An exact algorithm for a single-vehicle routing problem with time windows and multiple routes

This paper describes an exact algorithm for solving a problem where the same vehicle performs several routes to serve a set of customers with time windows. The motivation comes from the home delivery of perishable goods, where vehicle routes are short and must be combined to form a working day. A method based on an elementary shortest path algorithm with resource constraints is proposed to solve this problem. The method is divided into two phases: in the first phase, all non-dominated feasible routes are generated; in the second phase, some routes are selected and sequenced to form the vehicle workday. Computational results are reported on Euclidean problems derived from benchmark instances of the classical vehicle routing problem with time windows.     

Arc routing problems with time-dependent service costs

This paper studies an arc routing problem with capacity constraints and time-dependent service costs. This problem is motivated by winter gritting applications where the “timing” of each intervention is crucial. The exact problem-solving approach reported here first transforms the arc routing problem into an equivalent node routing problem. Then, a column generation scheme is used to solve the latter. The master problem is a classical set covering problem, while the subproblems are time-dependent shortest path problems with resource constraints. These subproblems are solved using an extension of a previously developed algorithm. Computational results are reported on problems derived from a set of classical instances of the vehicle routing problem with time windows.     

Computer model for simulation of first transit cardiac radionuclidecurves. I

A discrete-time, lumped-parameter mathematical model of the human cardiopulmonary circulation as it appears during a first-transit radionuclide study is developed. Eleven compartments, four delays, and 26 transfer paths are modeled, including the entire circulation from an input compartment before the vena cava to an output compartment after the aorta. The 26 transfer paths include forward and reverse flow through the heart valves, backflow from the atria into the veins, and five types of shunts. A method of modeling continuously-variable delay segments with only discrete-time sample points is devised to allow more versatility in specifying delays. The model simulates discrete time-activity curves for the various compartments of the cardiopulmonary system. The curves are obtained for end-systole and end-diastole. Simulation of curves indicative of a normal heart and several heart defects is presented. The use of this model for computer analysis of first-transit cardio-radionuclide curves is discussed.     

A Tabu Search with Slope Scaling for the Multicommodity Capacitated Location Problem with Balancing Requirements

In this paper, a tabu search heuristic is combined with slope scaling to solve a discrete depot location problem, known as the multicommodity location problem with balancing requirements. Although the uncapacitated version of this problem has already been addressed in the literature, this is not the case for the more challenging capacitated version, where each depot has a fixed and finite capacity. The slope scaling approach is used during the initialization phase to provide the tabu search with good starting solutions. Numerical results are reported on various types of large-scale randomly generated instances. The quality of the heuristic is assessed by comparing the solutions obtained with those of a commercial mixed-integer programming code.     

An Integrated Framework for Generating and Revising Factory Schedules

Practical solutions to the production scheduling problem must provide two broad capabilities:

1. i)
   an ability to efficiently generate schedules that reflect the actual constraints and objectives of the manufacturing environment, and
    
2. ii)
   an ability to incrementally revise these schedules over time in response to unexpected executional circumstances. In this paper, we advocate a common view of predictive and reactive scheduling as an incremental problem solving process that is opportunistically focused by characteristics of the current solution constraints.
    

We describe the architecture of OPIS (opportunistic intelligent scheduler), which defines a general framework for configuring scheduling systems according to this view. We then examine the scheduling knowledge (e.g. analysis and scheduling methods, schedule generation or revision strategies) that is exploited within this architecture by the current OPIS scheduler. Experimental studies with the OPIS scheduler have demonstrated the potential of this constraint-directed scheduling methodology in both predictive and reactive scheduling contexts.     

Diastereoselective Synthesis, Spectroscopy, and Electrochemistry of Ruthenium(II) Complexes of Substituted Pyrazolylpyridine Ligands

We report the synthesis of the hetero- and homoleptic ruthenium(II) complexes Ru(bpy)(2)L(2+), Ru(bpy)L(2)(2+) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine), and RuL(3)(2+) of six new bidentates L, the substituted pyrazolylpyridines 1-6 (1-substituted-3-(2-pyridinyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindazoles with substituents R = H, CH(3), Ph, or C(6)H(4)-4"-COOX where X = H, CH(3), or C(2)H(5)). These were fully characterized by (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The UV-visible spectra and redox properties of the complexes, some in the ruthenium(III) and reduced bipyridine oxidation states, are also discussed. The substituents R played a role in determining the stereochemistry of the Ru(bpy)L(2)(2+) and RuL(3)(2+) products. The reaction of Ru(DMSO)(4)Cl(2) with 3 equiv of L bearing aromatic substituents gave only meridional RuL(3)(2+) isomers. The one-step reaction of Ru(bpy)Cl(3).H(2)O with 2 equiv of L provided a mixture of the three possible Ru(bpy)L(2)(2+) isomers, from which one symmetric isomer (labeled beta) was isolated pure. A trans arrangement of the pyrazole groups was deduced by (1)H-NMR and confirmed by X-ray crystallography for one such stereomer (beta-[Ru(bpy)(5)(2)](PF(6))(2), R = C(6)H(4)-4"-COOC(2)H(5)). In contrast, Ru(DMSO)(4)Cl(2) reacted with 2 equiv of L and then 1 equiv of bpy to selectively form the other symmetric isomer (labeled alpha) where the pyridine groups of L are trans. Crystal data for beta-[Ru(bpy)(5)(2)](PF(6))(2) (C(52)H(50)N(8)O(4)F(12)P(2)Ru) with Mo Kalpha (lambda = 0.710 73 ?) radiation at 295 K: a = 28.442(13) ?, b = 18.469(15) ?, c = 23.785(9) ?, beta = 116.76(0) degrees, monoclinic, space group C2/c, Z = 8. Fully anisotropic (except for H and disordered F atoms), full-matrix, weighted least-squares refinement on F(2) gave a weighted R on F(2) of 0.2573 corresponding to R on F of 0.1031 for data where F > 4sigma(F ).