Uncertainty in Facility Location Problems

This book deals with an often-neglected feature of location problems, namely uncertainty, by combining two related fields: location theory and optimization. Written by leading researchers and practitioners in these fields, each chapter examines one aspect of the location process in different contexts, such as supply chains; location decisions under congestion; disaster management; design of resilient facilities; uncertainty in the health sector; and facility location in the retail sector under uncertainty. The book also addresses methodological aspects, such as chance-constrained approaches, heuristic algorithms, scenario approaches, and simulation. As such, it provides decision-makers with essential methods, tools and approaches to help them deal with these uncertainties. It is mainly intended for graduate students in the fields of operations research and logistics, as well as professionals in logistics and supply chain management.

Dr. H.A. Eiselt is a Professor of Management at the University of New Brunswick (Canada) and an Adjunct Professor with the Department of Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University (Canada). He is an Associate Editor and Book Review Editor of INFOR. Prof. Eiselt also serves on the Advisory and Editorial Boards of Computers and Operations Research, and the International Journal of Operations and Quantitative Management. His main research interests are in various aspects of location analysis and decision theory. He has (co-) authored more than 120 research articles and written and edited 13 books.

Dr. Vladimir Marianov is an Emeritus Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. His main research areas are the optimal location of facilities and telecommunications. He has published more than 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented numerous papers at congresses and conferences and co-edited and written four books. He hasdirected state, federally, and internationally funded research projects, served as a consultant to telecommunications and logistics companies and the government.