Optimizing a Transportation System Using Metaheuristics Approaches (EGD/GA/ACO): A Forest Vehicle Routing Case Study

The large-scale optimization problem requires some optimization techniques, and the Metaheuristics approach is highly useful for solving difficult optimization problems in practice. The purpose of the research is to optimize the transportation system with the help of this approach. We selected forest vehicle routing data as the case study to minimize the total cost and the distance of the forest transportation system. Matlab software helps us find the best solution for this case by applying three algorithms of Metaheuristics: Genetic Algorithm (GA), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), and Extended Great Deluge (EGD). The results show that GA, compared to ACO and EGD, provides the best solution for the cost and the length of our case study. EGD is the second preferred approach, and ACO offers the last solution.

Inter-Region Transportation Costs,Regional Economic Growth,and Disparities in China

To examine the correlation between regional economic growth and inter-region transportation costs in China,this study establishes a regional economic growth model embedded with inter-region transportation costs based on the Cobb-Douglas production function.Based on a balanced growth empirical model,this study verifies the correlation by conducting a regression analysis of the panel data of 29 provinces,municipalities,and autonomous regions from 1985 to 2015.The empirical results show that:(1)The per capita GDP growth among the three regions(namely,the eastern,central,and westem regions of China)meets a conditional convergence trend,and the decreasing of the inter-region transportation costs increases the convergence speed;(2)The per capita GDP growth is in line with the club convergence trend within each of the three regions;(3)The trend of the output elasticity of the inter-region transportation costs shows that the gradual decrease of inter-region transportation costs has a positive correlation with the narrowing of economic disparity after the year 2000,accelerating“common prosperity”across different regions in China.

Study on Rural Solid Waste Collection and Transportation Mode and Route Optimization Strategy in the Cold Regions of Northern China

Rural vitalization is a major strategy for reform and development of agriculture and rural areas in China,the key task of which is improving rural living environment.Imperfect rural solid waste(RSW)collection and transportation system exacerbates the pollution of RSW to rural living environment,while it has not been established and improved in the cold region of Northern China due to climate and economy.Through the analysis of the current situation of RSW source separation,collection,transportation and disposal in China,an RSW collection and transportation system suitable for the northern cold region was developed.Considering the low winter temperature in the northern cold region,different requirements for RSW collection,transportation and terminal disposal,scattered source points and single terminal disposal nodes in rural areas,the study focused on determining the number and location of transfer stations,established a model for transfer stations selection and RSW collection and transportation routes optimization for RSW collection and transportation system,and proposed the elite retention particle swarm optimization–genetic algorithm(ERPSO–GA).The rural area of Baiquan County was taken as a representative case,the collection and transportation scheme of which was given,and the feasibility of the scheme was clarified by simulation experiment.

Transport Costs in the Automotive Supply Chain

The study, carried out within the LogNet research project financed by Calabria region, deals with the analysis of the automotive supply chain. In particular, after a first examination of the characteristics of the whole automotive supply chain, attention was focussed on its final part, that is, on transport and end-market distribution. The paper proposes specific models, which are differentiated by the transport mode （road, rail, sea） they are involved, to estimate the temporal and monetary costs related to the activity of goods distribution to the compounds/end-clients. The proposed mode/ling formulations concern two different areas of investigation： the network segment and interchange nodes. Each cost item is also calculated through aggregate formulations （where the cost is function of a single significant variable in relation to a unit cost parameter） and disaggregate formulations （where each cost item is separately considered）. The models have been applied to a study carried out for the modal transfer of vehicles in the port of Gioia Tauro, south of Italy. The analysis has allowed, on the one hand, to calibrate certain models and, on the other, to simulate certain scenario hypotheses to verify the technical feasibility of a different structure for the automotive supply chain in Italy.

A New Approach to Solve Transportation Problems

Finding an initial basic feasible solution is the prime requirement to obtain an optimal solution for the transportation problems. In this article, a new approach is proposed to find an initial basic feasible solution for the transportation problems. The method is also illustrated with numerical examples.

Geostatistical Analysis of Accessibility to Secondary Schools in Parts of Benue State

This research studied accessibility to secondary schools in some parts of Benue State. The objective of the study was to determine the level of accessibility to secondary school. The study adopted survey, field observation and measurement to obtain the needed data. The study adopted gravity model as the related theoretical framework. GIS and descriptive statistical techniques were employed to map, visualize and analyze the data. The result shows that accessibility to secondary school in the three Local Government Areas is generally low, though it varies between schools, within and between Local Government Areas. This depicts a very stressful schooling condition for the majority of students, and has far-reaching implications in terms of lack of skilled manpower, inadequate facilities and consequently low standards in the educational system. To ensure effective and valid decision-making, and maintain high standards in the system, it was recommended that equitable and systematic distribution of school facilities should be embraced. Furthermore, more schools should be established in the areas which currently have low accessibility to bridge the accessibility gap and encourage active participation and consistent attendance at schools among the students.

