Optimization Models and Approximate Algorithms for the Aerial Refueling Scheduling and Rescheduling Problems

The Aerial Refueling Scheduling Problem (ARSP) can be defined as determining the refueling completion times for fighter aircrafts (jobs) on multiple tankers (machines) to minimize the total weighted tardiness. ARSP can be modeled as a parallel machine scheduling with release times and due date-to-deadline window. ARSP assumes that the jobs have different release times, due dates, and due date-to-deadline windows between the refueling due date and a deadline to return without refueling. The Aerial Refueling Rescheduling Problem (ARRP), on the other hand, can be defined as updating the existing AR schedule after being disrupted by job related events including the arrival of new aircrafts, departure of an existing aircrafts, and changes in aircraft priorities. ARRP is formulated as a multiobjective optimization problem by minimizing the total weighted tardiness (schedule quality) and schedule instability. Both ARSP and ARRP are formulated as mixed integer programming models. The objective function in ARSP is a piecewise tardiness cost that takes into account due date-to-deadline windows and job priorities. Since ARSP is NP-hard, four approximate algorithms are proposed to obtain solutions in reasonable computational times, namely (1) apparent piecewise tardiness cost with release time rule (APTCR), (2) simulated annealing starting from random solution (SArandom ), (3) SA improving the initial solution constructed by APTCR (SAAPTCR), and (4) Metaheuristic for Randomized Priority Search (MetaRaPS). Additionally, five regeneration and partial repair algorithms (MetaRE, BestINSERT, SEPRE, LSHIFT, and SHUFFLE) were developed for ARRP to update instantly the current schedule at the disruption time. The proposed heuristic algorithms are tested in terms of solution quality and CPU time through computational experiments with randomly generated data to represent AR operations and disruptions. Effectiveness of the scheduling and rescheduling algorithms are compared to optimal solutions for problems with up to 12 jobs and to each other for larger problems with up to 60 jobs. The results show that, APTCR is more likely to outperform SArandom especially when the problem size increases, although it has significantly worse performance than SA in terms of deviation from optimal solution for small size problems. Moreover CPU time performance of APTCR is significantly better than SA in both cases. MetaRaPS is more likely to outperform SAAPTCR in terms of average error from optimal solutions for both small and large size problems. Results for small size problems show that MetaRaPS algorithm is more robust compared to SAAPTCR. However, CPU time performance of SA is significantly better than MetaRaPS in both cases. ARRP experiments were conducted with various values of objective weighting factor for extended analysis. In the job arrival case, MetaRE and BestINSERT have significantly performed better than SEPRE in terms of average relative error for small size problems. In the case of job priority disruption, there is no significant difference between MetaRE, BestINSERT, and SHUFFLE algorithms. MetaRE has significantly performed better than LSHIFT to repair job departure disruptions and significantly superior to the BestINSERT algorithm in terms of both relative error and computational time for large size problems

Belief Space Scheduling

This thesis develops the belief space scheduling framework for scheduling under uncertainty in Stochastic Collection and Replenishment (SCAR) scenarios. SCAR scenarios involve the transportation of a resource such as fuel to agents operating in the field. Key characteristics of this scenario are persistent operation of the agents, and consideration of uncertainty. Belief space scheduling performs optimisation on probability distributions describing the state of the system. It consists of three major components---estimation of the current system state given uncertain sensor readings, prediction of the future state given a schedule of tasks, and optimisation of the schedule of the replenishing agents. The state estimation problem is complicated by a number of constraints that act on the state. A novel extension of the truncated Kalman Filter is developed for soft constraints that have uncertainty described by a Gaussian distribution. This is shown to outperform existing estimation methods, striking a balance between the high uncertainty of methods that ignore the constraints and the overconfidence of methods that ignore the uncertainty of the constraints. To predict the future state of the system, a novel analytical, continuous-time framework is proposed. This framework uses multiple Gaussian approximations to propagate the probability distributions describing the system state into the future. It is compared with a Monte Carlo framework and is shown to provide similar discrimination performance while computing, in most cases, orders of magnitude faster. Finally, several branch and bound tree search methods are developed for the optimisation problem. These methods focus optimisation efforts on earlier tasks within a model predictive control-like framework. Combined with the estimation and prediction methods, these are shown to outperform existing approaches

