Algorithms for Reliable and Sustainable Infrastructure Network Flow Models

Abstract:  

In recent decades, much research has been conducted on developing efficient algorithms for solving different variants of additive objectives in infrastructure network flow problems, such as cost minimization. The additive cost assumption may not be valid under several scenarios, mainly when reliability, resiliency, and sustainability-related objectives are associated with network flow problems. This research presents two types of decomposition algorithms for solving shortest path and minimum cost flow problems under non-additive mean-standard deviation cost functions. One approach is based on the outer approximation principle, and the second approach involves repeatedly solving an additive mean-variance minimum cost flow problem. The algorithms are shown to outperform existing algorithms on real-world networks significantly. Extensions of the algorithm to other generated cost functions are discussed. Multi-disciplinary applications in freight, infrastructure resilience, and health are discussed.

Bio:

Dr. Unnikrishnan is the Fouad H. Fouad Endowed Professor and Chair of the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Unnikrishnan’s research focuses on enhancing system sustainability and efficiency by developing novel traffic and freight network equilibrium models. Dr. Unnikrishnan served as the previous Chair of the Transit, Freight, and Logistics Subcommittee of the Transportation Research Board and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Transportation & Development Institutes (T&DI) Freight and Logistics Committee. Dr. Unnikrishnan received his Bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in 2002. He obtained his MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Vanderbilt University in 2004 and his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008. He is the co-author of an open access book on Transportation Network Analysis used as an official textbook in over 15 universities globally.