Simulation methodology for intermodal freight transportation terminals
Article Abstract:
This paper presents the issue of general methodology for modeling and simulation of seaport and inland terminals in intermodal freight transportation systems. The report documents a phase of the on-going more comprehensive effort aimed at developing a generalized modeling capability to provide strategic and tactical decision support for transportation logistics and intermodal terminals. By providing the object-oriented process of simulation modeling with the coherent and uniform methodological basis, it was possible to construct a practical tool-"TRANSNODE," The Simulator of Intermodal Transportation Terminals which allows one to model and simulate any transportation terminal, or a group of interconnected terminals, large or small, multipurpose or specialized, at optional scale. Knowledge-base and artificial intelligence concepts were incorporated in the simulator. Different from traditional simulation modeling, which combines data, knowledge and control programming, the data-driven simulation modeling approach of the TRANSNODE system treats data and control logic as distinct parts. The resulting model is a generic simulator which can be used in many different application scenarios without requiring user simulation knowledge to modify the program. The only thing the user must do is supply the input data in the specified format through data files. Different terminal configurations can be simulated merely by changing the input data. The developed technology is expected to be used by the industry for supporting their strategic and tactical decisions, by engineering firms in evaluating the design of their client facilities, their policies, and by the universities and research institutes in supporting and furthering their research. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)
Publication Name: SIMULATION
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0037-5497
Year: 1990
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Optimal process control through computer simulation
Article Abstract:
Process engineers are often confronted with optimal control problems, in which one or more control variables are to be found to minimize a given cost function. Since to begin with, the mathematical models of industrial processes are often very complex, solution of these continuous dynamic optimal control problems involves a prohibitively long mathematical development, followed by huge and tedious programming work. A program called COMMIN was recently developed to handle this situation. Its content has been published earlier. This article deals with its application to the solution of practical control problems, using a computer model of the industrial process to be optimized. Examples are presented giving the fuel optimization for an aluminum sheet continuous annealing furnace and an aluminum casting furnace. It is shown that COMMIN, while requiring from the user no special skills in programming or in optimization, can be a practical tool that opens the way to new applications in optimal process control. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher)
Publication Name: SIMULATION
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0037-5497
Year: 1993
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Optimal Prepositioning of Empty Freight Cars
Article Abstract:
The optimal utilization and distribution of empty freight cars has plagued the railroad industry in the past and will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future. In this paper we present the methodology for a simulation-optimization model, for the movement of empty freight cars in a hypothetical railroad transportation network. The freight car network is modelled in SLAM and integrated with XMP, a sophisticated and compact linear programming software package, to determine optimal movement and prepositioning of empty cars to the various nodes (terminals) in the network. The simulation model provides the required data structure for the XMP package to execute the transportation linear program and the stochastic linear program. The model is versatile and with the aid of reliable data, could prove to be a valuable tool for railroad managers and engineers.
Publication Name: SIMULATION
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0037-5497
Year: 1984
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