CAREER: Robust On-Line Location and Routing for Urban Service Systems

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ABSTRACTCAREER: Robust On-Line Location and Routing for Urban Service SystemsElise Miller-HooksProposal No. 9875305This research focuses on the development of the conceptual framework andalgorithmic steps for real-time location and routing decisions in dynamicallychanging environments for urban service operations, including emergencyresponse services, vehicles carrying hazardous materials, and response teams toincidents involving hazardous materials. Response time and the associatedlevel of service of many of these urban service operations, such as ambulance,police, fire and emergency repair, depend on travel times experienced on theroadways and the relative location of the call for service to that of theresponse vehicle. Thus, optimal location and routing decisions are vital tothe performance of many emergency service operations. Real-time informationcan be used to make improved tactical and operational location and routingdecisions for emergency services and other urban operations, including thetransport of hazardous materials. However, it is critical that procedures thatdynamically respond to current conditions on the state of the network considerthe time-varying and uncertain nature of future travel conditions in order togenerate robust solutions; i.e. solutions that will remain optimal, or nearlyoptimal, despite variations in travel conditions and that can be applied to avariety of situations. The inherent stochastic and dynamic characteristics offuture travel conditions, including the probability of arc or node failures, aswell as the spatial and temporal correlation in travel conditions and thepossibility of multiple conflicting objectives, are considered in this work. Accompanying this research effort is an integrated educational initiative toprovide students with fundamental knowledge and skills drawn from multipledisciplines to allow them to solve a broad range of difficult problems, tointegrate research and teaching through inclusion of real-world problems incoursework, to impart an interest in transportation graduate studies andpromote retention of women and underrepresented minorities in engineering, andto develop skills in using non-lecture based pedagogical techniques forimproved comprehension of fundamental engineering concepts.