INTAS Project 96-820 „Discrete optimization problems in scheduling and computer-aided design“

The aim of this project is to develop an effective general approach to solve discrete optimization problems arising in manufacturing and in computer systems. Typical applications include real-time multiprocessor computer systems, production scheduling and VLSI layout synthesis. In a first step, suitable mathematical models need to be developped for the considered applications. In the second step, the focus is on developping efficient algorithms for the exact or approximate solution of the optimization problems resulting from the modelling process in the first phase. It is a major goal of this project to bridge the gap between the theory-oriented approach which stresses worst-case analysis and the application-oriented approach which focuses on heuristic methods without bothering about the quality of the resulting solutions.