IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/oropre/v58y2010i2p342-356.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Integrated Solver for Optimization Problems

Author

Listed:
  • Tallys Yunes

    (Department of Management Science, School of Business Administration, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33124)

  • Ionuţ D. Aron

    (WorldQuant LLC, New York, New York 10103)

  • J. N. Hooker

    (Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213)

Abstract

One of the central trends in the optimization community over the past several years has been the steady improvement of general-purpose solvers. A logical next step in this evolution is to combine mixed-integer linear programming, constraint programming, and global optimization in a single system. Recent research in the area of integrated problem solving suggests that the right combination of different technologies can simplify modeling and speed up computation substantially. Nevertheless, integration often requires special-purpose coding, which is time consuming and error prone. We present a general-purpose solver, SIMPL, that allows its user to replicate (and sometimes improve on) the results of custom implementations with concise models written in a high-level language. We apply SIMPL to production planning, product configuration, machine scheduling, and truss structure design problems on which customized integrated methods have shown significant computational advantage. We obtain results that either match or surpass the original codes at a fraction of the implementation effort.

Suggested Citation

  • Tallys Yunes & Ionuţ D. Aron & J. N. Hooker, 2010. "An Integrated Solver for Optimization Problems," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 58(2), pages 342-356, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:inm:oropre:v:58:y:2010:i:2:p:342-356
    DOI: 10.1287/opre.1090.0733
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/opre.1090.0733
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/opre.1090.0733?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alexander Bockmayr & Thomas Kasper, 1998. "Branch and Infer: A Unifying Framework for Integer and Finite Domain Constraint Programming," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 10(3), pages 287-300, August.
    2. John N. Hooker, 2002. "Logic, Optimization, and Constraint Programming," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 14(4), pages 295-321, November.
    3. Vipul Jain & Ignacio E. Grossmann, 2001. "Algorithms for Hybrid MILP/CP Models for a Class of Optimization Problems," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 13(4), pages 258-276, November.
    4. J. Beck & Philippe Refalo, 2003. "A Hybrid Approach to Scheduling with Earliness and Tardiness Costs," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 49-71, February.
    5. R. Rodosek & M.G. Wallace & M.T. Hajian, 1999. "A new approach to integrating mixed integer programming and constraint logicprogramming," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 86(0), pages 63-87, January.
    6. Tallys H. Yunes & Arnaldo V. Moura & Cid C. de Souza, 2005. "Hybrid Column Generation Approaches for Urban Transit Crew Management Problems," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(2), pages 273-288, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Qin, Tianbao & Du, Yuquan & Sha, Mei, 2016. "Evaluating the solution performance of IP and CP for berth allocation with time-varying water depth," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 167-185.
    2. Andre A. Cire & John N. Hooker & Tallys Yunes, 2016. "Modeling with Metaconstraints and Semantic Typing of Variables," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 28(1), pages 1-13, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yannis Pavlis & Will Recker, 2009. "A Mathematical Logic Approach for the Transformation of the Linear Conditional Piecewise Functions of Dispersion-and-Store and Cell Transmission Traffic Flow Models into Linear Mixed-Integer Form," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(1), pages 98-116, February.
    2. Gedik, Ridvan & Rainwater, Chase & Nachtmann, Heather & Pohl, Ed A., 2016. "Analysis of a parallel machine scheduling problem with sequence dependent setup times and job availability intervals," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 251(2), pages 640-650.
    3. G Zhu & J F Bard & G Yu, 2005. "Disruption management for resource-constrained project scheduling," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 56(4), pages 365-381, April.
    4. John N. Hooker, 2002. "Logic, Optimization, and Constraint Programming," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 14(4), pages 295-321, November.
    5. Vipul Jain & Ignacio E. Grossmann, 2001. "Algorithms for Hybrid MILP/CP Models for a Class of Optimization Problems," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 13(4), pages 258-276, November.
    6. Pascal Van Hentenryck, 2002. "Constraint and Integer Programming in OPL," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 14(4), pages 345-372, November.
    7. Li, Haitao & Womer, Keith, 2012. "Optimizing the supply chain configuration for make-to-order manufacturing," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 221(1), pages 118-128.
    8. Raf Jans, 2009. "Solving Lot-Sizing Problems on Parallel Identical Machines Using Symmetry-Breaking Constraints," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 21(1), pages 123-136, February.
    9. Michela Milano & Greger Ottosson & Philippe Refalo & Erlendur S. Thorsteinsson, 2002. "The Role of Integer Programming Techniques in Constraint Programming's Global Constraints," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 14(4), pages 387-402, November.
    10. Michela Milano & Mark Wallace, 2010. "Integrating Operations Research in Constraint Programming," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 37-76, March.
    11. Tsoukias, Alexis, 2008. "From decision theory to decision aiding methodology," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 187(1), pages 138-161, May.
    12. Nascimento, Paulo Jorge & Silva, Cristóvão & Antunes, Carlos Henggeler & Moniz, Samuel, 2024. "Optimal decomposition approach for solving large nesting and scheduling problems of additive manufacturing systems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 317(1), pages 92-110.
    13. Russell, Robert A. & Urban, Timothy L., 2010. "Multicriteria models for planning power-networking events," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 207(1), pages 83-91, November.
    14. Amine Lamine & Mahdi Khemakhem & Brahim Hnich & Habib Chabchoub, 2016. "Solving constrained optimization problems by solution-based decomposition search," Journal of Combinatorial Optimization, Springer, vol. 32(3), pages 672-695, October.
    15. Bürgy, Reinhard & Bülbül, Kerem, 2018. "The job shop scheduling problem with convex costs," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 268(1), pages 82-100.
    16. Paraskevopoulos, Dimitris C. & Laporte, Gilbert & Repoussis, Panagiotis P. & Tarantilis, Christos D., 2017. "Resource constrained routing and scheduling: Review and research prospects," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 263(3), pages 737-754.
    17. Roberto Rossi & S. Armagan Tarim & Brahim Hnich & Steven Prestwich & Semra Karacaer, 2010. "Scheduling internal audit activities: a stochastic combinatorial optimization problem," Journal of Combinatorial Optimization, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 325-346, April.
    18. Riise, Atle & Mannino, Carlo & Lamorgese, Leonardo, 2016. "Recursive logic-based Benders’ decomposition for multi-mode outpatient scheduling," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 255(3), pages 719-728.
    19. Luca Benini & Michele Lombardi & Michela Milano & Martino Ruggiero, 2011. "Optimal resource allocation and scheduling for the CELL BE platform," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 184(1), pages 51-77, April.
    20. Wheatley, David & Gzara, Fatma & Jewkes, Elizabeth, 2015. "Logic-based Benders decomposition for an inventory-location problem with service constraints," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 10-23.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:oropre:v:58:y:2010:i:2:p:342-356. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.