BRIGE: Towards the Design and Operations of Effective Relief Distribution Networks

这个bridge奖的研究目标是提高救灾分配网络的性能。为了实现这一目标，有三个研究目标：1-描述和理解资源、规则和过程，这些资源、规则和过程支配着救济分配网络的设计和运作。2-探索鲁棒建模和解决方案的方法，考虑到预先定位应急物资问题的不确定性。研究动态随机优化在应急物资实时有效分配中的应用。解决预先部署问题的一个关键因素是在综合长期和战术决策的同时考虑不确定性。这最终会导致大规模的问题。因此，本文将建立一个两阶段的随机规划模型。然后，将开发一种基于场景的方法，该方法结合基于禁忌搜索的元启发式方法。对于实时分布问题，将采用一种结合邻域搜索和快速在线策略的滚动时间范围方法。如果成功，这项研究的结果将有助于改善灾前准备和灾后反应能力。这将有助于在发生灾害时挽救生命和减轻人民的痛苦。所提出的建模和解决方案方法也可用于处理其他动态易受干扰的系统，例如在战场上部署部队和设备或商业易受干扰的供应链。该奖项还将扩大工程界代表性不足群体的参与。少数本科STEM学生将被引入决策科学和系统工程的研究。此外，还将举办研讨会，以促进学生与积极榜样的互动。最后，将开展外展活动，鼓励初高中学生在系统工程和决策科学领域接受高等教育。

The research goal of this BRIGE award is to enhance the performance of relief distribution networks. To achieve this goal, three research objectives are targeted: 1- Characterize and understand the resources, the rules and the processes that govern the design and operations of relief distribution networks. 2- Explore robust modeling and solution approaches that account for uncertainty in the problem of prepositioning emergency supplies. 3- Investigate the use of dynamic-stochastic optimization for an effective real-time distribution of emergency supplies. A key element in tackling the prepositioning problem is to account for uncertainty while integrating long-term and tactical decisions. This ultimately leads to large scale problems. Thus, a two stage stochastic programming model will be developed. Then, a scenario-based approach that combines a meta-heuristic based on tabu search will be developed. For the real-time distribution problem, a rolling-time horizon approach that integrates neighborhood search procedures and fast on-line strategies will be adopted.If successful, the results of this research will contribute to the improvement of both pre-disaster preparedness and post-disaster responsiveness. This will help save lives and mitigate population suffering in case of disasters. The proposed modeling and solution approaches can also be used to tackle other dynamic disruption-prone systems such as the deployment of troops and equipment in a battlefield or commercial disruption-prone supply chains. The award will also broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in engineering. Minority undergraduate STEM students will be introduced to research in decision sciences and system engineering. In addition, seminars will be organized to promote the interaction of students with positive role-models. Finally, outreach activities will be conducted to encourage middle and high school students to pursue higher education in the fields of system engineering and decision sciences.