ORTEC Trainees Finalists at MOPTA Optimization Modeling Competition 2016

ORTEC Trainees Finalists at MOPTA Optimization Modeling Competition 2016

ORTEC Team to compete in finals MOPTA Challenge

Three ORTEC trainees teamed up to participate in the Annual AIMMS/MOPTA Optimization Modeling Competition. We are pleased to announce that they have been selected as finalists based on their meticulous work on the competition problem ‘Multi-objective Network Disruption’. The team will present their solution at the 2016 MOPTA Conference. The winners will be announced at the same event, which is to be held on August 17-19 at Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA, USA).

The team

The ORTEC team is led by Lianne van Sweeden, who just graduated in Applied Mathematics at Delft University of Technology. The other team members are Tim Bijl (MSc student Production and Logistics Management at University of Twente) and Sander Vlot (MSc student Systems & Control at Delft University of Technology). “Our backgrounds are quite different,” Sander explains. “Lianne just completed her studies on wastewater network optimization. Tim is working on cost estimation for warehouses, and I am developing a new scheduling algorithm for oil pipeline networks. With our combined talents and knowledge, we think we can score well in this challenge.” Tim adds: “At ORTEC, we solve different optimization challenges every day. We joined the competition to see whether we can keep up with the other teams. Apparently we’re doing quite well!”

The challenge

This year’s MOPTA challenge is to model a transportation network in which multiple companies try to maximize their individual profit by delivering products from factories to demand locations. The network flow is controlled by the government, which can decide to increase the capacity constraints of some roads. The government’s objective is to reduce profit for some companies while preserving the profit of others.

We have implemented a model, an algorithm and a graphical user interface in AIMMS to solve this problem from a government perspective. The resulting Decision Support System is designed to help the government make optimal decisions while taking all related constraints and trade-offs into account.

Our solution will be reviewed by a panel of judges that includes representatives from both the academic world and AIMMS. After evaluating each submission, the judges will determine the winner during the MOPTA conference in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Are you a clever student that would like to solve optimization puzzles? Check out our vacancies or send us your cover letter and resume.