Calculation of slope-cover height under price fluctuation in open-pit mines

Leaving ditches between adjacent mining areas can effectively reduce re-stripping in the latter mining area and simultaneously lead to an increment in internal dumping costs in the former mining area. This paper establishes calculation models for these two marginal costs. The optimizing model for slope cover height can be determined by including marginal cost models in the objective function. The paper has two main contributions:(a) it fully considers redistribution of dumping space in the model;(b) it introduces price fluctuations and cash discounts in the model. We use the typical open-pit mine as an example to test and prove the model. We conclude that a completely covered slope is reasonable in Haerwusu open pit mine; in addition to an increasing price index, the slope cover height can be reduced; and that price changes are one of the most important influencing factors of slope cover height optimization in an open-pit mine.

International Trade with Increasing Returns in the Transportation Sector

In this general equilibrium framework, the transportation sector is modeled as a distinct sector with increasing returns. A more advanced technology has a higher fixed cost but a lower marginal cost of production. Even with both manufacturing finns and transportation firms engaged in oligopolistic competition and optimally choosing their technologies, the model is tractable and results are derived analytically. Technology adoptions in the manufacturing sector and transportation sector are reinforcing, and multiple equilibria may exist. Firms choose more advanced technologies and the prices decrease when the size of the population is larger.

TRANSPORT COSTS AND CHINA'S EXPORTS:SOME EMPIRICAL EVIDENCES

Based on a new panel data set covering exports of four Chinese port cities to 32 countries and Hong Kong over the period of 1997-2008, this paper extends the conventional gravity model to assess the impacts of transport costs and port efficiency on China＇s exports. The results can be summarized as three main findings： （1） The improvements of port efficiency and reduction of road transport costs play a vital role in China＇s export competitiveness in the global market. The coefficient estimates on them are relatively large, around 0.72 and -0.89, respectively; （2） The effect of transport costs and port efficiency on China-to-Asia exports significantly exceeds that on China-to-Europe and China-to-America exports; （3） The overall estimated elasticity of road, railroad and port measure is 1.66, which is almost three times that of the average wage of port cities. The empirical results provide strong evidences that upgrading China＇s transport service networks should offer greater scope for maintaining and increasing its competitive edge in low cost productions. The findings offer some insights and priorities for government policy making.

A Study on Transport Costs and China＇s Exports： An Extended Gravity Model

This paper suggests an extending conventional gravity model design to empirically analyze the effect of transport costs and port efficiency on China's export flows. It shows that factor endowment and transport costs variables affect export trade value in directions that New Trade Theory(NTT) predicted. Also, the evidence indicates that, controlling for the effects of transport costs on trade, variables in traditional gravity model are consistent with previous empirical studies in both magnitudes and directions. Moreover, more than 22% of the variation in Chinese export trade can be explained by those three variables alone. The findings reported in this paper empirically explains how seriously transport costs and port efficiency affect China's export growth by comparing effects of labour production factor costs on external trade. It suggests that the improvement of port efficiency and reduction of road transport costs play a vital role in China's export competitiveness in the global market.

Transportation Cost Inequalities for Stochastic Reaction-Diffusion Equations with Lévy Noises and Non-Lipschitz Reaction Terms

For stochastic reaction-diffusion equations with Levy noises and non-Lipschitz reaction terms,we prove that W\H transportation cost inequalities hold for their invariant probability measures and for their process-level laws on the path space with respect to the L1-metrie.The proofs are based on the Galerkin approximations.

An Inchworm-inspired Robot Based on Modular Body, Electronics and Passive Friction Pads Performing the Two-anchor Crawl Gait

We have created an inchworm robot capable of the two-anchor crawl gait on level ground and inclined plane. The main novelty is in the design of the inchworm： （1） three-part body that is 3D printed and actuated by two servo motors to allow a looping and lengthening action, （2） passive friction pads to anchor the feet, each of which may be disengaged using a servo motor actuated lever arm, and （3） modular body and electronics. The robot is about 2 feet （61 cm） in length, has a mass of about 4 kg, and uses an open-loop controller to achieve steady crawling gait. The inchworm robot achieved a speed of 2.54 em.sI on level ground as well as on an incline plane of 19~. The energy usage as measured by the Mechanical Cost of Transport （a non-dimensional number defined as the energy used per unit weight per unit distance moved） is 3.34. Our results indicate that simple robotic designs that copy the basic features of natural organisms provide a promising alternative over conventional wheeled robots.

Multi-Dimensional Product Differentiation

We analyze product differentiation in a multi-dimensional model with non-uniform consumer distribution.The level of product differentiation is measured by both unit transport costs and firms'locations.Our analysis concerns both measures.First,fixing firms'locations,we show that equilibrium prices can increase or decrease with unit transport costs.The overall result depends on the interplay of a shifting effect and a rotating effect-the latter exists only in multi-dimensional models.Second,fixing unit transport costs,we find that under non-uniform distribution,there may exist no equilibrium where firms maximize differentiation on one dimension but minimize differentiation on other dimensions.Instead,there may exist an equilibrium where firms choose intermediate locations,contrary to common findings in existing studies which assume uniform distribution.

Beckner Inequality on Finite-and Infinite-Dimensional Manifolds

By using the dimension-free Harnack inequality, the coupling method, and Bakry-Emery＇s argument, some explicit lower bounds are presented for the constant of the Beckner type inequality on compact manifolds. As applications, the Beckner inequality and the transportation cost inequality are established for a class of continuous spin systems. In particular, some results in [1, 2] are generalized.