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.

EXISTENCE OF MINIMISERS FOR A CLASS OF FREE DISCONTINUITY PROBLEMS IN THE HEISENBERG GROUP H^n

The purpose of this paper is to prove existence of minimisers of the functional where Ω is an open set of the Heisenberg group Hn, K runs over all closed sets of Hn, u varies in C_H^1(Ω\ K), α,β> 0,q≥1, g ∈ Lq(Ω) ∩ L∞(Ω) and f : R2n→R is a convex function satisfying some structure conditions (H1)(H2)(H3) (see below).

A Pragmatic Approach to Coping with Matrix Effects during ICP-MS Analysis of Trace Elements in Silicate Rocks and Calibration of REE Interferences

Operating an Agilent 7700X ICP-MS spectrometer under robust plasma conditions (1550 W) with a He-filled octopole collision cell and analysing solutions (?1 total dissolved solids) still suffered analyte peak suppression due to matrix effects. International reference rocks BCR-1, BHVO-1, AGV-1, G-2 and BCR-2 all showed count rate reductions for 36 elements (mass range 7Li to 238U) averaging ~10% but with no dependence on isotope mass. Use of an internal standard (103Rh) and/or using a ten-fold dilution of sample solutions reduced these effects but problems with reduced count rates combined with larger errors for some elements introduced other problems. The best approach was to normalise the count rates for each element in the other samples against those for BCR-1 as an external standard;thus the count suppression due to the matrix effect is corrected for each individual element. This approach provides standardization “traceability” in line with the ERM ISO/IEC requirement. Experiments are also reported on quantifying the proportions of Ba and selected REE oxide/hydroxide components versus parent isotopes (XO/X and XOH/X). This information is essential for correcting peak interferences on higher mass number REE for the rock samples, and equations are developed to use measured CeO/Ce and CeOH/Ce ratios to predict such values for any other member of the REE suite. Concentrations obtained show excellent agreement with recommended values for the international reference materials especially for the REE. Robust data are also provided for two other standard rocks: nepheline syenite STM-1 and quartz syenite CAAS-1;the latter shows exceptional enrichments of Zr, REE, Th, and U.

Maintenance Scheduling with Delay-time Modelling An Overview

Effective maintenance is a key for infrastructuresr high operational reliability.The integration of corrective repairs and schedule-based failure preventions has been a mainstream of modern maintenance,and an associated policy-making technique,delay-time modelling,is overviewedin this paper for optimising the maintenance cost-efficiency in different practical scenarios,including imperfect,opportunistic and nested maintenance.A few typical examples of its applications in minimising maintenance operating expenses are discussed in this paper and their results are explained to better demonstrate the benefits of the technique.This work aims to prepare for the future applications of the delay-time modelling in railway maintenance policy making.

Tailoring particle shape for enhancing the homogeneity of powder mixtures:Experimental study and DEM modelling

The effect of particle shape modification on the segregation reduction of enzyme granules in laundry detergent powder mixtures was investigated,both experimentally and computationally using Deseret Element Method(DEM).The shape of modified enzyme particles was in such a way that the large and dense enzyme particles were layered by other fine particles in the detergent powder,by means of a process known in the literature as“seeded granulation”.It is found that the homogeneity of modified enzyme particles could be improved significantly comparing to the original spherical enzyme particles in powder mixtures.Overall,the results of this research demonstrated that the segregation-induced properties of the dense/spherical enzyme particles could be lowered by altering their shape,which could enable the enzyme particles to behave almost similar to other ingredients during the pile formation process.

Thermodynamic analysis of steam reforming of glycerol for hydrogen production at atmospheric pressure

Thermodynamic chemical equilibrium analysis of steam reforming of glycerol(SRG)for selective hydrogen production was performed based on the Gibbs free energy minimisation method.The ideal SRG reaction(C_(3)H_(8)O_(3)+3H_(2)O→3CO_(2)+7H_(2))and a comprehensive set of side reactions during SRG are considered for the formation of a wide range of products.Specifically,this work focused on the analysis of formation of H_(2),CO_(2),CO and CH4 in the gas phase and determination of the carbon free region in SRG under the conditions at atmospheric pressure,600 K–1100 K and 1.013×10^(5)–1.013×10^(6) Pa with the steam-to-glycerol feed ratios(SGFR)of 1:5–10.The reaction conditions which favoured SRG for H_(2) production with minimum coke formation were identifies as:atmospheric pressure,temperatures of 900 K–1050 K and SGFR of 10:1.The influence of using the inert carrier gas(i.e.,N_(2))in SRG was studied as well at atmospheric pressure.Although the presence of N_(2) in the stream decreased the partial pressure of reactants,it was beneficial to improve the equilibrium yield of H_(2).Under both conditions of SRG(with/without inert gas),the CH4 production is minimised,and carbon formation was thermodynamically unfavoured at steam rich conditions of SGFR>5:1.

An Algorithm to compute damage from load in composites

We present a new method to model fracture of concrete based on energy minimisation.The concrete is considered on the mesoscale as composite consisting of cement paste,aggregates and micro pores.In this first step,the alkali-silica reaction is taken into account through damage mechanics though the process is more complex involving thermo-hygro-chemo-mechanical reaction.We use a non-local damage model that ensures the wellposedness of the boundary value problem(BVP).In contrast to existing methods,the interactions between degrees of freedom evolve with the damage evolutions.Numerical results are compared to analytical and experimental results and show good agreement.

MINIMISATION OF EXCLUSIVE-OR LOGIC FUNCTIONS

An efficient computer algorithm for minimisation of exclusive-OR logic function is presented. The algorithm is n/(1 + (n-1)2-n) times faster than fast Reed-Muller transform algorithm for minimizing an exclusive-OR function with n input variables.

Solution of a zero-sum linear quadratic differential game with singular control cost of minimiser

We consider a finite horizon,zero-sum linear quadratic differential game.The feature of this game is that a weight matrix of the minimiser’s control cost in the cost functional is singular.Due to this singularity,the game can be solved neither by applying the Isaacs MinMax principle nor using the Bellman–Isaacs equation approach,i.e.this game is singular.Aprevious paper of one of the authors analysed such a game in the case where the cost functional does not contain the minimiser’s control cost at all,i.e.the weight matrix of this cost equals zero.In this case,all coordinates of the minimiser’s control are singular.In the present paper,we study the general case where the weight matrix of the minimiser’s control cost,being singular,is not,in general,zero.This means that only a part of the coordinates of the minimiser’s control is singular,while others are regular.The considered game is treated by a regularisation,i.e.by its approximate conversion to an auxiliary regular game.The latter has the same equation of dynamics and a similar cost functional augmented by an integral of the squares of the singular control coordinates with a small positive weight.Thus,the auxiliary game is a partial cheap control differential game.Based on a singular perturbation’s asymptotic analysis of this auxiliary game,the existence of the value of the original(singular)game is established,and its expression is obtained.The maximiser’s optimal state feedback strategy and the minimising control sequence in the original game are designed.It is shown that the coordinates of the minimising control sequence,corresponding to the regular coordinates of the minimiser’s control,are point-wise convergent in the class of regular functions.The optimal trajectory sequence and the optimal trajectory in the considered singular game also are obtained.An illustrative example is presented.

Strong and weak output stabilisation for distributed bilinear systems

This paper is concerned with the output stabilisation for a class of distributed bilinear system evolving in a spatial domain.We give sufficient conditions for strong and weak output stabilisation.Also,the output stabilisation is discussed using a minimisation problem.Examples and simulations are given.