Hybrid model predictive control for freeway traffic using discrete speed limit signals

HYCON2 Show day - Traffic modeling, Estimation and Control 13/05/2014 GrenobleIn this paper, two hybrid Model Predictive Control (MPC) approaches for freeway traffic control are proposed considering variable speed limits (VSL) as discrete variables as in current real world implementations. These discrete characteristics of the speed limits values and some necessary constraints for the actual operation of VSL are usually underestimated in the literature, so we propose a way to include them using a macroscopic traffic model within an MPC framework. For obtaining discrete signals, the MPC controller has to solve a highly non-linear optimization problem, including mixed-integer variables. Since solving such a problem is complex and difficult to execute in real-time, we propose some methods to obtain reasonable control actions in a limited computation time. The first two methods (-exhaustive and -genetic discretization) consist of first relaxing the discrete constraints for the VSL inputs; and then, based on this continuous solution and using a genetic or an exhaustive algorithm, to find discrete solutions within a distance of the continuous solution that provide a good performance. The second class of methods split the problem in a continuous optimization for the ramp metering signals and in a discrete optimization for speed limits. The speed limits optimization, which is much more time-consuming than the ramp metering one, is solved by a genetic or an exhaustive algorithm in communication with a non-linear solver for the ramp metering. The proposed methods are tested by simulation, showing not only a good performance, but also keeping the computation time reduced.Unión Europea FP7/2007–201

Optimisation of Mobile Communication Networks - OMCO NET

The mini conference “Optimisation of Mobile Communication Networks” focuses on advanced methods for search and optimisation applied to wireless communication networks. It is sponsored by Research & Enterprise Fund Southampton Solent University. The conference strives to widen knowledge on advanced search methods capable of optimisation of wireless communications networks. The aim is to provide a forum for exchange of recent knowledge, new ideas and trends in this progressive and challenging area. The conference will popularise new successful approaches on resolving hard tasks such as minimisation of transmit power, cooperative and optimal routing

Constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network and heuristics combined approaches for generalized job-shop scheduling

Copyright @ 2000 IEEEThis paper presents a constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network, together with several heuristics, to solve the generalized job-shop scheduling problem, one of NP-complete constraint satisfaction problems. The proposed neural network can be easily constructed and can adaptively adjust its weights of connections and biases of units based on the sequence and resource constraints of the job-shop scheduling problem during its processing. Several heuristics that can be combined with the neural network are also presented. In the combined approaches, the neural network is used to obtain feasible solutions, the heuristic algorithms are used to improve the performance of the neural network and the quality of the obtained solutions. Simulations have shown that the proposed neural network and its combined approaches are efficient with respect to the quality of solutions and the solving speed.This work was supported by the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation under Grant 69684005 and the Chinese National High-Tech Program under Grant 863-511-9609-003, the EPSRC under Grant GR/L81468

A hybrid GA–PS–SQP method to solve power system valve-point economic dispatch problems

This study presents a new approach based on a hybrid algorithm consisting of Genetic Algorithm (GA), Pattern Search (PS) and Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) techniques to solve the well-known power system Economic dispatch problem (ED). GA is the main optimizer of the algorithm, whereas PS and SQP are used to fine tune the results of GA to increase confidence in the solution. For illustrative purposes, the algorithm has been applied to various test systems to assess its effectiveness. Furthermore, convergence characteristics and robustness of the proposed method have been explored through comparison with results reported in literature. The outcome is very encouraging and suggests that the hybrid GA–PS–SQP algorithm is very efficient in solving power system economic dispatch problem

