A redundant repairable system with imperfect coverage and fuzzy parameters

This paper proposes a procedure to construct the membership functions of the system characteristics of a redundant repairable system with two primary units and one standby in which the coverage factor is the same for an operating unit failure as that for a standby unit failure. Times to failure and times to repair of the operating and standby units are assumed to follow fuzzified exponential distributions. The α-cut approach is used to extract from the fuzzy repairable system a family of conventional crisp intervals for the desired system characteristics, determined with a set of parametric nonlinear programs using their membership functions. A numerical example is solved successfully to illustrate the practicality of the proposed approach. Because the system characteristics are governed by the membership functions, more information is provided for use by management, and because the redundant system is extended to the fuzzy environment, general repairable systems are represented more accurately and the analytic results are more useful for designers and practitioners.     

Online identification of Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy models based on self-adaptive hierarchical particle swarm optimization algorithm

This paper presents an approach for online learning of Takagi–Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy models. A novel learning algorithm based on a Hierarchical Particle Swarm Optimization (HPSO) is introduced to automatically extract all fuzzy logic system (FLS)’s parameters of a T–S fuzzy model. During online operation, both the consequent parameters of the T–S fuzzy model and the PSO inertia weight are continually updated when new data becomes available. By applying this concept to the learning algorithm, a new type T–S fuzzy modeling approach is constructed where the proposed HPSO algorithm includes an adaptive procedure and becomes a self-adaptive HPSO (S-AHPSO) algorithm usable in real-time processes. To improve the computational time of the proposed HPSO, particles positions are initialized by using an efficient unsupervised fuzzy clustering algorithm (UFCA). The UFCA combines the K-nearest neighbour and fuzzy C-means methods into a fuzzy modeling method for partitioning of the input–output data and identifying the antecedent parameters of the fuzzy system, enhancing the HPSO’s tuning. The approach is applied to identify the dynamical behavior of the dissolved oxygen concentration in an activated sludge reactor within a wastewater treatment plant. The results show that the proposed approach can identify nonlinear systems satisfactorily, and reveal superior performance of the proposed methods when compared with other state of the art methods. Moreover, the methodologies proposed in this paper can be involved in wider applications in a number of fields such as model predictive control, direct controller design, unsupervised clustering, motion detection, and robotics.     

Time-cost trade-off analysis of project networks in fuzzy environments

This paper proposes a novel approach for time-cost trade-off analysis of a project network in fuzzy environments. Different from the results of previous studies, in this paper the membership function of the fuzzy minimum total crash cost is constructed based on Zadeh’s extension principle and fuzzy solutions are provided. A pair of two-level mathematical programs parameterized by possibility level α is formulated to calculate the lower and upper bounds of the fuzzy minimum total crash cost at α. By enumerating different values of α, the membership function of the fuzzy minimum total crash cost is constructed, and the corresponding optimal activity time for each activity is also obtained at the same time. An example of time-cost trade-off problem with several fuzzy parameters is solved successfully to demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach. Since the minimum total crash cost is expressed by a membership function rather than by a crisp value, the fuzziness of parameters is conserved completely, and more information is provided for time-cost trade-off analysis in project management. The proposed approach also can be applied to time-cost trade-off problems with other characteristics.     

On fuzzy linear projection equation and applications

This paper introduces the concept of fuzzy projection of a fuzzy number on a set of fuzzy numbers based on r-cut approach. It is proved that the projection of a fuzzy number on the set of all fuzzy numbers is itself and under a special metric, the proposed fuzzy projection is a non-expansive mapping. By using this definition, the concept of fuzzy linear projection equation is defined and to solve it, a numerical method is applied. Based on the proposed algorithm and as an important application, two different types of system of fuzzy linear equations with fuzzy variables are solved. Numerical results illustrate the applicabilities of proposed approach.     

Parametric nonlinear programming approach to fuzzy queues with bulk service

This paper proposes a procedure to construct the membership functions of the performance measures in bulk service queuing systems with the arrival rate and service rate are fuzzy numbers. The basic idea is to transform a fuzzy queue with bulk service to a family of conventional crisp queues with bulk service by applying the α-cut approach. On the basis of α-cut representation and the extension principle, a pair of parametric nonlinear programs is formulated to describe that family of crisp bulk service queues, via which the membership functions of the performance measures are derived. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed procedure, two fuzzy queues often encountered in transportation management are exemplified. Since the performance measures are expressed by membership functions rather than by crisp values, they completely conserve the fuzziness of input information when some data of bulk-service queuing systems are ambiguous. Thus the proposed approach for vague systems can represent the system more accurately, and more information is provided for designing queuing systems in real life. By extending to fuzzy environment, the bulk service queuing models would have wider applications.     

Fuzzy logic based intersection delay estimation

A fuzzy logic based delay estimation system is proposed and modelled. Conventional method of delay study involves solving static engineering equations in which only technical factors (traffic demand, roadway geometry, and signal control, etc.) are considered and the affect of nontechnical factors (such as weather or visibility) cannot be analyzed since they do not follow a predefined process. The fuzzy logic based delay estimation combines the complex technical and nontechnical factors and is adaptive to the changing driving environment. The rule base of the delay estimation system is constructed either following a mathematical model or from real-time traffic operational data. Simulation and field test of the fuzzy system have shown that fuzzy logic based modelling is a promising approach to improving intersection delay estimation.     

