A Model for Uncertain Multi-objective Transportation Problem with Fractional Objectives

Fractional programming problems take into account the situations where the decision maker is interested to maximize or minimize the ratios of some functions rather than a simple function. Fractional programming modeling approach has a lot of scope in dealing with the transportation planning decision problems. This paper presents a model for transportation problem with multiple fractional objectives involving uncertain parameters. In order to make the model more realistic, we have considered the case when there exists more than one fractional objective. All the parameters involved in the proposed model viz. objective function coefficients, availabilities and demands are assumed to be uncertain. Moreover, an equivalent deterministic model is also presented. Fuzzy goal programming approach is discussed as the solution approach for reaching the compromise solution. A numerical example is also given to illustrate the model more clearly

Preference incorporation in MOEA/D using an outranking approach with imprecise model parameters

Multi-objective Optimization Evolutionary Algorithms (MOEAs) face numerous challenges when they are used to solve Many-objective Optimization Problems (MaOPs). Decomposition-based strategies, such as MOEA/D, divide an MaOP into multiple single-optimization sub-problems, achieving better diversity and a better approximation of the Pareto front, and dealing with some of the challenges of MaOPs. However, these approaches still require one to solve a multi-criteria selection problem that will allow a Decision-Maker (DM) to choose the final solution. Incorporating preferences may provide results that are closer to the region of interest of a DM. Most of the proposals to integrate preferences in decomposition-based MOEAs prefer progressive articulation over the “a priori” incorporation of preferences. Progressive articulation methods can hardly work without comparable and transitive preferences, and they can significantly increase the cognitive effort required of a DM. On the other hand, the “a priori” strategies do not demand transitive judgements from the DM but require a direct parameter elicitation that usually is subject to imprecision. Outranking approaches have properties that allow them to suitably handle non-transitive preferences, veto conditions, and incomparability, which are typical characteristics of many real DMs. This paper explores how to incorporate DM preferences into MOEA/D using the “a priori” incorporation of preferences, based on interval outranking relations, to handle imprecision when preference parameters are elicited. Several experiments make it possible to analyze the proposal's performance on benchmark problems and to compare the results with the classic MOEA/D without preference incorporation and with a recent, state-of-the-art preference-based decomposition algorithm. In many instances, our results are closer to the Region of Interest, particularly when the number of objectives increases

Solving bi-objective bi-item solid transportation problem with fuzzy stochastic constraints involving normal distribution

In today's competitive world, entrepreneurs cannot argue for transporting a single product. It does not provide much profit to the entrepreneur. Due to this reason, multiple products need to be transported from various origins to destinations through various types of conveyances. Real-world decision-making problems are typically phrased as multi-objective optimization problems because they may be effectively described with numerous competing objectives. Many real-life problems have uncertain objective functions and constraints due to incomplete or uncertain information. Such uncertainties are dealt with in fuzzy/interval/stochastic programming. This study explored a novel integrated model bi-objective bi-item solid transportation problem with fuzzy stochastic inequality constraints following a normal distribution. The entrepreneur's objectives are minimizing the transportation cost and duration of transit while maximizing the profit subject to constraints. The chance-constrained technique is applied to transform the uncertainty problem into its equivalent deterministic problem. The deterministic problem is then solved with the proposed method, namely, the global weighted sum method (GWSM), to find the optimal compromise solution. A numerical example is provided to test the efficacy of the method and then is solved using the Lingo 18.0 software. To highlight the proposed method, comparisons of the solution with the existing solution methods are performed. Finally, to understand the sensitivity of parameters in the proposed model, sensitivity analysis (SA) is conducted

The Multiobjective Average Network Flow Problem: Formulations, Algorithms, Heuristics, and Complexity

