Fuzzy set based multiobjective allocation of resources and its applications

This paper presents results of research into the use of the Bellman-Zadeh approach to decision making in a fuzzy environment for solving multiobjective optimization problems. Its application conforms to the principle of guaranteed result and provides constructive lines in obtaining harmonious solutions on the basis of analyzing associated maxmin problems. The use of the Bellman-Zadeh approach has served as a basis for solving a problem of multiobjective allocation of resources (or their shortages) and developing a corresponding adaptive interactive decision-making system (AIDMS1). Its calculating kernel permits one to solve maxmin problems using an algorithm based on a nonlocal search (modification of the Gelfand's and Tsetlin's "long valley" method). The AIDMS1 includes procedures for considering linguistic variables to reflect conditions that are difficult to formalize as well as procedures for constructing and correcting vectors of importance factors for goals. The use of these procedures permits one to realize an adaptive approach to processing information of a decision maker to provide successive improving of the solution quality. C++ windows of the AIDMS1 are presented for input, output, and special possibilities related to considering linguistic variables and constructing and correcting vectors of importance factors. The results of the paper are universally applicable and are already being used to solve power engineering problems. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.