Reducing Multivalued Discrete Variables in Solving Separable Task Assignment Problems

摘要: In this paper, we introduce the separable task assignment problem (STAP) in which n tasks are assigned to m agents subject agents’ capacity constraints. The objective is minimize costs that occur during manufacturing and communication between agents. A if it can be divided into two pieces, both of them individually or together any considered as being only its pieces assigned. Since several discrete (ternary) variables may involved STAP modeling, computing a reasonable time period not an easy work. We replace ternary by binary continuous through extending logarithmic method introduced Li et al. (INFORMS J Comput 25(4): 643–653, 2012) Vielma (Oper Res 58(2): 303–315, 2010). Our numerical experiments demonstrate newly generated model performs well solving difficult task-assignment problems for pretty large scale instance sizes.