To transmit customer power data collected by smart meters(SMs)to utility companies,data must first be transmitted to the corresponding data aggregation point(DAP)of the SM.The number of DAPs installed and the installa...To transmit customer power data collected by smart meters(SMs)to utility companies,data must first be transmitted to the corresponding data aggregation point(DAP)of the SM.The number of DAPs installed and the installation location greatly impact the whole network.For the traditional DAP placement algorithm,the number of DAPs must be set in advance,but determining the best number of DAPs is difficult,which undoubtedly reduces the overall performance of the network.Moreover,the excessive gap between the loads of different DAPs is also an important factor affecting the quality of the network.To address the above problems,this paper proposes a DAP placement algorithm,APSSA,based on the improved affinity propagation(AP)algorithm and sparrow search(SSA)algorithm,which can select the appropriate number of DAPs to be installed and the corresponding installation locations according to the number of SMs and their distribution locations in different environments.The algorithm adds an allocation mechanism to optimize the subnetwork in the SSA.APSSA is evaluated under three different areas and compared with other DAP placement algorithms.The experimental results validated that the method in this paper can reduce the network cost,shorten the average transmission distance,and reduce the load gap.展开更多
Path marginal cost （PMC） is the change in totaltravel cost for flow on the network that arises when timedependentpath flow changes by 1 unit. Because it is hardto obtain the marginal cost on all the links, the local...Path marginal cost （PMC） is the change in totaltravel cost for flow on the network that arises when timedependentpath flow changes by 1 unit. Because it is hardto obtain the marginal cost on all the links, the local PMC,considering marginal cost of partial links, is normallycalculated to approximate the global PMC. When analyzingthe marginal cost at a congested diverge intersection, ajump-point phenomenon may occur. It manifests as alikelihood that a vehicle may unsteadily lift up （down） inthe cumulative flow curve of the downstream links. Previously,the jump-point caused delay was ignored whencalculating the local PMC. This article proposes an analyticalmethod to solve this delay which can contribute toobtaining a more accurate local PMC. Next to that, we usea simple case to calculate the previously local PMC and themodified one. The test shows a large gap between them,which means that this delay should not be omitted in thelocal PMC calculation.展开更多
Hydrological monitoring and real-time access to data are valuable for hydrological research and water resources management. In the recent decades, rapid developments in digital technology, micro-electromechanical syst...Hydrological monitoring and real-time access to data are valuable for hydrological research and water resources management. In the recent decades, rapid developments in digital technology, micro-electromechanical systems, low power micro-sensing technologies and improved industrial manufacturing processes have resulted in retrieving real-time data through Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) systems. In this study, a remotely operated low-cost and robust WSN system was developed to monitor and collect real-time hydrologic data from a small agricultural watershed in harsh weather conditions and upland rolling topography of Southern Ontario, Canada. The WSN system was assembled using off-the-shelf hardware components, and an open source operating system was used to minimize the cost. The developed system was rigorously tested in the laboratory and the field and found to be accurate and reliable for monitoring climatic and hydrologic parameters. The soil moisture and runoff data for 7 springs, 19 summer, and 19 fall season rainfall events over the period of more than two years were successfully collected in a small experimental agricultural watershed situated near Elora, Ontario, Canada. The developed WSN system can be readily extended for the purpose of most hydrological monitoring applications, although it was explicitly tailored for a project focused on mapping the Variable Source Areas (VSAs) in a small agricultural watershed.展开更多
We investigated forest road networks and forestry operations before and after mechanization on aggregated forestry operation sites. We developed equations to estimate densities of road networks with average slope angl...We investigated forest road networks and forestry operations before and after mechanization on aggregated forestry operation sites. We developed equations to estimate densities of road networks with average slope angles, operational efficiency of bunching operations with road network density, and average forwarding distances with operation site areas. Subsequently, we analyzed the effects of aggregating forests, establishing forest road networks, and mechanization on operational efficiency and costs. Six ha proved to be an appropriate operation site area with minimum operation expenses. The operation site areas of the forest owners＇ cooperative in this region aggregated approximately 6 ha and the cooperative conducted forestry operations on aggregated sites. Therefore, 6 ha would be an appropriate operation site area in this region. Regarding road network density, higher-density road networks increased operational expenses due to the higher direct operational expenses of strip road establishment. Therefore, road network density should be reduced to approximately 200 m.展开更多
We consider the solution of matching problems with a convex cost function via a network flow algorithm. We review the general mapping between matching problems and flow problems on skew symmetric networks and revisit ...We consider the solution of matching problems with a convex cost function via a network flow algorithm. We review the general mapping between matching problems and flow problems on skew symmetric networks and revisit several results on optimality of network flows. We use these results to derive a balanced capacity scaling algorithm for matching problems with a linear cost function. The latter is later generalized to a balanced capacity scaling algorithm also for a convex cost function. We prove the correctness and discuss the complexity of our solution.展开更多
