14,692 research outputs found
Lotsize optimization leading to a -median problem with cardinalities
We consider the problem of approximating the branch and size dependent demand
of a fashion discounter with many branches by a distributing process being
based on the branch delivery restricted to integral multiples of lots from a
small set of available lot-types. We propose a formalized model which arises
from a practical cooperation with an industry partner. Besides an integer
linear programming formulation and a primal heuristic for this problem we also
consider a more abstract version which we relate to several other classical
optimization problems like the p-median problem, the facility location problem
or the matching problem.Comment: 14 page
A Tutorial on Clique Problems in Communications and Signal Processing
Since its first use by Euler on the problem of the seven bridges of
K\"onigsberg, graph theory has shown excellent abilities in solving and
unveiling the properties of multiple discrete optimization problems. The study
of the structure of some integer programs reveals equivalence with graph theory
problems making a large body of the literature readily available for solving
and characterizing the complexity of these problems. This tutorial presents a
framework for utilizing a particular graph theory problem, known as the clique
problem, for solving communications and signal processing problems. In
particular, the paper aims to illustrate the structural properties of integer
programs that can be formulated as clique problems through multiple examples in
communications and signal processing. To that end, the first part of the
tutorial provides various optimal and heuristic solutions for the maximum
clique, maximum weight clique, and -clique problems. The tutorial, further,
illustrates the use of the clique formulation through numerous contemporary
examples in communications and signal processing, mainly in maximum access for
non-orthogonal multiple access networks, throughput maximization using index
and instantly decodable network coding, collision-free radio frequency
identification networks, and resource allocation in cloud-radio access
networks. Finally, the tutorial sheds light on the recent advances of such
applications, and provides technical insights on ways of dealing with mixed
discrete-continuous optimization problems
Learning to Optimize Computational Resources: Frugal Training with Generalization Guarantees
Algorithms typically come with tunable parameters that have a considerable
impact on the computational resources they consume. Too often, practitioners
must hand-tune the parameters, a tedious and error-prone task. A recent line of
research provides algorithms that return nearly-optimal parameters from within
a finite set. These algorithms can be used when the parameter space is infinite
by providing as input a random sample of parameters. This data-independent
discretization, however, might miss pockets of nearly-optimal parameters: prior
research has presented scenarios where the only viable parameters lie within an
arbitrarily small region. We provide an algorithm that learns a finite set of
promising parameters from within an infinite set. Our algorithm can help
compile a configuration portfolio, or it can be used to select the input to a
configuration algorithm for finite parameter spaces. Our approach applies to
any configuration problem that satisfies a simple yet ubiquitous structure: the
algorithm's performance is a piecewise constant function of its parameters.
Prior research has exhibited this structure in domains from integer programming
to clustering
Robust Multi-Objective Sustainable Reverse Supply Chain Planning: An Application in the Steel Industry
In the design of the supply chain, the use of the returned products and their recycling in the production and consumption network is called reverse logistics. The proposed model aims to optimize the flow of materials in the supply chain network (SCN), and determine the amount and location of facilities and the planning of transportation in conditions of demand uncertainty. Thus, maximizing the total profit of operation, minimizing adverse environmental effects, and maximizing customer and supplier service levels have been considered as the main objectives. Accordingly, finding symmetry (balance) among the profit of operation, the environmental effects and customer and supplier service levels is considered in this research. To deal with the uncertainty of the model, scenario-based robust planning is employed alongside a meta-heuristic algorithm (NSGA-II) to solve the model with actual data from a case study of the steel industry in Iran. The results obtained from the model, solving and validating, compared with actual data indicated that the model could optimize the objectives seamlessly and determine the amount and location of the necessary facilities for the steel industry more appropriately.This article belongs to the Special Issue Uncertain Multi-Criteria Optimization Problem
Mathematical Programming Decoding of Binary Linear Codes: Theory and Algorithms
Mathematical programming is a branch of applied mathematics and has recently
been used to derive new decoding approaches, challenging established but often
heuristic algorithms based on iterative message passing. Concepts from
mathematical programming used in the context of decoding include linear,
integer, and nonlinear programming, network flows, notions of duality as well
as matroid and polyhedral theory. This survey article reviews and categorizes
decoding methods based on mathematical programming approaches for binary linear
codes over binary-input memoryless symmetric channels.Comment: 17 pages, submitted to the IEEE Transactions on Information Theory.
Published July 201
Symmetry Breaking for Answer Set Programming
In the context of answer set programming, this work investigates symmetry
detection and symmetry breaking to eliminate symmetric parts of the search
space and, thereby, simplify the solution process. We contribute a reduction of
symmetry detection to a graph automorphism problem which allows to extract
symmetries of a logic program from the symmetries of the constructed coloured
graph. We also propose an encoding of symmetry-breaking constraints in terms of
permutation cycles and use only generators in this process which implicitly
represent symmetries and always with exponential compression. These ideas are
formulated as preprocessing and implemented in a completely automated flow that
first detects symmetries from a given answer set program, adds
symmetry-breaking constraints, and can be applied to any existing answer set
solver. We demonstrate computational impact on benchmarks versus direct
application of the solver.
Furthermore, we explore symmetry breaking for answer set programming in two
domains: first, constraint answer set programming as a novel approach to
represent and solve constraint satisfaction problems, and second, distributed
nonmonotonic multi-context systems. In particular, we formulate a
translation-based approach to constraint answer set solving which allows for
the application of our symmetry detection and symmetry breaking methods. To
compare their performance with a-priori symmetry breaking techniques, we also
contribute a decomposition of the global value precedence constraint that
enforces domain consistency on the original constraint via the unit-propagation
of an answer set solver. We evaluate both options in an empirical analysis. In
the context of distributed nonmonotonic multi-context system, we develop an
algorithm for distributed symmetry detection and also carry over
symmetry-breaking constraints for distributed answer set programming.Comment: Diploma thesis. Vienna University of Technology, August 201
Partnering Strategies for Fitness Evaluation in a Pyramidal Evolutionary Algorithm
This paper combines the idea of a hierarchical distributed genetic algorithm
with different inter-agent partnering strategies. Cascading clusters of
sub-populations are built from bottom up, with higher-level sub-populations
optimising larger parts of the problem. Hence higher-level sub-populations
search a larger search space with a lower resolution whilst lower-level
sub-populations search a smaller search space with a higher resolution. The
effects of different partner selection schemes for (sub-)fitness evaluation
purposes are examined for two multiple-choice optimisation problems. It is
shown that random partnering strategies perform best by providing better
sampling and more diversity
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