Scheduling jobs on a machine subject to stochastic breakdowns to minimize absolute early-tardy penalties

This article addresses the problem of scheduling n jobs with a common due date on a machine subject to stochastic breakdowns to minimize absolute early-tardy penalties.We investigate the problem under the conditions that the uptimes follow an exponential distribution,and the objective measure in detail is to minimize the expected sum of the absolute deviations of completion times from the common due date.We proceed to study in two versions (the downtime follows an exponential distribution or is a constant entailed for the repeat model job),one of which is the so-called preempt- resume version,the other of which is the preempt-repeat version.Three terms of work have been done.(i)Formulations and Preliminaries.A few of necessary definitions,relations and basic facts are established.In particular,the conclusion that the expectation of the absolute deviation of the completion time about a job with deterministic processing time t from a due date is a semi-V-shape function in t has been proved.(ii) Properties of Optimal Solutions.A few characteristics of optimal solutions are established.Most importantly,the conclusion that optimal solutions possess semi-V- shape property has been proved.(iii) Algorithm.Some computing problems on searching for optimal solutions are discussed.

Effect of time-of-day and day-of-the-week on congestion duration and breakdown:A case study at a bottleneck in Salem,NH

This work uses regression models to analyze two characteristics of recurrent congestion： breakdown, the transition from freely flowing conditions to a congested state, and duration, the time between the onset and clearance of recurrent congestion. First, we apply a binary logistic regression model where a continuous measurement for traffic flow and a dichoto- mous categorical variable for time-of-day （AM- or PM-rush hours） is used to predict the probability of breakdown. Second, we apply an ordinary least squares regression model where categorical variables for time-of-day （AM- or PM-rush hours） and day-of-the-week （Monday-Thursday or Friday） are used to predict recurrent congestion duration. Models are fitted to data collected from a bottleneck on 1-93 in Salem, NH, over a period of 9 months. Results from the breakdown model, predict probabilities of recurrent congestion, are consistent with observed traffic and illustrate an upshift in breakdown probabilities between the AM- and PM-rush periods. Results from the regression model for congestion duration reveal the presences of significant interaction between time-of-day and day-of-the-week. Thus, the effect of time-of-day on congestion duration depends on the day-of-the-week. This work provides a simplification of recurrent congestion and recovery, very noisy processes. Simplification, conveying complex relationships with simple statistical summaries-facts, is a practical and powerful tool for traffic administrators to use in the decision-making process.