Economic spare capacity planning for DCS mesh-restorable networks

This paper considers an integer programming (IP) based optimization algorithm to solve the Spare Channel Assignment Problem (SCAP) for the new synchronous transmission networks that use a Digital Cross-Connect System (DCS) for each node of the network. Given predetermined working channels on each link of the network, the problem is to determine the spare capacity that should be added on each link to ensure rerouting of the traffic in case of a link failure. We propose an IP model which determines not only the spare capacity on each link but also the number of each link facility needed to be installed on each link to meet the aggregated requirements of working and spare channels. The objective is to minimize the total installation cost. We propose a branch-and-cut algorithm to solve the SCAR To solve the linear programming (LP) relaxation of the problem, an efficient constraint generation routine was devised. Moreover, some strong valid inequalities were found and used to strengthen the formulation. Computational results show that the algorithm can solve real world problems to optimality within a reasonable time.     

Solving the minimum toll revenue problem in real transportation networks

As a means to relieve traffic congestion, toll pricing has recently received significant attention by transportation planners. Inappropriate use of transportation networks is one of the major causes of network congestion. Toll pricing is a method of traffic management in which traffic flow is guided to proper time and path in order to reduce the total delay in the network. This article investigates a method for solving the minimum toll revenue problem in real and large-scale transportation networks. The objective of this problem is to find link tolls that simultaneously cause users to efficiently use the transportation network and to minimize the total toll revenues to be collected. Although this model is linear, excessive number of variables and constraints make it very difficult to solve for large-scale networks. In this paper, a path-generation algorithm is proposed for solving the model. Implementation of this algorithm for different networks indicates that this method can achieve the optimal solution after a few iterations and a proper CPU time.     

An algorithm for local continuous optimization of traffic signals

In this paper, an algorithm for sensitivity analysis for equilibrium traffic network flows with link interferences is proposed. Based on this sensitivity analysis algorithm, a general algorithm is provided for solving the optimal design and management problems for traffic networks. In particular, this algorithm is applied to the optimal traffic signal setting problem. A numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm.     

A Transportation Network Model as a Tool to Solve Urban Planning Location Problems

The aim of this paper is to formulate a transportation network model conceived as a basis of possible tools to be used by administrators and planners to approach location problems in a urban context. The key element of this model is a static representation of the transportation network, made of oriented links and nodes, connecting the facilities located in a prespecified urban area. Such a representation is based on an analogy of electric nature, thus allowing to exploit conventional electric networks solvers to determine the relevant features of the traffic flow in each link of the transportation network. The facility quality level is also taken into account in a quantitative fashion. Relying on the proposed model, different related results, such as the minimum path matrix and the induced traffic in each link of the network can be retrieved.     

A framework for user equilibrium dynamic traffic assignment

Several analytic approaches have been developed to describe or predict traffic flows on networks with time-varying (dynamic) travel demands, flows and travel times. A key component of these models lies in modelling the flows and/or travel times on the individual links, but as this is made more realistic or accurate it tends to make the overall model less computationally tractable. To help overcome this, and for other reasons, we develop a bi-level user equilibrium (UE) framework that separates the assignment or loading of flows on the time–space network from the modelling of flows and trip times within individual links. We show that this model or framework satisfies appropriate definitions of UE satisfies a first-in-first-out (FIFO) property of road traffic, and has other desirable properties. The model can be solved by iterating between (a) a linear network-loading model that takes the lengths of time–space links as fixed (within narrow ranges), and (b) a set of link flow sub-models which update the link trip times to construct a new time–space network. This allows links to be processed sequentially or in parallel and avoids having to enumerate paths and compute path flows or travel times. We test and demonstrate the model and algorithms using example networks and find that the algorithm converges quickly and the solutions behave as expected. We show how to extend the model to handle elastic demands, multiple destinations and multiple traffic types, and traffic spillback within links and from link to link.     

