34471 - Models and Methods for Decision Support M

Academic Year 2010/2011

  • Docente: Alberto Caprara
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: MAT/09
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Engineering Management (cod. 0936)

Learning outcomes

Illustration of the most common mathematical models that are used within the organization and management of complex systems, as well as the general methods for their solution. Outilne of the solution methods, generally available as commercial or public domain software.

Course contents

Basic OR notions
 
Linear programming, integer linear programming, graph theory. Duality in linear programming. Complexity theory: polynomial and exponential algorithms, polynomial and NP-complete problems. Exact and heuristic algorithms.
 
Integer linear programming models for basic NP-complete problems

Models for capacitated facility location, uncapacitated facility location, knapsack, bin packing, clique, coloring, set packing, set covering, set partitioning, traveling salesman.
 
"Strong" and "weak" models. General methids to define "strong" models. Implications on the problem solution.
 
Advanced solution methods
 
Review of the simplex algorithm and the branch-and-bound method. Heuristic algorithms based on the continuous relaxation.
 
Models with exponentially many constraints and separation. Models with exponentially many variables and column generation.
 
Applications
 
Crew scheduling, vehicle routing, sequencing and scheduling, multidimensional cutting and packing.

Use of public-domain software

The AMPL package and its use for the solution of the models presented.


Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes written by the teacher.

 

Teaching methods

Lectures on the blackboard.

Illustration of the software use by PC demonstrations.

Assessment methods

Written exam.

AMPL project.

Teaching tools

Use of Universibo, Dropbox and/or Almachannel to exchange information comncerning the AMPL projects.

Office hours

See the website of Alberto Caprara