Accurate cost estimation at the early stage of a construction project is key factor in a project’s success. But it is difficult to quickly and accurately estimate construction costs at the planning stage, when drawin...Accurate cost estimation at the early stage of a construction project is key factor in a project’s success. But it is difficult to quickly and accurately estimate construction costs at the planning stage, when drawings, documentation and the like are still incomplete. As such, various techniques have been applied to accurately estimate construction costs at an early stage, when project information is limited. While the various techniques have their pros and cons, there has been little effort made to determine the best technique in terms of cost estimating performance. The objective of this research is to compare the accuracy of three estimating techniques (regression analysis (RA), neural network (NN), and support vector machine techniques (SVM)) by performing estimations of construction costs. By comparing the accuracy of these techniques using historical cost data, it was found that NN model showed more accurate estimation results than the RA and SVM models. Consequently, it is determined that NN model is most suitable for estimating the cost of school building projects.展开更多
As the smart home is the end-point power consumer, it is the major part to be controlled in a smart micro grid. There are so many challenges for implementing a smart home system in which the most important ones are th...As the smart home is the end-point power consumer, it is the major part to be controlled in a smart micro grid. There are so many challenges for implementing a smart home system in which the most important ones are the cost and simplicity of the implementation method. It is clear that the major share of the total cost is referred to the internal controlling system network; although there are too many methods proposed but still there is not any satisfying method at the consumers＇ point of view. In this paper, a novel solution for this demand is proposed, which not only minimizes the implementation cost, but also provides a high level of reliability and simplicity of operation; feasibility, extendibility, and flexibility are other leading properties of the design.展开更多
Routing, modulation and spectrum allocation in elastic optical networks is a problem aiming at increasing the capacity of the network. Many algorithms such as shortest path algorithm can be used as the routing section...Routing, modulation and spectrum allocation in elastic optical networks is a problem aiming at increasing the capacity of the network. Many algorithms such as shortest path algorithm can be used as the routing section of this problem. The efficiency of these algorithms is partly based on how the cost of each link is defined. In this study, we considered several basic metrics in cost of network links and compared their effects on the network capacity. In particular, the static costs and the dynamic costs were evaluated and compared. For dynamic scenarios, compared to static scenarios, at least one additional factor, the usage of the links, was added. We further considered a new factor that is based on probability of accommodating the signal at a given time in any given link. The results show that, among them, the shortest path algorithm provides the least blocking probability when the cost is a combination of link length and the abovementioned possibility/usage of the link.展开更多
This paper proposes a method for assembly cost estimation in actual manufacture during the design phase using artificial neural networks(ANN). It can support the designers in cost effectiveness, then help to control t...This paper proposes a method for assembly cost estimation in actual manufacture during the design phase using artificial neural networks(ANN). It can support the designers in cost effectiveness, then help to control the total cost. The method was used in the assembly cost estimation of the crucial parts of some railway stock products. As a comparison, we use the linear regression (LR) model in the same field. The result shows that ANN model performs better than the LR model in assembly cost estimation.展开更多
基金supported by the Fujian University of Technology under Grant GYZ20016,GY-Z18183,and GY-Z19005partially supported by the National Science and Technology Council under Grant NSTC 113-2221-E-224-056-.
文摘To transmit customer power data collected by smart meters(SMs)to utility companies,data must first be transmitted to the corresponding data aggregation point(DAP)of the SM.The number of DAPs installed and the installation location greatly impact the whole network.For the traditional DAP placement algorithm,the number of DAPs must be set in advance,but determining the best number of DAPs is difficult,which undoubtedly reduces the overall performance of the network.Moreover,the excessive gap between the loads of different DAPs is also an important factor affecting the quality of the network.To address the above problems,this paper proposes a DAP placement algorithm,APSSA,based on the improved affinity propagation(AP)algorithm and sparrow search(SSA)algorithm,which can select the appropriate number of DAPs to be installed and the corresponding installation locations according to the number of SMs and their distribution locations in different environments.The algorithm adds an allocation mechanism to optimize the subnetwork in the SSA.APSSA is evaluated under three different areas and compared with other DAP placement algorithms.The experimental results validated that the method in this paper can reduce the network cost,shorten the average transmission distance,and reduce the load gap.
文摘Path marginal cost （PMC） is the change in totaltravel cost for flow on the network that arises when timedependentpath flow changes by 1 unit. Because it is hardto obtain the marginal cost on all the links, the local PMC,considering marginal cost of partial links, is normallycalculated to approximate the global PMC. When analyzingthe marginal cost at a congested diverge intersection, ajump-point phenomenon may occur. It manifests as alikelihood that a vehicle may unsteadily lift up （down） inthe cumulative flow curve of the downstream links. Previously,the jump-point caused delay was ignored whencalculating the local PMC. This article proposes an analyticalmethod to solve this delay which can contribute toobtaining a more accurate local PMC. Next to that, we usea simple case to calculate the previously local PMC and themodified one. The test shows a large gap between them,which means that this delay should not be omitted in thelocal PMC calculation.
