9502722 The objective of this research is to develop optimization tools for solving planning and scheduling problems of significant importance to the process industry. In particular, the following problems are investigated: (1) model formulation to support production and scheduling needs in the process industry, (2) decomposition algorithms to exploit special problem and model structures, (3) method of modification or revision of production plans to accommmdate unexpected changes in demand and/or the production process itself, and (4) how to account for uncertainly in solving production planning and scheduling problems. The educational component of the project is focused on improving the way in which optimization, engineering design, and production planning and scheduling are taught to students. Interdisciplinary new courses will be developed while existing ones will be revised. Successful realization of the objectives of this research can produce several valuable results. It will provide production planning and scheduling tools for the process industry. It can produce significant savings in production cost to make the industry more economically competitive. Teaching the needs of the process industry to students and introducing them to methods of modeling and analyzing such systems can pave the way for more future development.
