Advancing simulation-optimization modeling (SOM) techniques for the development of robust air and water pollution load reduction-allocation (PLRA) programs

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Deteriorations of regional ambient air quality and natural surface water bodies are among the major environmental concerns facing decision makers and stakeholders. Effective air and water pollution load reduction-allocation (PLRA) programs are desired for air/water quality restoration and management. Simulation-optimization modeling (SOM) techniques play a central role in developing such PLRA programs, where the simulation model serves as a numerical representation of the prototype nonlinear air/water system to predict the effects of external forces (i.e. pollutant loads) on the internal responses (i.e. air/water quality); and optimization models are coupled to iteratively drive the simulation model to find the optimal PLRA strategies. The primary objective of this proposed research aims to develop advanced SOM techniques for a PLRA simulation-optimization analysis; it entails: (a) characterize the nonlinearities and uncertainties of complex air and water systems, (b) propose nonlinearity-to-uncertainty mapping (N2UM) approaches to convert the original nonlinear SOM model to its uncertain LP equivalence and investigate its performance over existing functional approaximators, (c) develop advanced inexact optimization algorithms for solving LP-equivalent models under multiple uncertainties, and (d) develop interactive post-optimality approaches to reflect the tradeoffs between decision risk and system safety for generating operational decision schemes. The developed SOM techniques will be applied to real-world cases within a Canadian air and water context. The proposed approaches represent a unique contribution to methodologies in the PLRA field. It could provide technical supports for tackling challenges in terms of computation bottleneck, uncertainty handling, and decision-risk & system-safety tradeoff analysis. Its applications to Canadian cases will help Canadian stakeholder improve their effectiveness and efficiency in managing air/water pollution problems. Besides, a number of graduate students and PDFs will be trained through participating in the proposed research. The trained HQPs will fill a pressing need for environmental management professionals in various sectors.