文摘Hydrological monitoring and real-time access to data are valuable for hydrological research and water resources management. In the recent decades, rapid developments in digital technology, micro-electromechanical systems, low power micro-sensing technologies and improved industrial manufacturing processes have resulted in retrieving real-time data through Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) systems. In this study, a remotely operated low-cost and robust WSN system was developed to monitor and collect real-time hydrologic data from a small agricultural watershed in harsh weather conditions and upland rolling topography of Southern Ontario, Canada. The WSN system was assembled using off-the-shelf hardware components, and an open source operating system was used to minimize the cost. The developed system was rigorously tested in the laboratory and the field and found to be accurate and reliable for monitoring climatic and hydrologic parameters. The soil moisture and runoff data for 7 springs, 19 summer, and 19 fall season rainfall events over the period of more than two years were successfully collected in a small experimental agricultural watershed situated near Elora, Ontario, Canada. The developed WSN system can be readily extended for the purpose of most hydrological monitoring applications, although it was explicitly tailored for a project focused on mapping the Variable Source Areas (VSAs) in a small agricultural watershed.
文摘We investigated forest road networks and forestry operations before and after mechanization on aggregated forestry operation sites. We developed equations to estimate densities of road networks with average slope angles, operational efficiency of bunching operations with road network density, and average forwarding distances with operation site areas. Subsequently, we analyzed the effects of aggregating forests, establishing forest road networks, and mechanization on operational efficiency and costs. Six ha proved to be an appropriate operation site area with minimum operation expenses. The operation site areas of the forest owners＇ cooperative in this region aggregated approximately 6 ha and the cooperative conducted forestry operations on aggregated sites. Therefore, 6 ha would be an appropriate operation site area in this region. Regarding road network density, higher-density road networks increased operational expenses due to the higher direct operational expenses of strip road establishment. Therefore, road network density should be reduced to approximately 200 m.
文摘We consider the solution of matching problems with a convex cost function via a network flow algorithm. We review the general mapping between matching problems and flow problems on skew symmetric networks and revisit several results on optimality of network flows. We use these results to derive a balanced capacity scaling algorithm for matching problems with a linear cost function. The latter is later generalized to a balanced capacity scaling algorithm also for a convex cost function. We prove the correctness and discuss the complexity of our solution.
文摘Accurate cost estimation at the early stage of a construction project is key factor in a project’s success. But it is difficult to quickly and accurately estimate construction costs at the planning stage, when drawings, documentation and the like are still incomplete. As such, various techniques have been applied to accurately estimate construction costs at an early stage, when project information is limited. While the various techniques have their pros and cons, there has been little effort made to determine the best technique in terms of cost estimating performance. The objective of this research is to compare the accuracy of three estimating techniques (regression analysis (RA), neural network (NN), and support vector machine techniques (SVM)) by performing estimations of construction costs. By comparing the accuracy of these techniques using historical cost data, it was found that NN model showed more accurate estimation results than the RA and SVM models. Consequently, it is determined that NN model is most suitable for estimating the cost of school building projects.
文摘As the smart home is the end-point power consumer, it is the major part to be controlled in a smart micro grid. There are so many challenges for implementing a smart home system in which the most important ones are the cost and simplicity of the implementation method. It is clear that the major share of the total cost is referred to the internal controlling system network; although there are too many methods proposed but still there is not any satisfying method at the consumers＇ point of view. In this paper, a novel solution for this demand is proposed, which not only minimizes the implementation cost, but also provides a high level of reliability and simplicity of operation; feasibility, extendibility, and flexibility are other leading properties of the design.
文摘Routing, modulation and spectrum allocation in elastic optical networks is a problem aiming at increasing the capacity of the network. Many algorithms such as shortest path algorithm can be used as the routing section of this problem. The efficiency of these algorithms is partly based on how the cost of each link is defined. In this study, we considered several basic metrics in cost of network links and compared their effects on the network capacity. In particular, the static costs and the dynamic costs were evaluated and compared. For dynamic scenarios, compared to static scenarios, at least one additional factor, the usage of the links, was added. We further considered a new factor that is based on probability of accommodating the signal at a given time in any given link. The results show that, among them, the shortest path algorithm provides the least blocking probability when the cost is a combination of link length and the abovementioned possibility/usage of the link.
文摘This paper proposes a method for assembly cost estimation in actual manufacture during the design phase using artificial neural networks(ANN). It can support the designers in cost effectiveness, then help to control the total cost. The method was used in the assembly cost estimation of the crucial parts of some railway stock products. As a comparison, we use the linear regression (LR) model in the same field. The result shows that ANN model performs better than the LR model in assembly cost estimation.