Genetic Algorithm to Evolve Ensembles of Rules for On-Line Scheduling on Single Machine with Variable Capacity

International Work-Conference on the Interplay Between Natural and Artificial Computation, IWINAC (8th . 2019. Almería, Spain

Applications of agent architectures to decision support in distributed simulation and training systems

This work develops the approach and presents the results of a new model for applying intelligent agents to complex distributed interactive simulation for command and control. In the framework of tactical command, control communications, computers and intelligence (C4I), software agents provide a novel approach for efficient decision support and distributed interactive mission training. An agent-based architecture for decision support is designed, implemented and is applied in a distributed interactive simulation to significantly enhance the command and control training during simulated exercises. The architecture is based on monitoring, evaluation, and advice agents, which cooperate to provide alternatives to the dec ision-maker in a time and resource constrained environment. The architecture is implemented and tested within the context of an AWACS Weapons Director trainer tool. The foundation of the work required a wide range of preliminary research topics to be covered, including real-time systems, resource allocation, agent-based computing, decision support systems, and distributed interactive simulations. The major contribution of our work is the construction of a multi-agent architecture and its application to an operational decision support system for command and control interactive simulation. The architectural design for the multi-agent system was drafted in the first stage of the work. In the next stage rules of engagement, objective and cost functions were determined in the AWACS (Airforce command and control) decision support domain. Finally, the multi-agent architecture was implemented and evaluated inside a distributed interactive simulation test-bed for AWACS Vv\u27Ds. The evaluation process combined individual and team use of the decision support system to improve the performance results of WD trainees. The decision support system is designed and implemented a distributed architecture for performance-oriented management of software agents. The approach provides new agent interaction protocols and utilizes agent performance monitoring and remote synchronization mechanisms. This multi-agent architecture enables direct and indirect agent communication as well as dynamic hierarchical agent coordination. Inter-agent communications use predefined interfaces, protocols, and open channels with specified ontology and semantics. Services can be requested and responses with results received over such communication modes. Both traditional (functional) parameters and nonfunctional (e.g. QoS, deadline, etc.) requirements and captured in service requests

Approximate dynamic programming with applications in multi-agent systems

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2007.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.MIT Institute Archives copy: contains CDROM of thesis in .pdf format.Includes bibliographical references (p. 151-161).This thesis presents the development and implementation of approximate dynamic programming methods used to manage multi-agent systems. The purpose of this thesis is to develop an architectural framework and theoretical methods that enable an autonomous mission system to manage real-time multi-agent operations. To meet this goal, we begin by discussing aspects of the real-time multi-agent mission problem. Next, we formulate this problem as a Markov Decision Process (MDP) and present a system architecture designed to improve mission-level functional reliability through system self-awareness and adaptive mission planning. Since most multi-agent mission problems are computationally difficult to solve in real-time, approximation techniques are needed to find policies for these large-scale problems. Thus, we have developed theoretical methods used to find feasible solutions to large-scale optimization problems. More specifically, we investigate methods designed to automatically generate an approximation to the cost-to-go function using basis functions for a given MDP. Next, these these techniques are used by an autonomous mission system to manage multi-agent mission scenarios. Simulation results using these methods are provided for a large-scale mission problem. In addition, this thesis presents the implementation of techniques used to manage autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) performing persistent surveillance operations. We present an indoor multi-vehicle testbed called RAVEN (Real-time indoor Autonomous Vehicle test ENvironment) that was developed to study long-duration missions in a controlled environment.(cont.) The RAVEN's design allows researchers to focus on high-level tasks by autonomously managing the platform's realistic air and ground vehicles during multi-vehicle operations, thus promoting the rapid prototyping of UAV technologies by flight testing new vehicle configurations and algorithms without redesigning vehicle hardware. Finally, using the RAVEN, we present flight test results from autonomous, extended mission tests using the technologies developed in this thesis. Flight results from a 24 hr, fully-autonomous air vehicle flight-recharge test and an autonomous, multi-vehicle extended mission test using small, electric-powered air vehicles are provided.by Mario J. Valenti.Ph.D