Integrating value focused thinking with the shortest path problem results in a unique formulation called the multiobjective average shortest path problem. We prove this is NP-complete for general graphs. For directed acyclic graphs, an efficient algorithm and even faster heuristic are proposed. While the worst case error of the heuristic is proven unbounded, its average performance on random graphs is within 3% of the optimal solution. Additionally, a special case of the more general biobjective average shortest path problem is given, allowing tradeoffs between decreases in arc set cardinality and increases in multiobjective value; the algorithm to solve the average shortest path problem provides all the information needed to solve this more difficult biobjective problem. These concepts are then extended to the minimum cost flow problem creating a new formulation we name the multiobjective average minimum cost flow. This problem is proven NP-complete as well. For directed acyclic graphs, two efficient heuristics are developed, and although we prove the error of any successive average shortest path heuristic is in theory unbounded, they both perform very well on random graphs. Furthermore, we define a general biobjective average minimum cost flow problem. The information from the heuristics can be used to estimate the efficient frontier in a special case of this problem trading off total flow and multiobjective value. Finally, several variants of these two problems are discussed. Proofs are conjectured showing the conditions under which the problems are solvable in polynomial time and when they remain NP-complete

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems, Vol. 10, 2015

This volume is a collection of thirteen papers, written by different authors and co-authors (listed in the order of the papers): J. J. Peng and J. Q. Wang, E. Marei, S. Kar, K. Basu, S. Mukherjee, I. M. Hezam, M. Abdel-Baset and F. Smarandache, K. Mondal, S. Pramanik, A. Ionescu, M. R. Parveen and P. Sekar, B. Teodorescu, D. Kour and K. Basu, P. P. Dey and B. C. Giri, A. A. A. Agboola. In first paper, the authors studied Multi-valued Neutrosophic Sets and its Application in Multi-criteria Decision-Making Problems. More on neutrosophic soft rough sets and its modification is discussed in the second paper. Solution of Multi-Criteria Assignment Problem using Neutrosophic Set Theory are studied in third paper. In fourth paper, Taylor Series Approximation to Solve Neutrosophic Multiobjective Programming Problem. Similarly in fifth paper, Decision Making Based on Some similarity Measures under Interval Rough Neutrosophic Environment is discussed. In paper six, Neutralité neutrosophique et expressivité dans le style journalistique is studied by the author. Neutrosophic Semilattices and Their Properties given in seventh paper. Liminality and Neutrosophy is proposed in the next paper. Application of Extended Fuzzy Program-ming Technique to a real life Transportation Problem in Neutrosophic environment in the next paper. Further, TOPSIS for Single Valued Neutrosophic Soft Expert Set Based Multi-attribute Decision Making Problems is discussed by the authors in the tenth paper. In eleventh paper, Neutrosophic Quadruple Numbers, Refined Neutrosophic Quadruple Numbers, Absorbance Law, and the Multiplication of Neutrosophic Quadruple Numbers have been studied by the author. In the next paper, On Refined Neutrosophic Algebraic Structures. At the end, Neutrosophic Actions, Prevalence Order, Refinement of Neutrosophic Entities, and Neutrosophic Literal Logical Operators are introduced by the author

Particle Swarm Optimization

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a population based stochastic optimization technique influenced by the social behavior of bird flocking or fish schooling.PSO shares many similarities with evolutionary computation techniques such as Genetic Algorithms (GA). The system is initialized with a population of random solutions and searches for optima by updating generations. However, unlike GA, PSO has no evolution operators such as crossover and mutation. In PSO, the potential solutions, called particles, fly through the problem space by following the current optimum particles. This book represents the contributions of the top researchers in this field and will serve as a valuable tool for professionals in this interdisciplinary field

Multi-objective combinatorial optimization problems in transportation and defense systems

Multi-objective Optimization problems arise in many applications; hence, solving them efficiently is important for decision makers. A common procedure to solve such problems is to generate the exact set of Pareto efficient solutions. However, if the problem is combinatorial, generating the exact set of Pareto efficient solutions can be challenging. This dissertation is dedicated to Multi-objective Combinatorial Optimization problems and their applications in system of systems architecting and railroad track inspection scheduling. In particular, multi-objective system of systems architecting problems with system flexibility and performance improvement funds have been investigated. Efficient solution methods are proposed and evaluated for not only the system of systems architecting problems, but also a generic multi-objective set covering problem. Additionally, a bi-objective track inspection scheduling problem is introduced for an automated ultrasonic inspection vehicle. Exact and approximation methods are discussed for this bi-objective track inspection scheduling problem --Abstract, page iii

