Routing a mix of conventional,plug-in hybrid,and electric vehicles

We introduce an electric vehicle routing problem combining conventional, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles. Electric vehicles are constrained in their service range by their battery capacity, and may require time-consuming recharging operations at some specific locations. Plug-in hybrid vehicles have two engines, an internal combustion engine and an electric engine using a built-in rechargeable battery. These vehicles can avoid visits to recharging stations by switching to fossil fuel. However, this flexibility comes at the price of a generally higher consumption rate and utility cost.To solve this complex problem variant, we design a sophisticated metaheuristic which combines a genetic algorithm with local and large neighborhood search. All route evaluations, within the approach, are based on a layered optimization algorithm which combines labeling techniques and greedy evaluation policies to insert recharging stations visits in a fixed trip and select the fuel types. The metaheuristic is finally hybridized with an integer programming solver, over a set partitioning formulation, so as to recombine high-quality routes from the search history into better solutions. Extensive experimental analyses are conducted, highlighting the good performance of the algorithm and the contribution of each of its main components. Finally, we investigate the impact of fuel and energy cost on fleet composition decisions. Our experiments show that a careful use of a mixed fleet can significantly reduce operational costs in a large variety of price scenarios, in comparison with the use of a fleet composed of a single vehicle class.     

Certain Homology Cycles of the Independence Complex of Grids

Let G be an infinite graph such that the automorphism group of G contains a subgroup K ?? ^d with the property that G/K is finite. We examine the homology of the independence complex Σ(G/I) of G/I for subgroups I of K of full rank, focusing on the case that G is the square, triangular, or hexagonal grid. Specifically, we look for a certain kind of homology cycles that we refer to as “cross-cycles,” the rationale for the terminology being that they are fundamental cycles of the boundary complex of some cross-polytope. For the special cases just mentioned, we determine the set Q(G,K) of rational numbers r such that there is a group I with the property that Σ(G/I) contains cross-cycles of degree exactly r?|G/I|?1; |G/I| denotes the size of the vertex set of G/I. In each of the three cases, Q(G,K) turns out to be an interval of the form [a,b]∩?={r∈?:a≤r≤b}. For example, for the square grid, we obtain the interval $[\frac{1}{5},\frac{1}{4}]\cap \mathbb{Q}Let G be an infinite graph such that the automorphism group of G contains a subgroup K ≅ℤ ^d with the property that G/K is finite. We examine the homology of the independence complex Σ(G/I) of G/I for subgroups I of K of full rank, focusing on the case that G is the square, triangular, or hexagonal grid. Specifically, we look for a certain kind of homology cycles that we refer to as “cross-cycles,” the rationale for the terminology being that they are fundamental cycles of the boundary complex of some cross-polytope. For the special cases just mentioned, we determine the set Q(G,K) of rational numbers r such that there is a group I with the property that Σ(G/I) contains cross-cycles of degree exactly r⋅|G/I|−1; |G/I| denotes the size of the vertex set of G/I. In each of the three cases, Q(G,K) turns out to be an interval of the form [a,b]∩ℚ={r∈ℚ:a≤r≤b}. For example, for the square grid, we obtain the interval [\frac15,\frac14]?\mathbbQ[\frac{1}{5},\frac{1}{4}]\cap \mathbb{Q}.     

On the 3-Torsion Part of the Homology of the Chessboard Complex

Let 1 ≤ m ≤ n. We prove various results about the chessboard complex M _m,n , which is the simplicial complex of matchings in the complete bipartite graph K _m,n . First, we demonstrate that there is nonvanishing 3-torsion in [(H)\tilde]_d(\sf M_m,n; \mathbb Z){{\tilde{H}_d({\sf M}_{m,n}; {\mathbb Z})}} whenever \fracm+n-43 ￡ d ￡ m-4{{\frac{m+n-4}{3}\leq d \leq m-4}} and whenever 6 ≤ m < n and d = m − 3. Combining this result with theorems due to Friedman and Hanlon and to Shareshian and Wachs, we characterize all triples (m, n, d ) satisfying [(H)\tilde]_d (\sf M_m,n; \mathbb Z) 1 0{{\tilde{H}_d \left({\sf M}_{m,n}; {\mathbb Z}\right) \neq 0}}. Second, for each k ≥ 0, we show that there is a polynomial f _k (a, b) of degree 3k such that the dimension of [(H)\tilde]_k+a+2b-2 (\sf M_{k+a+3b-1,k+2a+3b-1}; \mathbb Z₃){{\tilde{H}_{k+a+2b-2}}\,\left({{\sf M}_{k+a+3b-1,k+2a+3b-1}}; \mathbb Z_{3}\right)}, viewed as a vector space over \mathbbZ₃{\mathbb{Z}_3}, is at most f _k (a, b) for all a ≥ 0 and b ≥ k + 2. Third, we give a computer-free proof that [(H)\tilde]₂ (\sf M_5,5; \mathbb Z) @ \mathbb Z₃{{\tilde{H}_2 ({\sf M}_{5,5}; \mathbb {Z})\cong \mathbb Z_{3}}}. Several proofs are based on a new long exact sequence relating the homology of a certain subcomplex of M _m,n to the homology of M _m-2,n-1 and M _m-2,n-3.     