Fuzzy rough sets and multiple-premise gradual decision rules

We propose a new fuzzy rough set approach which, differently from most known fuzzy set extensions of rough set theory, does not use any fuzzy logical connectives (t-norm, t-conorm, fuzzy implication). As there is no rationale for a particular choice of these connectives, avoiding this choice permits to reduce the part of arbitrary in the fuzzy rough approximation. Another advantage of the new approach is that it is based on the ordinal properties of fuzzy membership degrees only. The concepts of fuzzy lower and upper approximations are thus proposed, creating a base for induction of fuzzy decision rules having syntax and semantics of gradual rules. The proposed approach to rule induction is also interesting from the viewpoint of philosophy supporting data mining and knowledge discovery, because it is concordant with the method of concomitant variations by John Stuart Mill. The decision rules are induced from lower and upper approximations defined for positive and negative relationships between credibility degrees of multiple premises, on one hand, and conclusion, on the other hand.     

An extension to possibilistic fuzzy cluster analysis

We explore an approach to possibilistic fuzzy clustering that avoids a severe drawback of the conventional approach, namely that the objective function is truly minimized only if all cluster centers are identical. Our approach is based on the idea that this undesired property can be avoided if we introduce a mutual repulsion of the clusters, so that they are forced away from each other. We develop this approach for the possibilistic fuzzy c-means algorithm and the Gustafson–Kessel algorithm. In our experiments we found that in this way we can combine the partitioning property of the probabilistic fuzzy c-means algorithm with the advantages of a possibilistic approach w.r.t. the interpretation of the membership degrees.     

Analysis of maximum total return in the continuous knapsack problem with fuzzy object weights

This paper proposes a parametric programming approach to analyze the fuzzy maximum total return in the continuous knapsack problem with fuzzy objective weights, in that the membership function of the maximum total return is constructed. The idea is based on Zadeh’s extension principle, α-cut representation, and the duality theorem of linear programming. A pair of linear programs parameterized by possibility level α is formulated to calculate the lower and upper bounds of the fuzzy maximum total return at α, through which the membership function of the maximum total return is constructed. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed procedure, an example studied by the previous studies is investigated successfully. Since the fuzzy maximum total return is completely expressed by a membership function rather than by a crisp value reported in previous studies, the fuzziness of object weights is conserved completely, and more information is provided for making decisions in real-world resource allocation applications. The generalization of the proposed approach for other types of knapsack problems is also straightforward.     

Fuzzy nonlinear programming for mixed-discrete design optimization through hybrid genetic algorithm

Many practical engineering optimization problems involve discrete or integer design variables, and often the design decisions are to be made in a fuzzy environment in which the statements might be vague or imprecise. A mixed-discrete fuzzy nonlinear programming approach that combines the fuzzy λ-formulation with a hybrid genetic algorithm is proposed in this paper. This method can find a globally compromise solution for a mixed-discrete fuzzy optimization problem, even when the objective function is nonconvex and nondifferentiable. In the construction of the objective membership function, an error from the early research work is corrected and the right conclusion has been made. The illustrative examples demonstrate that more reliable and satisfactory results can be obtained through the present method.     

Analysis of critical paths in a project network with fuzzy activity times

This paper proposes an approach to critical path analysis for a project network with activity times being fuzzy numbers, in that the membership function of the fuzzy total duration time is constructed. The basic idea is based on the extension principle and linear programming formulation. A pair of linear programs parameterized by possibility level α is formulated to calculate the lower and upper bounds of the fuzzy total duration time at α. By enumerating different values of α, the membership function of the fuzzy total duration time is constructed, and the fuzzy critical paths are identified at the same time. Moreover, by applying the Yager ranking method, definitions of the most critical path and the relative degree of criticality of paths are developed; and these definitions are theoretically sound and easy to use in practice. Two examples with activity times being fuzzy numbers of L-R and L-L types discussed in previous studies are solved successfully to demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach. Since the total duration time is completely expressed by a membership function rather than by a crisp value, the fuzziness of activity times is conserved completely, and more information is provided for critical path analysis.     

Fuzzy graphs modelling for HazMat telegeomonitoring

Telegeomonitoring system development combines two heterogeneous technologies: the geographical information systems technology (GIS) and telecommunications technology. In this paper, we give the system components for telegeomonitoring transportation of hazardous materials. The telegeomonitoring system uses GIS to capture civil infrastructure (urban network, land use, industries, etc.) and decision support systems technology to allow risks analysis and evaluate routing strategies that minimize transportation risk. Routing algorithms are to this effect adapted to graphs of the fuzzy risk. A new algebraic structure is proposed to solve a path-finding problem in a fuzzy graph. This algebraic structure is adapted precisely to solve the problem of the K-best fuzzy shortest paths. The approach that we proposed, consists of defining generic structures of operator’s traversal problem in fuzzy graphs. The principal contribution of our approach is to build adequate structures of path algebra to solve the problem of graph traversal in a fuzzy graph without negative circuits. Foundations of the system studied in this work will be able to be transposed to other fields of transportation.     