Meta-heuristic algorithms in car engine design: a literature survey

Meta-heuristic algorithms are often inspired by natural phenomena, including the evolution of species in Darwinian natural selection theory, ant behaviors in biology, flock behaviors of some birds, and annealing in metallurgy. Due to their great potential in solving difficult optimization problems, meta-heuristic algorithms have found their way into automobile engine design. There are different optimization problems arising in different areas of car engine management including calibration, control system, fault diagnosis, and modeling. In this paper we review the state-of-the-art applications of different meta-heuristic algorithms in engine management systems. The review covers a wide range of research, including the application of meta-heuristic algorithms in engine calibration, optimizing engine control systems, engine fault diagnosis, and optimizing different parts of engines and modeling. The meta-heuristic algorithms reviewed in this paper include evolutionary algorithms, evolution strategy, evolutionary programming, genetic programming, differential evolution, estimation of distribution algorithm, ant colony optimization, particle swarm optimization, memetic algorithms, and artificial immune system

Industrial and Tramp Ship Routing Problems: Closing the Gap for Real-Scale Instances

Recent studies in maritime logistics have introduced a general ship routing problem and a benchmark suite based on real shipping segments, considering pickups and deliveries, cargo selection, ship-dependent starting locations, travel times and costs, time windows, and incompatibility constraints, among other features. Together, these characteristics pose considerable challenges for exact and heuristic methods, and some cases with as few as 18 cargoes remain unsolved. To face this challenge, we propose an exact branch-and-price (B&P) algorithm and a hybrid metaheuristic. Our exact method generates elementary routes, but exploits decremental state-space relaxation to speed up column generation, heuristic strong branching, as well as advanced preprocessing and route enumeration techniques. Our metaheuristic is a sophisticated extension of the unified hybrid genetic search. It exploits a set-partitioning phase and uses problem-tailored variation operators to efficiently handle all the problem characteristics. As shown in our experimental analyses, the B&P optimally solves 239/240 existing instances within one hour. Scalability experiments on even larger problems demonstrate that it can optimally solve problems with around 60 ships and 200 cargoes (i.e., 400 pickup and delivery services) and find optimality gaps below 1.04% on the largest cases with up to 260 cargoes. The hybrid metaheuristic outperforms all previous heuristics and produces near-optimal solutions within minutes. These results are noteworthy, since these instances are comparable in size with the largest problems routinely solved by shipping companies

Reliability based robust design optimization based on sensitivity and elasticity factors analysis

In this paper, a Reliability Based Robust Design Optimization (RBRDO) based on sensitivity and elasticity factors analysis is presented. In the first step, a reliability assessment is performed using the First-and Second Order Reliability Method (FORM)/ (SORM), and Monte Carlo Simulation. Furthermore, FORM method is used for reliability elasticity factors assessment, which can be carried out to determine the most influential parameters, these factors can be help to reduce the size of design variables vector in RBRDO process. The main objective of the RBRDO is to improve both reliability and design of a cylindrical gear pair under uncertainties. This approach is achieved by integration of two objectives which minimize the variance and mean values of performance function. To solve this problem a decoupled approach of Sequential Optimization and Reliability Assessment (SORA) method is implemented. The results obtained shown that a desired reliability with a robust design is progressively achieved

Revisiting lagrange relaxation (LR) for processing large-scale mixed integer programming (MIP) problems

Lagrangean Relaxation has been successfully applied to process many well known instances of NP-hard Mixed Integer Programming problems. In this paper we present a Lagrangean Relaxation based generic solver for processing Mixed Integer Programming problems. We choose the constraints, which are relaxed using a constraint classification scheme. The tactical issue of updating the Lagrange multiplier is addressed through sub-gradient optimisation; alternative rules for updating their values are investigated. The Lagrangean relaxation provides a lower bound to the original problem and the upper bound is calculated using a heuristic technique. The bounds obtained by the Lagrangean Relaxation based generic solver were used to warm-start the Branch and Bound algorithm; the performance of the generic solver and the effect of the alternative control settings are reported for a wide class of benchmark models. Finally, we present an alternative technique to calculate the upper bound, using a genetic algorithm that benefits from the mathematical structure of the constraints. The performance of the genetic algorithm is also presented