Discrete Capacity Assignment in IP networks using Particle Swarm Optimization

This paper presents a design methodology for IP networks under end-to-end Quality-of-Service (QoS) constraints. Particularly, we consider a more realistic problem formulation in which the link capacities of a general-topology packet network are discrete variables. This Discrete Capacity Assignment (DCA) problem can be classified as a constrained combinatorial optimization problem. A refined TCP/IP traffic modeling technique is also considered in order to estimate performance metrics for networks loaded by realistic traffic patterns. We propose a discrete variable Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) procedure to find solutions for the problem. A simple approach called Bottleneck Link Heuristic (BLH) is also proposed to obtain admissible solutions in a fast way. The PSO performance, compared to that one of an exhaustive search (ES) procedure, suggests that the PSO algorithm provides a quite efficient approach to obtain (near) optimal solutions with small computational effort.     

Using ACCPM in a simplicial decomposition algorithm for the traffic assignment problem

The purpose of the traffic assignment problem is to obtain a traffic flow pattern given a set of origin-destination travel demands and flow dependent link performance functions of a road network. In the general case, the traffic assignment problem can be formulated as a variational inequality, and several algorithms have been devised for its efficient solution. In this work we propose a new approach that combines two existing procedures: the master problem of a simplicial decomposition algorithm is solved through the analytic center cutting plane method. Four variants are considered for solving the master problem. The third and fourth ones, which heuristically compute an appropriate initial point, provided the best results. The computational experience reported in the solution of real large-scale diagonal and difficult asymmetric problems—including a subset of the transportation networks of Madrid and Barcelona—show the effectiveness of the approach.     

A novel algorithm for area traffic capacity control with elastic travel demands

A non-linear area traffic control system with limited capacity is considered in this paper. Optimal signal settings and link capacity expansions can be determined while trip distribution and network flow are in equilibrium. This problem can be formulated as a non-linear mathematical program with equilibrium constraints. For the objective function a non-linear constrained optimization program for signal settings and link capacity expansion is determined. For the constraint set the elastic user equilibrium traffic assignment obeying Wardrop’s first principle can be formulated as a variational inequality. Since the constrained optimization problem is non-convex, only local optima can be obtained. In this paper, a novel algorithm using a non-smooth trust region approach is proposed. Numerical tests are performed using a real data city network and various example test networks in which the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method are confirmed as compared to other well-known solution methods.     

Simultaneously optimizing link tolls and signal settings in a road network

The problem of determining link tolls to reduce traffic congestion is often referred as a toll design problem. In this paper, optimal tolls are determined for signal-controlled junctions in urban traffic road networks where the rerouting traffic is properly taken into account. This problem can be formulated as a mathematical program with equilibrium constraints (MPEC) where the user equilibrium is expressed as a variational inequality problem. Due to the non-differentiability of the equilibrium problem, an efficient convergent solution scheme is established. Numerical calculations are conducted on a variety of example road networks and comparisons are made with earlier methods.     

Reducing costs of backhaul networks for PCS networks using genetic algorithms

Designing cost-effective telecommunications networks often involves solving several challenging, interdependent combinatorial optimization problems simultaneously. For example, it may be necessary to select a least-cost subset of locations (network nodes) to serve as hubs where traffic is to be aggregated and switched; optimally assign other nodes to these hubs, meaning that the traffic entering the network at these nodes will be routed to the assigned hubs while respecting capacity constraints on the links; and optimally choose the types of links to be used in interconnecting the nodes and hubs based on the capacities and costs associated with each link type. Each of these three combinatorial optimization problems must be solved while taking into account its impacts on the other two. This paper introduces a genetic algorithm (GA) approach that has proved effective in designing networks for carrying personal communications services (PCS) traffic. The key innovation is to represent information about hub locations and their interconnections as two parts of a chromosome, so that solutions to both aspects of the problem evolve in parallel toward a globally optimal solution. This approach allows realistic problems that take 4–10 hours to solve via a more conventional branch-and-bound heuristic to be solved in 30–35 seconds. Applied to a real network design problem provided as a test case by Cox California PCS, the heuristics successfully identified a design 10% less expensive than the best previously known design. Cox California PCS has adopted the heuristic results and plans to incorporate network optimization in its future network designs and requests for proposals.     

