Efficient Strategies for Coordinating Autonomous Vehicles for Maximising Australia's Waterfront Productivity
This project aims to investigate efficient strategies for coordinating large autonomous vehicle teams in complex and dynamic environments. Comprehensive models for a novel simultaneous task allocation and motion coordination approach are developed, along with practically deployable algorithms that contemplate the dynamics of the vehicles, environment and traffic conditions. Software incorporating these algorithms is developed for testing and use in a fully automated container terminal, located in Australia.
Research outcomes include:
- Mathematical models of container transfers using a large fleet of autonomous straddle carriers
- An algorithm for simultaneous dynamic scheduling and collision-free path planning
- An exact algorithm for autonomous straddle carrier scheduling
- A job grouping approach for task allocation
- A multi-objective optimisation algorithm for multi-robot scheduling
- A genetic algorithm for job scheduling
- A new crossover operator for two-part chromosome genetic algorithms for task allocation
- Rescheduling policies for task allocation
Chief Investigators
Partner Investigators
- Daniel Pagac, et al.
Other Members
- Haye Lau
- Brad Skinner
- Shuai Yuan
- Binghuang Cai, et al.
Funding
- ARC Linkage Project
- Patrick Corp Partnership Fund
Years
- 2008-2011
Relevant publications
- B. Cai, S. Huang, D. K. Liu, G. Dissanayake, “Rescheduling Policies for Large-Scale Task Allocation of Autonomous Straddle Carriers under Uncertainty at Automated Container Terminals”, submitted to Robotics and Autonomous Systems in Sept 2012
- S. Yuan, B. Skinner, B. Cai, S. Huang, D. K. Liu, G. Dissanayake, H. Lau, “A new crossover approach for solving the multiple travel salesmen problem using genetic Algorithms”, submitted to European Journal of Operational Research in November 2011.
- B. Skinner, S. Yuan, S. Huang, D.K. Liu, B. Cai, G. Dissanayake, H. Lau, A. Bott, D. Pagac, “Optimisation for job scheduling at automated container terminals using genetic algorithm”, accepted by Computers & Industrial Engineering, 28 Aug 2012
- B. Cai, S. Huang, D.K. Liu, S. Yuan, G. Dissanayake, H. Lau, and D. Pagac, “Multi-Objective Optimisation for Autonomous Straddle Carrier Scheduling at Automated Container Terminals”, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, accepted on 13 July 2012 (regular paper)
- S. Yuan, B.T. Skinner, S. Huang, D.K. Liu, G. Dissanayake, H. Lau, D. Pagac, “A Job Grouping Approach for Planning Container Transfers at Automated Seaport Container Terminals”, Advanced Engineering Informatics, 25, pp413-426, 2011
- C.Y. Cheong, K.C. Tan D.K. Liu and C.J. Lin, “Multi-objective and prioritized berth allocation in container ports”, Annals of Operations Research, 180, pp63-103, 2010. (DOI: 10.1007/s10479-008-0493-0)
- B. Cai, S. Huang, D.K. Liu, S. Yuan, G Dissanayake, H. Lau, D. Pagac, “Optimisation Model and Exact Algorithm for Autonomous Straddle Carrier Scheduling at Automated Container Terminals”, Proceedings of the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS’2011), September 25-30, 2011, San Francisco, CA, USA. pp3686-3693
- S. Yuan, B.T. Skinner, S. Huang, D.K. Liu, G. Dissanayake, H. Lau, D. Pagac and T. Pratley, “Mathematical Modelling of Container Transfers for a Fleet of Autonomous Straddle Carriers”, Proceedings of the 2010 IEEE International Conferences on Robotics and Automation, pp1260-1266, Anchorage, Alaska, May 3-8, 2010
- S. Yuan, H. Lau, D.K. Liu, S. Huang, G. Dissanayake, D. Pagac, T. Pratley, “Simultaneous dynamic scheduling and collision-free path planning for multiple autonomous vehicles”, Proceedings of the 2009 IEEE International Conference on Information and Automation (ICIA’2009), pp522-527, June 22-25, 2009, Zhuhai/Macau, China.