Improving allocation and layout in production logistics

The article deals with the principled solution of allocation and layout of workplaces in a company producing of variety building components. Allocation and layout are very important areas for ensuring the efficient operation of companies engaged in production as well as in commercial activities. Both allocation and layout solutions have a strategic importance for companies. The investigated company produces construction metal elements as a part of modern construction technologies. The problem is related to the constant improving activities in the company in order to ensure its competitiveness on the market. The production process of construction metal elements consists of workplaces such as cutting, drilling, milling, welding and galvanizing. Workplaces for inspection and loading of finished products are non -production. The solution of the project was aimed at streamlining activities in terms of logistics, material flows as well as in terms of safety.Web of Science10456555

Optimization for Decision Making II

In the current context of the electronic governance of society, both administrations and citizens are demanding the greater participation of all the actors involved in the decision-making process relative to the governance of society. This book presents collective works published in the recent Special Issue (SI) entitled “Optimization for Decision Making II”. These works give an appropriate response to the new challenges raised, the decision-making process can be done by applying different methods and tools, as well as using different objectives. In real-life problems, the formulation of decision-making problems and the application of optimization techniques to support decisions are particularly complex and a wide range of optimization techniques and methodologies are used to minimize risks, improve quality in making decisions or, in general, to solve problems. In addition, a sensitivity or robustness analysis should be done to validate/analyze the influence of uncertainty regarding decision-making. This book brings together a collection of inter-/multi-disciplinary works applied to the optimization of decision making in a coherent manner

Knowledge aggregation in people recommender systems : matching skills to tasks

People recommender systems (PRS) are a special type of RS. They are often adopted to identify people capable of performing a task. Recommending people poses several challenges not exhibited in traditional RS. Elements such as availability, overload, unresponsiveness, and bad recommendations can have adverse effects. This thesis explores how people’s preferences can be elicited for single-event matchmaking under uncertainty and how to align them with appropriate tasks. Different methodologies are introduced to profile people, each based on the nature of the information from which it was obtained. These methodologies are developed into three use cases to illustrate the challenges of PRS and the steps taken to address them. Each one emphasizes the priorities of the matching process and the constraints under which these recommendations are made. First, multi-criteria profiles are derived completely from heterogeneous sources in an implicit manner characterizing users from multiple perspectives and multi-dimensional points-of-view without influence from the user. The profiles are introduced to the conference reviewer assignment problem. Attention is given to distribute people across items in order reduce potential overloading of a person, and neglect or rejection of a task. Second, people’s areas of interest are inferred from their resumes and expressed in terms of their uncertainty avoiding explicit elicitation from an individual or outsider. The profile is applied to a personnel selection problem where emphasis is placed on the preferences of the candidate leading to an asymmetric matching process. Third, profiles are created by integrating implicit information and explicitly stated attributes. A model is developed to classify citizens according to their lifestyles which maintains the original information in the data set throughout the cluster formation. These use cases serve as pilot tests for generalization to real-life implementations. Areas for future application are discussed from new perspectives.Els sistemes de recomanació de persones (PRS) són un tipus especial de sistemes recomanadors (RS). Sovint s’utilitzen per identificar persones per a realitzar una tasca. La recomanació de persones comporta diversos reptes no exposats en la RS tradicional. Elements com la disponibilitat, la sobrecàrrega, la falta de resposta i les recomanacions incorrectes poden tenir efectes adversos. En aquesta tesi s'explora com es poden obtenir les preferències dels usuaris per a la definició d'assignacions sota incertesa i com aquestes assignacions es poden alinear amb tasques definides. S'introdueixen diferents metodologies per definir el perfil d’usuaris, cadascun en funció de la naturalesa de la informació necessària. Aquestes metodologies es desenvolupen i s’apliquen en tres casos d’ús per il·lustrar els reptes dels PRS i els passos realitzats per abordar-los. Cadascun destaca les prioritats del procés, l’encaix de les recomanacions i les seves limitacions. En el primer cas, els perfils es deriven de variables heterogènies de manera implícita per tal de caracteritzar als usuaris des de múltiples perspectives i punts de vista multidimensionals sense la influència explícita de l’usuari. Això s’aplica al problema d'assignació d’avaluadors per a articles de conferències. Es presta especial atenció al fet de distribuir els avaluadors entre articles per tal de reduir la sobrecàrrega potencial d'una persona i el neguit o el rebuig a la tasca. En el segon cas, les àrees d’interès per a caracteritzar les persones es dedueixen dels seus currículums i s’expressen en termes d’incertesa evitant que els interessos es demanin explícitament a les persones. El sistema s'aplica a un problema de selecció de personal on es posa èmfasi en les preferències del candidat que condueixen a un procés d’encaix asimètric. En el tercer cas, els perfils dels usuaris es defineixen integrant informació implícita i atributs indicats explícitament. Es desenvolupa un model per classificar els ciutadans segons els seus estils de vida que manté la informació original del conjunt de dades del clúster al que ell pertany. Finalment, s’analitzen aquests casos com a proves pilot per generalitzar implementacions en futurs casos reals. Es discuteixen les àrees d'aplicació futures i noves perspectives.Postprint (published version