Polar sets for anisotropic Gaussian random fields

This paper studies polar sets for anisotropic Gaussian random fields, i.e. sets which a Gaussian random field does not hit almost surely. The main assumptions are that the eigenvalues of the covariance matrix are bounded from below and that the canonical metric associated with the Gaussian random field is dominated by an anisotropic metric. We deduce an upper bound for the hitting probabilities and conclude that sets with small Hausdorff dimension are polar. Moreover, the results allow for a translation of the Gaussian random field by a random field, that is independent of the Gaussian random field and whose sample functions are of bounded Hölder norm.     

Sufficient conditions for Willmore immersions in \mathbb{R }^3 to be minimal surfaces

We provide two sharp sufficient conditions for immersed Willmore surfaces in $\mathbb{R }^3$ to be already minimal surfaces, i.e. to have vanishing mean curvature on their entire domains. These results turn out to be particularly suitable for applications to Willmore graphs. We can therefore show that Willmore graphs on bounded $C^4$ -domains $\overline{\varOmega }$ with vanishing mean curvature on the boundary $\partial \varOmega $ must already be minimal graphs, which in particular yields some Bernstein-type result for Willmore graphs on $\mathbb{R }^2$ . Our methods also prove the non-existence of Willmore graphs on bounded $C^4$ -domains $\overline{\varOmega }$ with mean curvature $H$ satisfying $H \ge c_0>0 \,{\text{ on }}\, \partial \varOmega $ if $\varOmega $ contains some closed disc of radius $\frac{1}{c_0} \in (0,\infty )$ , and they yield that any closed Willmore surface in $\mathbb{R }^3$ which can be represented as a smooth graph over $\mathbb{S }^2$ has to be a round sphere. Finally, we demonstrate that our results are sharp by means of an examination of some certain part of the Clifford torus in $\mathbb{R }^3$ .     

The trace to subsets ofR n of Besov spaces in the general case

R ⁿ. , , , F R ⁿ, F , R ⁿ R ⁿ . ^p,q (Rⁿ), >0, 1, q, — ( ) Rⁿ. , ^p,q (Rⁿ) ^F Rⁿ. , q B ^p,q (F), = – (n–)/, >0, — « », ad — F, . , . : , F=R ^d,F— « » F— R ⁿ, « », F. .

---

---

This work has been supported in part by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council.     

Metric entropy of convex hulls in type spaces--The critical case

Given a precompact subset of a type Banach space , where , we prove that for every and all

holds, where is the absolutely convex hull of and denotes the dyadic entropy number. With this inequality we show in particular that for given and with for all the inequality holds true for all . We also prove that this estimate is asymptotically optimal whenever has no better type than . For this answers a question raised by Carl, Kyrezi, and Pajor which has been solved up to now only for the Hilbert space case by F. Gao.

     

Counterexamples to the B-spline Conjecture for Gabor Frames

The frame set conjecture for B-splines \(B_n\), \(n \ge 2\), states that the frame set is the maximal set that avoids the known obstructions. We show that any hyperbola of the form \(ab=r\), where r is a rational number smaller than one and a and b denote the sampling and modulation rates, respectively, has infinitely many pieces, located around \(b=2,3,\dots \), not belonging to the frame set of the nth order B-spline. This, in turn, disproves the frame set conjecture for B-splines. On the other hand, we uncover a new region belonging to the frame set for B-splines \(B_n\), \(n \ge 2\).     

Dynamic programming based metaheuristics for the dial-a-ride problem

The organization of a specialized transportation system to perform transports for elderly and handicapped people is usually modeled as dial-a-ride problem. Users place transportation requests with specified pickup and delivery locations and times. The requests have to be completed under user inconvenience considerations by a specified fleet of vehicles. In the dial-a-ride problem, the aim is to minimize the total travel times respecting the given time windows, the maximum user ride times, and the vehicle restrictions. This paper introduces a dynamic programming algorithm for the dial-a-ride problem and demonstrates its effective application in (hybrid) metaheuristic approaches. Compared to most of the works presented in literature, this approach does not make use of any (commercial) solver. We present an exact dynamic programming algorithm and a dynamic programming based metaheuristic, which restricts the considered solution space. Then, we propose a hybrid metaheuristic algorithm which integrates the dynamic programming based algorithms into a large neighborhood framework. The algorithms are tested on a given set of benchmark instances from the literature and compared to a state-of-the-art hybrid large neighborhood search approach.     

On the use of Helmholtz resonators as sound attenuators

Summary In the present paper a nonlinear acoustic theory is proposed, to accurately describe the properties of a generalized type of Helmholtz resonators. The theory may be used as a layout tool to design sound attenuators for combustion facilities. The present investigation shows that, in addition to the nonlinear effects, the effects due to thermoacoustic boundary layers and the first frequency correction to the Helmholtz approximation should be taken into account, in order to predict the frequency-dependent attenuation properties of Helmholtz attenuators with the accuracy required by typical technical applications. A series of experiments is presented which is used to validate the theoretical predictions.

---

Zusammenfassung In der vorliegenden Abhandlung wird eine nichtlineare akustische Theorie vorgeschlagen, mit der das Verhalten einer verallgemeinerten Art von Helmholtzresonatoren beschrieben werden kann. Die Theorie kann als Werkzeug zur Auslegung von Schalldämpfern für Verbrennungsanlagen benutzt werden. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt, dass neben den nichtlinearen Effekten auch die Einflüsse der thermoakustischen Grenzschichten und der ersten Frequenzkorrektur zur Helmholtzapproximation berücksichtigt werden müssen, damit die frequenzabhängigen Eigenschaften von Helmholtzdämpfern mit technisch ausreichender Genauigkeit beschrieben werden können. Mit einer Reihe von Experimenten werden die theoretischen Ergebnisse untermauert.