On the Moments of Overflow and Freed Carried Traffic for the GI/M/C/0 System

In circuit-switched networks call streams are characterized by their mean and peakedness (two-moment method). The GI/M/C/0 system is used to model a single link, where the GI-stream is determined by fitting moments appropriately. For the moments of the overflow traffic of a GI/M/C/0 system there are efficient numerical algorithms available. However, for the moments of the freed carried traffic, defined as the moments of a virtual link of infinite capacity to which the process of calls accepted by the link (carried arrival process) is virtually directed and where the virtual calls get fresh exponential i.i.d. holding times, only complex numerical algorithms are available. This is the reason why the concept of the freed carried traffic is not used. The main result of this paper is a numerically stable and efficient algorithm for computing the moments of freed carried traffic, in particular an explicit formula for its peakedness. This result offers a unified handling of both overflow and carried traffics in networks. Furthermore, some refined characteristics for the overflow and freed carried streams are derived.     

Optimization architecture for joint multi-path routing and scheduling in wireless mesh networks

In Wireless Mesh Networks (WMN), the optimal routing of data depends on the link capacities which are determined by link scheduling. The optimal performance of the network, therefore, can only be achieved by joint routing and scheduling optimization. Although the joint single-path routing and scheduling optimization problem has been extensively studied, its multi-path counterpart within wireless mesh networks has not yet been fully investigated. In this paper, we present an optimization architecture for joint multi-path QoS routing and the underlying wireless link scheduling in wireless mesh networks. By employing the contention matrix to represent the wireless link interference, we formulate a utility maximization problem for the joint multi-path routing and MAC scheduling and resolve it using the primal–dual method. Since the multi-path routing usually results in the non-strict concavity of the primal objective function, we first introduce the Proximal Optimization Algorithm to get around such difficulty. We then propose an algorithm to solve the routing subproblem and the scheduling subproblem via the dual decomposition. Simulations demonstrate the efficiency and correctness of our algorithm.     

A hybrid optimization algorithm for area traffic control problem

For an area traffic control road network subject to equilibrium flows, the maximum possible increase in travel demands is considered while total delays for travellers are minimized with respect to the common cycle time, the starts and durations of green times and the offsets. Using the concept of reserve capacity of signal-controlled junctions, the problem of finding the maximum increase in traffic demands can be formulated as a mathematical program with equilibrium constraints. In this paper, we present a hybrid optimization algorithm to simultaneously solve the maximum increase in travel demands and minimizing total delays of travellers. Numerical computations are made for the values of performance index and the reserve capacity achieved at various sets of initial signal settings on a variety of signal-controlled networks. Encouraging results are obtained when compared with other alternatives.     

基于Stackelberg博弈的时变双层交通分配模型

提出一个时变双层交通分配模型,其中上层网络管理者设立了一个路段的最大排队长度,其目标是使由网络流和排队长度定义的总出行时间最小.目标函数在离散时段内以路段流量和排队长度作为决策变量,同时考虑不同类型的信号交叉口延误的影响.下层网络用户的反应依赖于上层管理者的决策,其选择是使自身感知阻抗最小的路径,服从一个基于成对组合Logit的路径选择模型,构成一个成对组合Logit的均衡分配问题.结合了交通分配和流传播方法,将其表示为一个均衡约束下的双层数学规划问题,形成了一个Stackelberg非合作博弈.使用遗传算法求解该双层规划问题,并采用实证分析来表现模型的特征和算法的计算表现.结果表明路径重叠、路段流量、路段排队长度等因素对网络均衡流分布均有显著影响.     

Discrete-time dynamic traffic assignment models with periodic planning horizon: system optimum

This paper proposes a system optimal dynamic traffic assignment model that does not require the network to be empty at the beginning or at the end of the planning horizon. The model assumes that link travel times depend on traffic densities and uses a discretized planning horizon. The resulting formulation is a nonlinear program with binary variables and a time-expanded network structure. Under a relatively mild condition, the nonlinear program has a feasible solution. When necessary, constraints can be added to ensure that the solution satisfies the First-In-First-Out condition. Also included are approximation schemes based on linear integer programs that can provide solutions arbitrarily close to that of the original nonlinear problem.     

Constraint Generation for Network Reliability Problems

This paper presents a constraint generation approach to the network reliability problem of adding spare capacity at minimum cost that allows the traffic on a failed link to be rerouted to its destination. Any number of non-simultaneous link failures can be part of the requirements on the spare capacity. The key result is a necessary and sufficient condition for a multicommodity flow to exist, which is derived in the appendix. Computational results on large numbers of random networks are presented.     

