Article ID: | iaor20023304 |
Country: | United Kingdom |
Volume: | 9 |
Issue: | 1 |
Start Page Number: | 33 |
End Page Number: | 50 |
Publication Date: | Jan 2002 |
Journal: | International Transactions in Operational Research |
Authors: | Liu Chiun-Ming |
Keywords: | scheduling, programming: linear, networks |
The even-flow harvest scheduling problem arises when the forestry agency has evolved into a rigid non-declining even-flow policy. In this paper, we investigate model formulation and solution strategies for the even-flow harvest scheduling problem. A multiple-objective linear programming problem is formulated for even-flow harvest scheduling problems with multiple-site classes and multiple periods. The aim of this problem is to simultaneously maximize a desired harvest-volume per hectare for each period of planning horizon and the total economic return. A block diagonal constraint structure, with many sets of network sub-problems and a set of coupling constraints, is identified in this linear programming problem. A longest path method for each of network sub-problems and a primal–dual steepest-edge algorithm for the entire problem are developed. The developed algorithm has been coded in Borland C++ and implemented on a personal computer. An illustrative example is used to display the detailed procedure for the developed algorithm and a real-world case study is used to show the trade-off between desired even-flow harvest volume policy and total economic return. Results show the potential benefits of this approach.