BRICKS

Research in the theme BRICKS-IS3 focuses on developing methods and algorithms for logistic networks and supply chain optimization problems using tools and techniques in particular from operations research, integer and linear programming, graph theory, learning, evolutionary computing, and agent-based computational economics.

In the context of this research theme, we work on scheduling problems with adjacent resources. Adjacent resources are a special type of resource that appear in many scheduling problems. A resource is called adjacent if the resource units assigned to a task are required to be adjacent. Examples can be found in berth allocation of ships, scheduling parallel processors in a computer system and fight assignment to check-in desks at airports. In each of these examples the assigned resource units, i.e., the selected desks for one flight, have to be adjacent. In our work we focus on such one dimensional adjacent resources, i.e., quays, rows of check-in desks, and computer processors on a line. Given the fact that the adjacent resources occur so often in practice, it is surprising that hardly any existing scheduling technique can deal with them. The aim is to get a better understanding of the influence of such a adjacent resource and to develop decision support tools.

Project website: https://www.utwente.nl/ctit/research/research_projects/concluded/bsik/bricks/bricks/