Informatica

The redundancy allocation problem (RAP) has been studied for many different system structures, objective functions, and distribution assumptions. In this paper, we present a problem formulation and a solution methodology to maximize the system steady-state availability and minimize the system cost for the repairable series-parallel system designs. In the proposed approach, the components’ time-to-failure (TTF) and time-to-repair (TTR) can follow any distribution such as the Gamma, Normal, Weibull, etc. We estimate an approximation of the steady-state availability of each subsystem in the series-parallel system with an individual meta-model. Design of experiment (DOE), simulation and the stepwise regression are used to build these meta-models. Face centred design, which is a type of central composite design is used to design experiments. According to a max–min approach, obtained meta-models are utilized for modelling the problem alongside the cost function of the system. We use the augmented ε-constraint method to reformulate the problem and solve the model. An illustrative example which uses the Gamma distribution for TTF and TTR is explained to represent the performance of the proposed approach. The results of the example show that the proposed approach has a good performance to obtain Pareto (near-Pareto) optimal solutions (system configurations).

Trust is an important factor for successful e-commerce and e-media applications. However, these media inherently disable many ordinary communication channels and means, and affect trust forming factors. Therefore cyber environment requires additional support when it comes to trust. This is also one key reason why computational trust management methods are being developed now for some fifteen years, while another key reason is to enable better decision making through mathematical modeling and simulations in other areas. These methods are grounded on certain premises, which are analyzed in this paper. On this basis, Qualitative assessment dynamics (QAD for short) is presented that complements the above methods. As opposed to other methods, it is aligned with certain principles of human reasoning. Therefore it further extends the scope of other computational trust management technologies that are typically concerned with artificial ways of reasoning, while QAD gives a basis also for applications in ordinary environments where humans are involved. By using this methodology, experimental work will be presented, applied to the area of organizations and human factor management.

The paper proposes a novel predictive-reactive planning and scheduling framework in which both approaches are combined to complement each other in a reasonably balanced way. Neither original scheduling algorithms nor original techniques can be find in this paper. It also does not intend to invent new mechanisms or to propose some cardinally new ideas. The aim is to choose, adapt and test ideas, mechanisms and algorithms already proposed by other researchers. The focus of this research is set on make-to-order production environments. The proposed approach aims not only to absorb disruptions in shop floor level schedules but also to mitigate the impacts of potential exceptions, which disrupt mid-term level production plans. It is based on application of risk mitigation techniques and combines various simulation techniques extended by optimization procedures. The proposed approach is indented to be implemented in Advanced Planning and Scheduling system, which is an add-on for Enterprise Resources Planning system. To make it easier to understand the focus of the paper, at the beginning the position from which we start is clarified.

A model of the moisture diffusion in wood under isothermal conditions taking into consideration coating of the surface of a specimen is presented in a 2-D-in-space formulation. A reliability of a corresponding 1-D model is investigated for a simulation of moisture movement in 2-D medium. This paper presents a technique to determine the width as well as the degree of edges coating of the specimen making the 1-D model relevant for 2-D medium. This technique bases on the computer simulation of 2-D moisture diffusion to estimate the reliability of the corresponding 1-D model. In the technique, approximate coefficients of the diffusion and surface emission may be employed if accurate values of these coefficients are unknown.

Method of simulation of technological processes of civil engineering companies allows evaluate quality of the organizational variants by multicriterial estimation methods (Zavadskas et al., 1995). Simulation methods allow to design a rational work programme according to the financial, technological and organizational parameters.

The result of simulation of an idealized thin wet film connecting fixed points in the Euclidean plane is a length-minimizing curve. Gradually increasing the exterior pressure we are able to achieve the film configuration near to the Steiner minimal tree. This film evolution may be an interesting tool for solving the Euclidean Steiner problem, but several dead-point situations may occur for a certain location of fixed points. A continuous evolution of the film is impossible by increasing the pressure in these situations. The investigation of dead-point situations gives the ways of overcoming the difficulties of dead-point situations and continuing the film evolution by temporarily decreasing pressure.

The Steiner problem asks for the shortest network that spans a given set of fixed points in the Euclidean plane. The problem is NP hard.

The paper deals with a simple model of the competition of two queuing systems, providing the same service. Each system may vary its service price and its service rate. The customers choose the system with less total service price, that depends on the waiting time and on the service price. The possibility for the existence of equilibrium is investigated. Simple cases are investigated analytically. It is shown that the Nash equilibrium exists in special cases only. A modification of the Stakelberg equilibrium is proposed as a model of competition with a prognosis. This prognosis helps form more stable prices and more stable strategies of competitors. The case of social economics is investigated, too. The dynamics of the competition of more realistic stochastic queuing systems is investigated by Monte Carlo simulation. The simulative analysis is realized by means of a rule-based simulation system.

An analysis of an event driven local area network protocol for special purposes in industrial applications is represented. The analysis is performed using the specification language ESTELLE/Ag and protocol analysis tool PRANAS-2. Validation was focused on the correctness media access algorithm, initialization of the protocol and recovery from error situations. The obtained simulation results can be used for comparison of the effectiveness of this protocol with other protocols.