A SearchCol Algorithm for the unrelated parallel machine scheduling problem with job splitting

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia IndustrialIn this dissertation, the unrelated parallel machine scheduling problem with job splitting and sequence independent setup times is addressed, implementing a method to solve it in a recently proposed framework, SearchCol, short for ‘Metaheuristic search by Column Generation’. The study of scheduling problems is of high relevance due to its real-world application in multiple fields, as documented in its vast literature, and also due to its high complexity derived from the diverse environments, variables, restrictions and the combinations of these in different systems. The problem consists in finding a scheduling plan for a set of independent jobs on a set of unrelated parallel machines, considering jobs and machines release dates, sequence independent setup times and the job splitting property, with due date related objectives. The introduction of setup times and job splitting properties in unrelated environments has not been extensively studied, even though its use can play an important role in scheduling. A mixed integer programming model is developed featuring the aforementioned properties, which is then decomposed by machine using the Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition. To solve the decomposed model a hybrid approach entitled SearchCol is applied, which results from the interaction between column generation and metaheuristics. Problem specific heuristics to use in the column generation component of the SearchCol are also developed and diverse alternatives within the global algorithm are tested. A problem specific algorithm for one of the main SearchCol components is also suggested. To evaluate the effectiveness of the model and the proposed algorithms, computational tests are performed and their solutions analysed for a set of test instances.O trabalho que se apresenta nesta dissertação, aborda o problema de escalonamento em máquinas paralelas não relacionadas com dimensionamento de lotes e tempos de preparação independentes da sequência, recorrendo a uma ferramenta recentemente proposta, designada por SearchCol, abreviatura de ‘Metaheuristic Search by Column Generation’. O estudo de problemas de escalonamento revela-se de grande importância devido à sua aplicação em diferentes áreas, documentado na sua vasta literatura, e também devido à sua elevada complexidade decorrente das diversas configurações e tipos de máquinas, variáveis e restrições, bem como as combinações destas nos diversos sistemas. O problema consiste na determinação de um plano de produção para um conjunto de tarefas independentes em máquinas paralelas não relacionadas, considerando tempos de disponibilidade de tarefas e máquinas, tempos de preparação independentes da sequência e o dimensionamento de lotes. O estudo deste problema com incorporação de tempos de preparação e da propriedade de dimensionamento de lotes em máquinas paralelas não relacionadas não é comum na literatura, apesar de se revelar de extrema importância em problemas de escalonamento. Um modelo de programação inteira mista é desenvolvido para o problema e é também efectuada uma decomposição por máquina através da decomposição de Dantzig-Wolfe. Para resolver o problema, estuda-se uma abordagem híbrida que consiste na interação entre a técnica de geração de colunas e metaheurísticas, de seu nome SearchCol. São desenvolvidas heurísticas específicas para o problema, as quais são usadas na componente de geração de colunas do SearchCol, sendo testadas também diversas alternativas e ferramentas no contexto do algoritmo global. Além disso, um algoritmo específico para o problema é também sugerido, para incluir num dos principais componentes do SearchCol. Para avaliar o desempenho e qualidade dos modelos e algoritmos propostos, são realizados testes computacionais e analisadas as suas soluções para um conjunto de instâncias de teste.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Project ref. PTDC/EIA-EIA/100645/2008.This work was partially funded by the FEDER through the Programme COMPETE