GRK 1855:  Discrete Optimisation of Technical Systems under Uncertainty

• Subject Area: Computer Science
• Term: from 2013 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 210421359

The development and operation of technical systems like production systems, logistics networks or large IT systems has to be based on a large number of design and configuration decisions to meet the performance requirements with a limited amount of resources and costs. Necessary decisions are often based on the solution of optimisation problems with discrete or mixed discrete-continuous parameters describing the available alternatives. Optimisation problems of this kind are hard to solve as the number of available solutions exponentially increases with the number of decisions between discrete alternatives due to the "combinatorial explosion". Most practical problems are simplified significantly to allow an algorithmic solution. Furthermore, in practice, decisions often have to be made with incomplete knowledge. The resulting uncertainty is usually not considered in existing optimisation approaches even if this may result in considerable differences between the computed and real solution of the optimisation problem. In some cases computed solutions may not even be feasible in practice. Another yet not deeply considered aspect of the optimisation of technical systems is the role of people in the decision process. Mathematical methods and algorithms may compute optimal parameter values but the final solution must be accepted by a person and must be translated into concrete plans and instructions. To increase the applicability of optimisation methods in practice, people must be regarded as part of the decision process. This implies that the process of optimisation and result representation must take into account the requirements of users. The topic of the Research Training Group is optimisation under uncertainty with the incorporation of people in the optimisation process. Application scenarios that will be considered occur the areas of logistics, chemical production systems and IT systems. Topics of the Research Training Group are interdisciplinary since the programme combines research on methods from optimisation, algorithms, statistics, applications and psychology.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Dortmund
• Participating Institution: Leibniz-Institut für Arbeitsforschung an der TU Dortmund
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Peter Buchholz
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Christoph Buchheim; Professor Dr.-Ing. Uwe Clausen; Professor Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Engell; Professor Dr. Thomas Kleinsorge; Professorin Dr. Sonja Kuhnt; Professor Dr. Dennis Michaels; Professorin Dr. Petra Mutzel; Professor Dr. Gerhard Rinkenauer; Professor Dr. Rüdiger Schultz; Professor Dr.-Ing. Uwe Schwiegelshohn