An alternative formulation for the fuzzy assignment problem

The existing assignment problems for assigning n jobs to n individuals are limited to the considerations of cost or profit measured as crisp. However, in many real applications, costs are not deterministic numbers. This paper develops a procedure based on Data Envelopment Analysis method to solve the assignment problems with fuzzy costs or fuzzy profits for each possible assignment. It aims to obtain the points with maximum membership values for the fuzzy parameters while maximizing the profit or minimizing the assignment cost. In this method, a discrete approach is presented to rank the fuzzy numbers first. Then, corresponding to each fuzzy number, we introduce a crisp number using the efficiency concept. A numerical example is used to illustrate the usefulness of this new method.     

An optimistic decision-making in fuzzy environment

Bellman and Zadeh have originated three systems of multistage decision processes in a fuzzy environment: deterministic, stochastic and fuzzy systems. In this article, we consider an optimization problem with an optimistic criterion on a fuzzy system. By making use of minimization–maximization expectation in a fuzzy environment, we derive a recursive equation for the fuzzy decision process through invariant imbedding approach. By illustrating a three-state, two-decision and two-stage model, we give an optimal solution through dynamic programming. The optimal solution is also verified by the method of multistage fuzzy decision tree-table.     

A way to deal with fuzzy preferences in multi-criteria decision problems

This paper presents a special multiple criteria decision making approach for solving problems in context with fuzzy individual preferences.At first we briefly expose the proposed methodology. The individual preferences are explicitly given by a complete transitive relation R on a set of reference actions. The modelling of the decision-maker's preferences is obtained by means of fuzzy outranking relations. These fuzzy relations are based on a system of additive utility functions which are estimated by means of ordinal regression methods analysing the preference relation R.This is followed by a presentation of two real multicriteria problems which the proposed methodology has been applied to, i.e. a highway plan choice problem and a problem in marketing research dealing with the launching of a new product. In each application we tried to specify this method according to the specific structure of the problem considered.     

Adaptive fuzzy control‐based projective synchronization of uncertain nonaffine chaotic systems

This article aims to introduce a projective synchronization approach based on adaptive fuzzy control for a class of perturbed uncertain multivariable nonaffine chaotic systems. The fuzzy‐logic systems are employed to approximate online the uncertain functions. A Lyapunov approach is used to design the parameter adaptation laws and to demonstrate the boundedness of all signals of the closed‐loop system as well as the convergence of the synchronization errors to bounded residual sets. Finally, numerical simulation results are presented to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed synchronization system based on fuzzy adaptive controller. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 180–192, 2015     

Fuzzy dynamical systems

A fuzzy dynamical system on an underlying complete, locally compact metric state space X is defined axiomatically in terms of a fuzzy attainability set mapping on X. This definition includes as special cases crisp single and multivalued dynamical systems on X. It is shown that the support of such a fuzzy dynamical system on X is a crisp multivalued dynamical system on X, and that such a fuzzy dynamical system can be considered as a crisp dynamical system on a state space of nonempty compact fuzzy subsets of X. In addition fuzzy trajectories are defined, their existence established and various properties investigated.     

A fuzzy approach to R&D project portfolio selection

A major advance in the development of project selection tools came with the application of options reasoning in the field of Research and Development (R&D). The options approach to project evaluation seeks to correct the deficiencies of traditional methods of valuation through the recognition that managerial flexibility can bring significant value to projects. Our main concern is how to deal with non-statistical imprecision we encounter when judging or estimating future cash flows. In this paper, we develop a methodology for valuing options on R&D projects, when future cash flows are estimated by trapezoidal fuzzy numbers. In particular, we present a fuzzy mixed integer programming model for the R&D optimal portfolio selection problem, and discuss how our methodology can be used to build decision support tools for optimal R&D project selection in a corporate environment.     

Simulation and evaluation of dual fully fuzzy linear systems by fuzzy neural network

In this paper, a novel hybrid method based on fuzzy neural network for approximate solution of fuzzy linear systems of the form Ax = Bx + d, where A and B are two square matrices of fuzzy coefficients, x and d are two fuzzy number vectors, is presented. Here a neural network is considered as a part of a large field called neural computing or soft computing. Moreover, in order to find the approximate solution, a simple and fast algorithm from the cost function of the fuzzy neural network is proposed. Finally, we illustrate our approach by some numerical examples.     

An exact algorithm for the fuzzy p-median problem

In this paper we propose a fuzzy version of the classical p-median problem. We consider a fuzzy set of constraints so that the decision-maker will be able to take into account solutions which provide significantly lower costs by leaving a part of the demand uncovered. We propose an algorithm for solving the problem which is based on Hakimi's works and we compare the crisp and the fuzzy approach by means of an example.