Genetic algorithm to simultaneously optimise stope sequencing and equipment dispatching in underground short-term mine planning under time uncertainty

ABSTRACT

The main issue in short-term planning optimisation for underground mining is organising the mining process with limited resources in the form of equipment and materials to satisfy production targets and stable feed grade requirements. In this paper, an integrated optimisation model is proposed based on an individual generation algorithm and an improved Genetic Algorithm to simultaneously optimise stope extraction sequencing and timing, extracted ore grade and equipment dispatching. The model objectives are to shorten the time gap between the stope mining processes and the overall working time. When the uncertainty of equipment working time is taken into account in a short-term scheduling model, the Monte Carlo simulation is applied to evaluate the risk of not meeting the production target. A modification strategy is defined to evaluate equipment failure. Consequently, any available equipment is automatically reassigned to the mining site to replace the broken-down equipment. A case study is used to validate the model in the Sanshandao gold mine of China to formulate an optimal monthly schedule. Compared with the conventional approach, the new model could reduce the variance of ore tonnage and feed grade and improve the equipment allocation efficiency. Discussions are presented to address the uncertainty.     

Large neighborhood search for the bike request scheduling problem

This paper introduces an efficient algorithm for the bike request scheduling problem (BRSP). The BRSP is built around the concept of request, defined as the pickup or dropoff of a number of identical items (bikes) at a specific station, within a certain time window, and with a certain priority. The aim of the BRSP is to sequence requests on (and hence determine the routes of) a set of vehicles, in such a way that the sum of the priorities of the executed requests is maximized, all time windows are respected, and the capacity of the vehicles is not exceeded. The generation of the set of requests is explicitly not a part of the problem definition of the BRSP. The primary application of the BRSP, from which it derives its name, is to determine the routes of a set of repositioning vehicles in a bike sharing system, although other applications exist. The algorithm introduced in this paper is based on a set of related greedy randomized adaptive search procedure followed by variable neighborhood descent (GRASP + VND) operators embedded in a large neighborhood search (LNS) framework. Since this paper presents the first heuristic for the BRSP, a computational comparison to existing approaches is not possible. We therefore compare the solutions found by our LNS heuristic to those found by an exact solver (Gurobi). These experiments confirm that the proposed algorithm scales to realistic dimensions and is able to find near‐optimal solutions in seconds.     

大块煤破碎装置的设计与应用

岳城煤矿2135厚煤层工作面在开采实践过程中,片帮大块煤会造成带式输送机的堵塞,引发运输故障,需要停机检修。基于该问题设计了一种对大块煤进行有效破碎的装置,应用中设备操作简便,有效地解决了带式输送机机头卸载点和转载机入口的堵塞问题,为企业创造了较好的经济效益。     

Integrated multi-factory production and distribution scheduling applying vehicle routing approach

This paper introduces a new integrated multi-factory production and distribution scheduling problem in supply chain management. This supply chain consists of a number of factories joined together in a network configuration. The factories produce intermediate or finished products and supply them to other factories or to end customers that are distributed in various geographical zones. The problem consists of finding a production schedule together with a vehicle routing solution simultaneously to minimise the sum of tardiness cost and transportation cost. A mixed-integer programming model is developed to tackle the small-sized problems using CPLEX, optimally. Due to the NP-hardness, to deal with medium- and large-sized instances, this paper develops a novel Improved Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (IICA) employing a local search based on simulated annealing algorithm. Performance of the proposed IICA is compared with the optimal solution and also with four variants of population-based metaheuristics: Imperialist Competitive Algorithm, Genetic Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO), and Improved PSO. Based on the computational results, it is statistically shown that quality of the IICA’s solutions is the same as optimal ones solving small problems. It also outperforms other algorithms in finding near-optimal solutions dealing with medium and large instances in a reasonably short running time.     

车载移动测量系统定位准确度测试方法研究

阐述了移动测量系统的定位准确度需求,对圆概率法、均方差法和中误差法三种位置准确度评估方法进行分析比较,并在标准试验场内开展了车载GNSS/INS定位准确度测试。实验证明:中误差法的评估结果最准确,其误差小于1 m,明显优于圆概率法和均方差法。     

基于优势学习的深度Q网络

强化学习问题中，同一状态下不同动作所对应的状态-动作值存在差距过小的现象，Q-Learning算法采用MAX进行动作选择时会出现过估计问题，且结合了Q-Learning的深度Q网络（Deep Q Net）同样存在过估计问题。为了缓解深度Q网络中存在的过估计问题，提出一种基于优势学习的深度Q网络，通过优势学习的方法构造一个更正项，利用目标值网络对更正项进行建模，同时与深度Q网络的评估函数进行求和作为新的评估函数。当选择的动作是最优动作时，更正项为零，不对评估函数的值进行改动，当选择的动作不是最优动作时，更正项的值为负，降低了非最优动作的评估值。和传统的深度Q网络相比，基于优势学习的深度Q网络在Playing Atari 2600的控制问题breakout、seaquest、phoenix、amidar中取得了更高的平均奖赏值，在krull、seaquest中取得了更加稳定的策略。     

Understanding structure ignition vulnerabilities using mock‐up sections of attached wood fencing assemblies

Firebrand production from structure combustion becomes a key factor in the magnitude of how quickly a large outdoor fire may spread. Post‐fire disaster investigations suggest that attached building components, such as wood fencing assemblies are known to be prone to ignition in these fires, and may provide pathways to structure ignition. Here, a comparison of ignition results from full‐scale fencing assembly experiments conducted using a full‐scale wind tunnel facility, to mock‐ups of full‐scale fencing assemblies using the recently developed experimental capability at the National Research Institute of Fire and Disaster (NRIFD) are discussed. In both experimental facilities, the fencing assemblies were exposed to firebrand showers using custom built continuous feed firebrand generators with size and mass distributions similar to those generated from structure combustion. Similar ignition behaviors were observed between the full‐scale fencing assemblies and the mock‐up of full‐scale fencing assemblies. Additional experiments are required for other fencing assembly types to further verify these important findings.     

A flexible air separation process: 1. Design and steady-state optimizations

The flexible operation of energy-intensive processes, such as cryogenic air separation, has economic potential due to increasing fluctuations of the electricity markets. Multiproduct air separation processes with high ratios of liquid product are very promising for flexible operation due to storable products. We present a process design with an integrated liquefication cycle and liquid assist operation, that facilitates a high liquid product ratio and a flexible process operation. We use a mechanistic dynamic process model in steady-state process optimizations covering the wide operational range of the proposed process. The optimization results show that the power demand can be varied in a range from 3.5 to 28 MW without violating operational constraints by changing the nitrogen and oxygen production rates. Thus, the proposed process is a promising air separation candidate for flexible operation with respect to fluctuating electricity markets.     

基于新型光纤的传输技术探讨

随着互联网的高速发展，引发了网络流量、电信骨干网流量急速增长，使得网络容量的提升迫在眉睫。目前，100G 系统已经商用，超100G系统能够更有效地解决流量和网络带宽持续增长带来的压力，本文主要介绍新型单模光纤的特性以及探讨基于新型单模光纤的传输技术。