Harvest Scheduling Subject to Maximum Area Restrictions: Exploring Exact Approaches

• Published in: Operations research Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 490 - 500
• Main Authors: Goycoolea, Marcos, Murray, Alan T, Barahona, Francisco, Epstein, Rafael, Weintraub, Andres
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Linthicum, MD INFORMS 01.05.2005; Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
• Subjects: Algorithms; Analysis; Applied sciences; cutting planes; environment; Exact sciences and technology; Forest habitats; Forest management; Forestry research; Harvesting; Heuristics; Integer programming; Integers; Linear programming; Mathematical programming; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Polyhedrons; Regulation; Scheduling; Studies; Sustainable forest management; Timber; Timber industry; United States; Integer programming; Natural resources; Energy; Environment; Forest management; Linear programming; Mixed integer programming; Scheduling; cutting planes; Cutting plane method
• ISSN: 0030-364X; 1526-5463
• DOI: 10.1287/opre.1040.0169

We consider a spatial problem arising in forest harvesting. For regulatory reasons, blocks harvested should not exceed a certain total area, typically 49 hectares. Traditionally, this problem, called the adjacency problem, has been approached by forming a priori blocks from basic cells of 5 to 25 hectares and solving the resulting mixed-integer program. Superior solutions can be obtained by including the construction of blocks in the decision process. The resulting problem is far more complex combinatorially. We present an exact algorithmic approach that has yielded good results in computational tests. This solution approach is based on determining a strong formulation of the linear programming problem through a clique representation of a projected problem.