UPR: deadlock-free dynamic network reconfiguration by exploiting channel dependency graph compatibility

The Journal of Supercomputing - Deadlock-free dynamic network reconfiguration process is usually studied from the routing algorithm restrictions and resource reservation perspective. The dynamic...     

Hybridization of very large neighborhood search for ready-mixed concrete delivery problems

Companies in the concrete industry are facing the following scheduling problem on a daily basis: concrete produced at several plants has to be delivered at customers’ construction sites using a heterogeneous fleet of vehicles in a timely, but cost-effective manner. The distribution of ready-mixed concrete (RMC) is a highly complex problem in logistics and combinatorial optimization.This paper proposes two hybrid solution procedures for dealing with this problem. They are based on a combination of an exact algorithm and a variable neighborhood search (VNS) approach. The VNS is used at first to generate feasible solutions and is trying to further improve them. The exact method is based on a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) formulation, which is solved (after an appropriated variable fixing phase) by using a general-purpose MILP solver. An approach based on very large neighborhood search (VLNS) determines which variables are supposed to be fixed. In a sense, the approaches follows a local branching scheme. The hybrid metaheuristics are compared with the pure VNS approach and the conclusion is that the new metaheuristics outperform the VNS if applied solely.     

Characterizing quasi-metric aggregation functions

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we study those functions that allows us to combine a family of quasi-metrics, defined all of them on the same set, into a single one, which will be called quasi-metric aggregation functions. In particular, we characterize the quasi-metric aggregation functions and, in addition, we discuss a few of their properties. Moreover, a few methods to discard those functions that are useless as quasi-metric aggregation functions are introduced. Throughout the paper, different examples justify and illustrate the results presented. Finally, two possible fields where the developed theory can be useful are exposed.     

A duality relationship between fuzzy metrics and metrics

Based on the duality relationship between indistinguishability operators and (pseudo-)metrics, we address the problem of establishing whether there is a relationship between the last ones and fuzzy (pseudo-)metrics. We give a positive answer to the posed question. Concretely, we yield a method for generating fuzzy (pseudo-)metrics from (pseudo)-metrics and vice versa. The aforementioned methods involve the use of the pseudo-inverse of the additive generator of a continuous Archimedean t-norm. As a consequence, we get a method to generate non-strong fuzzy (pseudo-)metrics from (pseudo-)metrics. Examples that illustrate the exposed methods are also given. Finally, we show that the classical duality relationship between indistinguishability operators and (pseudo)-metrics can be retrieved as a particular case of our results when continuous Archimedean t-norms are under consideration.