Content
Solving complex logistical decision problems requires the use of modern computer systems. The discipline of Operations Research provides various tools for the formal presentation (“modelling”) of these decision tasks and offers optimising decision algorithms (“model solution”). However, the application of those algorithms in the practice has just a very limited usefulness, as the complexity of the models often leads to prohibitive long calculation times. In these situations, it is often helpful to use so-called heuristic decision-making procedures (“heuristics”). Those cannot give a guarantee for finding an optimal solution, but they can find good solutions (“approximations”) for a model in an acceptable time.
Within the scope of this lecture, selected aspects of the conception of heuristics, the prototypical implementation as well as the computer-aided test of heuristic methods are covered. This is done with selected decision problems of the vehicle deployment planning that serve as examples for complex decision situations where standard software is not sufficient for identifying a good model solution. The lectures are divided into five parts:
Part A: Limits for the use of standard software
Part B: Basic concepts of the heuristic search
Part C: Metastrategies of the local search
Part D: Evaluation-based heuristics
Part E: Metaheuristics
Previous knowledge
For this course, it is expected to have knowledge that is comparable to what is lectured in transport economic fundamental courses. Furthermore, the successful participation of the course “Operations Research and Logistics” is required. Moreover, for passing this module programming skills are necessary. Therefore, a block event on the introduction to the programming language C++ is offered at the beginning of the lecture period. Experiences with Excel and an algebraic modeling environment (e.g. GAMS or OPL) are required as well.
Important information:
Students doing a diploma degree program at the Faculty of Business and Economics cannot be examined in this lecture. Therefore, those students cannot gain Credit Points through attending this course.
Documents
The documents for this course can be found in OPAL.
Exam
The module examination consists of a written exam taking 60 min and a project work taking 6 weeks. The date of the exam is published by the examination office. Further information about the exam and the project work are announced in OPAL.