Dantzig-Wolfe Decomposition for Solving Multi-Stage Stochastic Capacity-Planning Problems

Abstract

We describe a general multi-stage stochastic integer-programming model for planning discrete capacity expansion of production facilities. A scenario tree represents uncertainty in the model. Variable splitting leads to two forms of this model: the first allows multiple expansions of each facility over the planning horizon while the second allows at most one. Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition of either split-variable model results in a binary master problem that solves easily, as its linear-programming relaxation tends to yield integer solutions. For each scenario-tree node, the decomposition defines a subproblem that may be viewed as a single-period, deterministic capacity-expansion problem. An effective solution procedure results as long as the subproblems solve efficiently, and the procedure incorporates a good "duals stabilization scheme". We present computational results for a model to plan the capacity expansion of a real-world electricity distribution network given uncertain future demand. The largest problem we solve to optimality has 6 stages and 243 scenarios corresponding to a deterministic equivalent with a quarter of a million binary variables.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 13, 2005
Accession Number
ADA487429

Entities

People

  • Andy B. Philpott
  • Kavinesh J. Singh
  • R. Kevin Wood

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Computer Programming
  • Decomposition
  • Dynamic Programming
  • Electricity
  • Integer Programming
  • Linear Programming
  • Mathematical Programming
  • Mathematics
  • New Zealand
  • Operations Research
  • Optimization
  • Probability
  • Production
  • Splitting
  • Systems Engineering
  • Uncertainty

Fields of Study

  • Mathematics

Readers

  • Operations Research