Optimization Models Using Fuzzy Sets and Possibility Theory

Optimization is of central concern to a number of disciplines. Operations Research and Decision Theory are often considered to be identical with optimization. But also in other areas such as engineering design, regional policy, logistics and many others, the search for optimal solutions is one of the prime goals. The methods and models which have been used over the last decades in these areas have primarily been "hard" or "crisp", i.e. the solutions were considered to be either feasible or unfeasible, either above a certain aspiration level or below. This dichotomous structure of methods very often forced the modeler to approximate real problem situations of the more-or-less type by yes-or-no-type models, the solutions of which might turn out not to be the solutions to the real problems. This is particularly true if the problem under consideration includes vaguely defined relationships, human evaluations, uncertainty due to inconsistent or incomplete evidence, if natural language has to be modeled or if state variables can only be described approximately. Until recently, everything which was not known with certainty, i.e. which was not known to be either true or false or which was not known to either happen with certainty or to be impossible to occur, was modeled by means of probabilities. This holds in particular for uncertainties concerning the occurrence of events. probability theory was used irrespective of whether its axioms (such as, for instance, the law of large numbers) were satisfied or not, or whether the "events" could really be described unequivocally and crisply. In the meantime one has become aware of the fact that uncertainties concerning the occurrence as well as concerning the description of events ought to be modeled in a much more differentiated way. New concepts and theories have been developed to do this: the theory of evidence, possibility theory, the theory of fuzzy sets have been advanced to a stage of remarkable maturity and have already been applied successfully in numerous cases and in many areas. Unluckily, the progress in these areas has been so fast in the last years that it has not been documented in a way which makes these results easily accessible and understandable for newcomers to these areas: text-books have not been able to keep up with the speed of new developments; edited volumes have been published which are very useful for specialists in these areas, but which are of very little use to nonspecialists because they assume too much of a background in fuzzy set theory. To a certain degree the same is true for the existing professional journals in the area of fuzzy set theory. Altogether this volume is a very important and appreciable contribution to the literature on fuzzy set theory

Best matching processes in distributed systems

The growing complexity and dynamic behavior of modern manufacturing and service industries along with competitive and globalized markets have gradually transformed traditional centralized systems into distributed networks of e- (electronic) Systems. Emerging examples include e-Factories, virtual enterprises, smart farms, automated warehouses, and intelligent transportation systems. These (and similar) distributed systems, regardless of context and application, have a property in common: They all involve certain types of interactions (collaborative, competitive, or both) among their distributed individuals—from clusters of passive sensors and machines to complex networks of computers, intelligent robots, humans, and enterprises. Having this common property, such systems may encounter common challenges in terms of suboptimal interactions and thus poor performance, caused by potential mismatch between individuals. For example, mismatched subassembly parts, vehicles—routes, suppliers—retailers, employees—departments, and products—automated guided vehicles—storage locations may lead to low-quality products, congested roads, unstable supply networks, conflicts, and low service level, respectively. This research refers to this problem as best matching, and investigates it as a major design principle of CCT, the Collaborative Control Theory. The original contribution of this research is to elaborate on the fundamentals of best matching in distributed and collaborative systems, by providing general frameworks for (1) Systematic analysis, inclusive taxonomy, analogical and structural comparison between different matching processes; (2) Specification and formulation of problems, and development of algorithms and protocols for best matching; (3) Validation of the models, algorithms, and protocols through extensive numerical experiments and case studies. The first goal is addressed by investigating matching problems in distributed production, manufacturing, supply, and service systems based on a recently developed reference model, the PRISM Taxonomy of Best Matching. Following the second goal, the identified problems are then formulated as mixed-integer programs. Due to the computational complexity of matching problems, various optimization algorithms are developed for solving different problem instances, including modified genetic algorithms, tabu search, and neighbourhood search heuristics. The dynamic and collaborative/competitive behaviors of matching processes in distributed settings are also formulated and examined through various collaboration, best matching, and task administration protocols. In line with the third goal, four case studies are conducted on various manufacturing, supply, and service systems to highlight the impact of best matching on their operational performance, including service level, utilization, stability, and cost-effectiveness, and validate the computational merits of the developed solution methodologies