-safe when there exist at least z datasets with the same set of answers as the ones stored by D. The main challenge is to ensure that D stores as many answers to useful queries as possible, is constructed efficiently, and has size close to the size of the original dataset it encodes. Given a text of length n and an integer z, we propose an algorithm which constructs a z-reverse-safe data structure that has size O(n) and answers pattern matching queries of length at most d optim…
Does higher technical efficiency induce a higher service level? A paradox association in the context of port operations
2020
Abstract Researchers and practitioners are benchmarking technical efficiency of ports and exploring the drivers of high efficiency. Paradoxically, this study argues that high technical efficiency (TE = 1) is not always essential, but an optimal level needs to be achieved while balancing the port service level. This study applies data envelopment analysis (DEA) and free disposal hull (FDH) methods to perform efficiency rankings of 38 container terminals from 17 different ports in 12 Asian countries. Four terminals are technically efficient (TE = 1) in all frontier approaches, thereof one Bangladeshi, one Chinese, one Indian and one Vietnamese. Furthermore, this study presents a case study co…
Novel Distance Estimation Methods Using 'Stochastic Learning on the Line' Strategies
2018
In this paper, we consider the problem of Distance Estimation (DE) when the inputs are the $x$ and $y$ coordinates (or equivalently, the latitudinal and longitudinal positions) of the points under consideration. The aim of the problem is to yield an accurate value for the real (road) distance between the points specified by the latter coordinates. 1 This problem has, typically, been tackled by utilizing parametric functions called the “Distance Estimation Functions” (DEFs). The parameters are learned from the training data (i.e., the true road distances) between a subset of the points under consideration. We propose to use Learning Automata (LA)-based strategies to solve the problem. In par…
Measuring foreland container port connectivity disaggregated by destination markets: An index for Short Sea Shipping services in Spanish ports
2020
Abstract The present research aims to develop a Foreland Port Connectivity Index (FPCI) including both qualitative and quantitative variables related to the characteristics of the maritime services provided. To that end, the FPCI incorporates two discount factors—the number of shipping services and destination countries—as penalties to correct for the quality of a port connection. After defining the FPCI, the index is applied to Spanish ports to study their connectivity in terms of container Short Sea Shipping (SSS) services. Although the connectivity of SSS traffic has not been widely studied, it is an interesting case study as small ports play a more relevant role in facilitating access t…
A more efficient cutting planes approach for the green vehicle routing problem with capacitated alternative fuel stations
2021
AbstractThe Green Vehicle Routing Problem with Capacitated Alternative Fuel Stations assumes that, at each station, the number of vehicles simultaneously refueling cannot exceed the number of available pumps. The state-of-the-art solution method, based on the generation of all feasible non-dominated paths, performs well only with up to 2 pumps. In fact, it needs cloning the paths between every pair of pumps. To overcome this issue, in this paper, we propose new path-based MILP models without cloning paths, for both the scenario with private stations (i.e., owned by the fleet manager) and that with public stations. Then, a more efficient cutting plane approach is designed for addressing both…
Branch-price-and-cut algorithms for the pickup and delivery problem with time windows and multiple stacks
2016
Abstract This paper proposes models and algorithms for the pickup and delivery vehicle routing problem with time windows and multiple stacks. Each stack is rear-loaded and is operated in a last-in-first-out (LIFO) fashion, meaning that when an item is picked up, it is positioned at the rear of a stack. An item can only be delivered if it is in that position. This problem arises in the transportation of heavy or dangerous material where unnecessary handling should be avoided, such as in the transportation of cars between car dealers and the transportation of livestock from farms to slaughterhouses. To solve this problem, we propose two different branch-price-and-cut algorithms. The first sol…
New exact methods for the time-invariant berth allocation and quay crane assignment problem
2019
Abstract Efficient management of operations in seaport container terminals has become a critical issue, due to the increase in maritime traffic and the strong competition between ports. In this paper we focus on two seaside operational problems: the Berth Allocation Problem and the Quay Crane Assignment Problem, which are considered in an integrated way. For the continuous BACAP problem with time-invariant crane assignment we propose a new mixed integer linear model in which the vessels can be moored at any position on the quay, not requiring any quay discretization. The model is enhanced by adding several families of valid inequalities. The resulting model is able to solve instances with u…
Irregular packing problems: a review of mathematical models
2020
Abstract Irregular packing problems (also known as nesting problems) belong to the more general class of cutting and packing problems and consist of allocating a set of irregular and regular pieces to larger rectangular or irregular containers, while minimizing the waste of material or space. These problems combine the combinatorial hardness of cutting and packing problems with the computational difficulty of enforcing the geometric non-overlap and containment constraints. Unsurprisingly, nesting problems have been addressed, both in the scientific literature and in real-world applications, by means of heuristic and metaheuristic techniques. However, more recently a variety of mathematical …
System Dynamics in the Predictive Analytics of Container Freight Rates
2021
This study proposes a two-tier cross-validation and backtesting procedure, including expanding and rolling-window test metrics in predictive analytics of container freight rates by utilizing the system dynamics approach. The study utilized system dynamics to represent the nonlinear complex structure of container freight rates for predictive analytics and performed univariate and multivariate time-series analysis as benchmarks of the conventional approach. In particular, the China containerized freight index (CCFI) has been investigated through various parametric methodologies (both conventional time-series and system dynamics approaches). This study follows a strict validation process cons…