Energy-aware control for automated container terminals using integrated flow shop scheduling and optimal control

The performance of container terminals needs to be improved to handle the growth of transported containers and maintain port sustainability. This paper provides a methodology for improving the handling capacity of an automated container terminal in an energy-efficient way. The behavior of a container terminal is considered as consisting of a higher level and a lower level represented by discrete-event dynamics and continuous-time dynamics, respectively. These dynamics represent the behavior of a large number of terminal equipment. The dynamics need to be controlled. For controlling the higher level dynamics, a minimal makespan problem is solved. For this, the minimal time required by equipment for performing an operation at the lower level is needed. The minimal time for performing an operation at the lower level is obtained using Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle. The actual operation time allowed by the higher level for processing an operation at the lower level is subsequently determined by a scheduling algorithm at the higher level. Given an actual operation time, the lower level dynamics are controlled using optimal control to achieve minimal energy consumption while respecting the time constraint. Simulation studies illustrate how energy-efficient management of equipment for the minimal makespan could be obtained using the proposed methodology.     

Multi-objective optimization of train routing problem combined with train scheduling on a high-speed railway network

Based on train scheduling, this paper puts forward a multi-objective optimization model for train routing on high-speed railway network, which can offer an important reference for train plan to provide a better service. The model does not only consider the average travel time of trains, but also take the energy consumption and the user satisfaction into account. Based on this model, an improved GA is designed to solve the train routing problem. The simulation results demonstrate that the accurate algorithm is suitable for a small-scale network, while the improved genetic algorithm based on train control (GATC) applies to a large-scale network. Finally, a sensitivity analysis of the parameters is performed to obtain the ideal parameters; a perturbation analysis shows that the proposed method can quickly handle the train disturbance.     

Innovative systems for the transportation disadvantaged: Toward more efficient and operationally usable planning tools

When considering innovative forms of public transport for specific groups, such as demand responsive services, the challenge is to find a good balance between operational efficiency and 'user friendliness' of the scheduling algorithm even when specialized skills are not available. Regret insertion-based processes have shown their effectiveness in addressing this specific concern. We introduce a new class of hybrid regret measures to understand better why the behaviour of this kind of heuristic is superior to that of other insertion rules. Our analyses show the importance of keeping a good balance between short- and long-term strategies during the solution process. We also use this methodology to investigate the relationship between the number of vehicles needed and total distance covered - the key point of any cost analysis striving for greater efficiency. Against expectations, in most cases decreasing fleet size leads to savings in vehicle mileage, since the heuristic solution is still far from optimality.     

用单亲遗传算法求解配送车辆调度问题的研究

建立了配送车辆调度问题的数学模型，针对传统遗传算法对复杂问题搜索效率低，易陷入“早熟收敛”的缺点，构建了求解配送车辆调度问题的单亲遗传算法，并进行了实验计算。计算结果表明，用单亲遗传算法求解配送车辆调度问题，可以取得比传统遗传算法更优的结果。     

基于多目标规划的公交车调度方法研究

公交调度要考虑公司和乘客的多方利益。目标规划法是运筹学中解决多目标问题的有效方法,而优先因子的采用可以区分调度中的各方利益的主次。同一优先因子下加入了权重,可根据实际情况做出灵活有效的调度方案。     

Liner ship route schedule design with port time windows

This paper examines a practical tactical liner ship route schedule design problem, which is the determination of the arrival and departure time at each port of call on the ship route. When designing the schedule, the availability of each port in a week, i.e., port time window, is incorporated. As a result, the designed schedule can be applied in practice without or with only minimum revisions. This problem is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear nonconvex optimization model. In view of the problem structure, an efficient holistic solution approach is proposed to obtain global optimal solution. The proposed solution method is applied to a trans-Atlantic ship route. The results demonstrate that the port time windows, port handling efficiency, bunker price and unit inventory cost all affect the total cost of a ship route, the optimal number of ships to deploy, and the optimal schedule.     

Optimal roll control of an articulated vehicle: theory and model validation

This paper investigates optimal roll control of an experimental articulated vehicle. The test vehicle and the mathematical model used to design the control strategies are presented. The vehicle model is validated against experimental data from the test vehicle in passive configuration. The initial controller design, performed by Sampson (Sampson, D.J.M. and Cebon, D., 2003a, Achievable roll stability of heavy road vehicles. Proc. Instn. Mech. Engrs, Part D, J. Automobile Engineering, 217(4), 269–287), is reviewed and adapted for the experimental vehicle. The effect of not controlling all the axles on the vehicle is investigated and a variable vehicle speed controller is designed by interpolating between constant speed controllers. Substantial reduction in normalized load transfer is achieved for a range of manoeuvres, both in steady-state and transient conditions.     

重大突发公共卫生事件下城市应急医疗物资优化调度研究

针对新型冠状病毒肺炎（新冠肺炎）疫情防控中应急医疗物资调度不尽合理、集配中心中转效率不够高等问题，重新设计了重大突发公共卫生事件下城市应急医疗物资调度与配送体系，并给出了应急医疗物资的分类方法。从医疗物资使用需求和库存估计可使用时间2个维度构建需求点紧急度指标，考虑突发公共卫生事件特征，以加权的需求满足率最大化为主要目标、车辆行驶距离最小化为次要目标，构建应急医疗物资动态分配模型，并通过算例验证了模型的有效性和可行性。结果表明：所构建的模型能够兼顾医疗物资分配的公平和效率，符合突发公共卫生事件中应急医疗物资供给和需求的动态变化特性，确保在物资短时间供给不足的情况下各需求点也能公平获取一定比例的物资；且模型仅要求各需求点上报各种品类医疗物资的使用人数和库存量，同时模型还给出数据缺失时的自动计算办法，可操作性更强；运用紧急度指标对需求满足率最大化目标进行校正，解决了各需求点因需求量差异对公平分配造成的影响，使得应急医疗物资分配更加合理。研究成果结合了新冠肺炎疫情防控中应急医疗物资调度的具体过程，使得分配模型更符合实际需要，可为城市应急医疗物资优化调度提供决策依据。     

Containership scheduling with transit-time-sensitive container shipment demand

This paper examines the optimal containership schedule with transit-time-sensitive demand that is assumed to be a decreasing continuous function of transit time. A mixed-integer nonlinear non-convex optimization model is first formulated to maximize the total profit of a ship route. In view of the problem structure, a branch-and-bound based holistic solution method is developed. It is rigorously demonstrated that this solution method can obtain an ε-optimal solution in a finite number of iterations for general forms of transit-time-sensitive demand. Computational results based on a trans-Pacific liner ship route demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of the solution method.     

基于随机需求的多频次道路货运调度模型及算法

以道路货物运输为研究对象,采用多频次调度方法对随机需求的道路货运调度问题进行研究,给出了基于随机需求的多频次调度模型及求解模型的微粒群算法,同时通过算例验证了该模型的可行性。