The application of a vehicle routing model to a waste-collection problem: two case studies

In this paper we suggest a unique model for estimating the operating cost of each of three waste-collection systems. Under the traditional system, which is widely used, waste is typically collected in plastic bags and a three-man crew is needed on each vehicle. The other two systems require a one-man crew for vehicle collecting street containers. The side-loader system with fixed body automatically empties street containers into the vehicle body and empties the load at the disposal site. The side-loader system with demountable body allows the separation of the waste collection phase from transport to the disposal site, since the vehicle body can be demounted. We also present two case studies and show how the estimation of operating costs is a critical issue in decisions regarding the type of system to be used for waste collection.     

Modelling recruitment training in mathematical human resource planning

This paper deals with mathematical human resource planning; more specifically, it suggests a new model for a manpower‐planning system. In general, we study a k‐classed hierarchical system where the workforce demand at each time period is satisfied through internal mobility and recruitment. The motivation for this work is based on various European Union incentives, which promote regional or local government assistance programs that could be exploited by firms not only for hiring and training newcomers, but also to improve the skills and knowledge of their existing personnel. In this respect, in our augmented mobility model we establish a new ‘training/standby’ class, which serves as a manpower inventory position for potential recruits. This class, which may very well be internal or external to the system, is incorporated into the framework of a non‐homogeneous Markov chain model. Furthermore, cost objectives are employed using the goal‐programming approach, under different operating assumptions, in order to minimize the operational cost in the presence of system's constraints and regulations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fibrations of bigroupoids

Using Brown's construction (J. Algebra 15 (1970) 103) of an exact 6-term sequence for a fibration of groupoids we show how an exact 9-term sequence can be associated to a fibration of bigroupoids. Applications to topology and algebra are given.     

On c‐Bhaskar Rao designs with block size 4

Several new families of c‐Bhaskar Rao designs with block size 4 are constructed. The necessary conditions for the existence of a c‐BRD (υ,4,λ) are that: (1)λ_min=?λ/3 ≤ c ≤ λ and (2a) c≡λ (mod 2), if υ > 4 or (2b) c≡ λ (mod 4), if υ = 4 or (2c) c≠ λ ? 2, if υ = 5. It is proved that these conditions are necessary, and are sufficient for most pairs of c and λ; in particular, they are sufficient whenever λ?c ≠ 2 for c > 0 and whenever c ? λ_min≠ 2 for c < 0. For c < 0, the necessary conditions are sufficient for υ> 101; for the classic Bhaskar Rao designs, i.e., c = 0, we show the necessary conditions are sufficient with the possible exception of 0‐BRD (υ,4,2)'s for υ≡ 4 (mod 6). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 10: 361–386, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/jcd.10009     

Characterization and Computation of Canonical Tight Windows for Gabor Frames

Let (\gnm)_{n,m ? \Zst}(\gnm)_{n,m\in\Zst} be a Gabor frame for \LtR\LtR for given window gg. We show that the window \ho = \SQI g\ho=\SQI g that generates the canonically associated tight Gabor frame minimizes ||g-h||\|g-h\| among all windows hh generating a normalized tight Gabor frame. We present and prove versions of this result in the time domain, the frequency domain, the time-frequency domain, and the Zak transform domain, where in each domain the canonical \ho\ho is expressed using functional calculus for Gabor frame operators. Furthermore, we derive a Wiener--Levy type theorem for rationally oversampled Gabor frames. Finally, a Newton-type method for a fast numerical calculation of \ho\ho is presented. We analyze the convergence behavior of this method and demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm by some numerical examples.     

Contact Interaction of Two Elastic Wedges

We consider the problem of contact of two elastic wedges and assume that only the vertices of the wedges touch before loading. After loading, the edges of both wedges come in contact near their common vertex. We reduce the constructed system of dual integral equations to a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind with difference kernel given on the semiaxis. We analytically solve the Fredholm equation by reducing it to the boundary-value Riemann problem for analytic functions. We obtain an analytic expression for contact stresses.     

The study and applications of photochemical-dynamical gravity wave model II

A nonlinear, compressible, non-isothermal gravity wave model that involves photochemistry is used to study the effects of gravity wave on atmospheric chemical species distributions in this paper. The changes in the distributions of oxygen compound and hydrogen compound density induced by gravity wave propagation are simulated. The results indicate that when a gravity wave propagates through a mesopause region, even if it does not break, it can influence the background distributions of chemical species. The effect of gravity wave on chemical species at night is larger than in daytime.     

ON THE ROLES OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ADMISSIBLE BOUNDARY CONSTRAINTS IN FOURIER SOLUTIONS TO THE BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS OF COMPLETELY COUPLED r TH ORDER PDES

A heretofore unavailable double Fourier series based approach, for obtaining non-separable solution to a system of completely coupled linear r th order partial differential equations with constant coefficients and subjected to general (completely coupled) boundary conditions, has been presented. The method has been successfully implemented to solve a class of hitherto unsolved boundary-value problems, pertaining to free and forced vibrations of arbitrarily laminated anisotropic doubly curved thin panels of rectangular planform, with arbitrarily prescribed (both symmetric and asymmetric with respect to the panel centerlines) admissible boundary conditions and subjected to general transverse loading.Existing solutions such as those due to Navier or Levy are based on the well-known method of separation of variables. Such solutions represent particular solutions whenever the method of separation of variables work, and when these particular solution functions fortuitously satisfy the boundary conditions. For derivation of the complementary solution, the complementary boundary constraints are introduced through boundary discontinuities of some of the particular solution functions and their partial derivatives. Such discontinuities form sets of measure zero.Various cases of lamination, geometry and dynamic response (forced and free vibrations) of a class of thin anisotropic laminated shells (curved panels) have been shown to follow from the above. Six sets of boundary conditions are used to illustrate the present method for the derivation of complementary solutions. Navier-type solutions whenever available form special cases of the present general solution.