LOG904-162 Applications of Scheduling and Timetabling (Autumn 2021)

About the course

Scheduling and timetabling problems and models find applications in many areas. Sports have worldwide appeal. The course starts with an overview of timetabling and scheduling problems in different areas, involving tasks and resources such as vehicles (trains, buses), examinations, university courses, personnel (nurses, teachers), games and sports facilities, showing the richness of this field of application and of the techniques presented. We focus our attention to problems and applications in school timetabling; project scheduling; nurse rostering; vehicle scheduling; and sports scheduling. The course presents fundamental issues, problem descriptions and formulations, solution methods, applications, and case studies.

 

Topics covered:

1. Timetabling and scheduling problems: tasks and resources, vehicles (trains, buses), examinations, university courses, personnel (nurses, teachers), projects, games and sports facilities. Models and constraints. Workshop of applications.

2. Scheduling problems: classification and basic problems, single machine models, parallel machine models, flow shops, job shops, open shops.

3. School timetabling: classroom allocation, course assignment, exam scheduling, other problems.

4. Project scheduling: resource types, objective functions, constraints, resource-constrained project scheduling.

5. Workforce scheduling: nurse rostering: problem description, formulation.

6. Vehicle scheduling: routing vs scheduling; single vs multiple depots, extensions, time- windows, route constraints, applications.

7. Scheduling in sports: Economical importance of sports, amateur vs professional leagues, scheduling problems in sports, construction of feasible schedules, break minimization, carry-over effects, traveling tournament problem, referee and umpire assignment, real-life applications in professional leagues of different sport disciplines such as football, baseball, basketball, cricket, and hockey.

8. Workshop of applications.

The course is connected to the following study programs

• Master of Science in Logistics
• Experience-based Master in Logistics
• Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Logistics
• Exchange programme - Master's level
• Master of Science in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility

Recommended requirements

Linear and Integer Programming, basics of Metaheuristics

Forms of teaching and learning

The first goal of this course is to give the students an overview of timetabling and scheduling problems and their broad area of application. The course presents fundamental issues, problem formulations, applications, and case studies of scheduling in school timetabling, project scheduling, workforce scheduling, vehicle scheduling, and sports scheduling in professional leagues of different sport disciplines. In the home assessments, the students will have the opportunity to do some research and to learn in details about applications of their interest.

Examination

Form of assessment: Home assessment with presentation

• Proportion: 50%

• Duration: -

• Grouping: Group

• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)

• Support material: All printed and written supporting material

• Comment: Deadline for submission: Friday PM

 

Form of assessment: Home assessment without presentation

• Proportion: 50%

• Duration: -

• Grouping: Indvidual

• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)

• Support material: All printed and written supporting material

• Comment: Deadline for submission: Saturday 23:59

Syllabus

Some references:

1. M.L. Pinedo, Scheduling: Theory, algorithms and applications, Springer, 2012.

2. C.C. Ribeiro, “Sports scheduling: Problems and applications”, International Transactions in Operational Research 19 (2012), 201-226.