GIS based models for optimisation of marine cage aquaculture in Tenerife, Canary Islands

This study focused on the optimisation of offshore marine fish-cage farming in Tenerife, Canary Islands. The main objective was to select the most suitable sites for offshore cage culture. This is a key factor in any aquaculture operation, affecting both success and sustainability. Moreover, it can solve conflicts between different coastal activities, making a rational use of the coastal space. Site selection was achieved by using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) based models and related technology, such as satellite images and Global Positioning System (GPS), to support the decision-making process. Three different cage systems were selected and proposed for different areas around Tenerife. Finally, a particulate waste distribution model (uneaten feed and faeces) was developed, also using GIS, for future prediction of the dispersive nature of selected sites. This can reduce the number of sites previously identified as most suitable, by predicting possible environmental impacts on the benthos if aquaculture was to be developed on a specific site. The framework for spatial multi-criteria decision analysis used in this study began with a recognition and definition of the decision problem. Subsequently, 31 production functions (factors and constraints) were identified, defined and subdivided into 8 sub-models. These sub-models were then integrated into a GIS database in the form of thematic layers and later scored for standardization. At this stage, the database was verified by field sampling to establish the quality of data used. The decision maker's preferences were incorporated into the decision model by assigning weights of relative importance to the evaluation under consideration. These, together with the thematic layers, were integrated by using Multi-criteria Evaluation (MCE) and simple overlays to provide an overall assessment of possible alternatives. Finally, sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the model robustness. The integration, manipulations and presentation of the results by means of GIS-based models in this sequential and logical flow of steps proved to be very effective for helping the decision-making process of site selection in study. On the whole, this study revealed the usefulness of GIS as an aquaculture planning and management tool. Cage systems that can withstand harsh environments were found to be suitable for use over a broader area of Tenerife's coastline. Thus, the more robust self-tensioned cage (SeaStation®) could be used over a greater area than the weaker gravity cages (Corelsa®). From the 228 km2 of available area for siting cages in the coastal regions with depth of 50 m, the suitable area (sum of scores 6, 7 and 8) for siting SeaStation® cages was 61 km2, while the suitable area for SeaStation® and Corelsa® cages was 49 and 37 km2 respectively. Most of the variation between these three cage systems was found among the intermediate suitability scores. It was concluded that the biggest differences in suitable area among cage systems are between Corelsa® and SeaStation® systems, followed by differences between Corelsa® and OceanSpar® cages, and OceanSpar® and SeaStation® respectively. This variability was mostly located on the N and NNW of the island, where waves, both long and short-term, are higher

Sustainable Development of Real Estate

Research, theoretical and practical tasks of sustainable real estate development process are revised in detail in this monograph; particular examples are presented as well. The concept of modern real estate development model and a developer is discussed, peculiarities of the development of built environment and real estate objects are analyzed, as well as assessment methods, models and management of real estate and investments in order to increase the object value. Theoretical and practical analyses, presented in the monograph, prove that intelligent and augmented reality technologies allow business managers to reach higher results in work quality, organize a creative team of developers, which shall present more qualitative products for the society. The edition presents knowledge on economic, legal, technological, technical, organizational, social, cultural, ethical, psychological and environmental, as well as its management aspects, which are important for the development of real estate: publicly admitted sustainable development principles, urban development and aesthetic values, territory planning, participation of society and heritage protection. It is admitted that economical crises are inevitable, and the provided methods shall help to decrease possible loss. References to the most modern world scientific literature sources are presented in the monograph. The monograph is prepared for the researchers, MSc and PhD students of construction economics and real estate development. The book may be useful for other researchers, MSc and PhD students of economics, management and other specialities, as well as business specialist of real estate business. The publication of monograph was funded by European Social Fund according to project No. VP1-2.2-ŠMM-07-K-02-060 Development and Implementation of Joint Master’s Study Programme “Sustainable Development of the Built Environment”

Book of abstracts of the 24th Euro Working Group on Transportation Meeting

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Training of Crisis Mappers and Map Production from Multi-sensor Data: Vernazza Case Study (Cinque Terre National Park, Italy)

This aim of paper is to presents the development of a multidisciplinary project carried out by the cooperation between Politecnico di Torino and ITHACA (Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action). The goal of the project was the training in geospatial data acquiring and processing for students attending Architecture and Engineering Courses, in order to start up a team of "volunteer mappers". Indeed, the project is aimed to document the environmental and built heritage subject to disaster; the purpose is to improve the capabilities of the actors involved in the activities connected in geospatial data collection, integration and sharing. The proposed area for testing the training activities is the Cinque Terre National Park, registered in the World Heritage List since 1997. The area was affected by flood on the 25th of October 2011. According to other international experiences, the group is expected to be active after emergencies in order to upgrade maps, using data acquired by typical geomatic methods and techniques such as terrestrial and aerial Lidar, close-range and aerial photogrammetry, topographic and GNSS instruments etc.; or by non conventional systems and instruments such us UAV, mobile mapping etc. The ultimate goal is to implement a WebGIS platform to share all the data collected with local authorities and the Civil Protectio