Development of the tree-based link labeling algorithm for optimal path-finding in urban transportation networks

The optimal path-finding algorithm which is an important module in developing route guidance systems and traffic control systems has to provide correct paths to consider U-turns, P-turns, and no-left-turns in urban transportation networks.Traditional methods which have been used to consider those regulations on urban transportation networks can be categorized into network representation and algorithmic methods like the vine-building algorithm. First, network representation methods use traditional optimal path-finding algorithms with modifications to the network structure: for example, just adding dummy nodes and links to the existing network allows constraint-search in the network. This method which creates large networks is hard to implement and introduces considerable difficulties in network coding. With the increased number of nodes and links, the memory requirement tremendously increases, which causes the processing speed to slow down. For these reasons, the method has not been widely accepted for incorporating turning regulations in optimal path-finding problems in transportation networks. Second, algorithmic methods, as they are mainly based on the vine-building algorithm, have been suggested for determining optimal path for networks with turn penalties and prohibitions. However, the algorithms, although they nicely reflect the characteristics of urban transportation networks, frequently provide infeasible or suboptimal solutions.The algorithm to be suggested in this research is a method which is basically based on Dijkstra's algorithm [1] and the tree-building algorithm used to construct optimal paths. Unlike the traditional node labeling algorithms which label each node with minimum estimated cost, this algorithm labels each link with minimum estimated cost.Comparison with the vine-building algorithm shows that the solution of the link-labeling algorithm is better than that of the vine-building algorithm which very frequently provides suboptimal solutions. As a result, the algorithm allows turning regulations, while providing an optimal solution within a reasonable time limit.     

双模式交通网络中的ATIS信息定价研究

先进的出行者信息系统(ATIS)是一种服务商品,已有的研究多从提高市场占有率的角度对单模式交通网络中的ATIS进行信息定价。多模式交通网络中影响ATIS市场占有率的因素众多,而且ATIS的提供成本往往与信息质量和使用规模同时相关。因此,信息定价问题应从ATIS服务提供商利润最大化的角度进行研究。本文把ATIS信息的单次使用费用和ATIS的信息质量同时作为决策变量,将双模式路网中ATIS的定价问题描述为一个双层规划模型。其中,混合用户均衡模型为下层模型,收益模型为上层模型。然后,基于上海市虹口区的路网数据,对下层模型进行了数值分析,并讨论了相关经济效益问题。此外,本文提出了求解下层模型的MSAF算法,并进一步嵌套了粒子群(PSO)算法,最终得到ATIS服务提供商的最优ATIS信息定价和信息质量提供方案。     

Spatial and time decomposition algorithms for dynamic nonlinear network optimization using duality

The structural and computational aspects of two decomposition algorithms suitable for dynamic optimization of nonlinear interconnected networks are examined. Both methods arise from a decomposition based on Lagrangian duality theory of the addressed dynamic optimization problem, which is the minimization of energy costs over a given time period, subject to the requirement that the network equations and inequality restrictions are satisfied. The first algorithm uses a spatial decomposition of the state space into subgroups of state variables associated with particular network zones. This leads to a number of lower-dimensional optimization problems which can be solved individually at one level and coordinated at a higher level to account for interactions between these zones. The second algorithm uses time decomposition to solve a sequence of static optimization problems, one for each time increment into which the interval is subdivided, which are then coordinated to take account of dynamic interaction between the time increments. Computational results from an actual network in the United Kingdom are presented for both methods.     

A modified Physarum-inspired model for the user equilibrium traffic assignment problem

The user equilibrium traffic assignment principle is very important in the traffic assignment problem. Mathematical programming models are designed to solve the user equilibrium problem in traditional algorithms. Recently, the Physarum shows the ability to address the user equilibrium and system optimization traffic assignment problems. However, the Physarum model are not efficient in real traffic networks with two-way traffic characteristics and multiple origin–destination pairs. In this article, a modified Physarum-inspired model for the user equilibrium problem is proposed. By decomposing traffic flux based on origin nodes, the traffic flux from different origin–destination pairs can be distinguished in the proposed model. The Physarum can obtain the equilibrium traffic flux when no shorter path can be discovered between each origin–destination pair. Finally, numerical examples demonstrate the rationality and convergence properties of the proposed model.