Parameter optimization of tandem queue systems with finite intermediate buffers via fuzzy simulation

In this study, the issue of parameter optimization of tandem queue systems (TQS) is discussed. Since the data of such systems are regularly imprecise, a fuzzy logic modeling approach seems to be very necessary and more practical than conventional simulation or mathematical modeling. This issue has been ignored in the previous studies. Therefore, a fuzzy simulation based method is proposed and its performance is compared with the conventional simulation through a numerical example. In order to compare the results of these simulation methods, an efficiency index is proposed. It is seen that the proposed fuzzy simulation based method performs more efficient with regard to the efficiency index. Aside from this advantage, by using the fuzzy simulation approach of this study, we can have more realistic solutions when imprecision occurs in TQS. This is the first study that uses fuzzy simulation approach for TQS with imprecise and uncertain data. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.