Ilaria Vacca research projects

This page reports only the academic work registered in the databases of the Transport and Mobility Laboratory, and is not necessarily a comprehensive list of the work by Ilaria Vacca.

More information may be available here

Large scale robust optimization of bulk port operations.

Sponsor: EPFL Middle East

Team: Michel Bierlaire (PI), Nitish Umang (PM), Ilaria Vacca (PM)

Period: January 01, 2011-April 30, 2014

The primary objective of this research is to develop large scale robust optimization algorithms providing sustainable solutions for bulk port operations accounting for uncertainties and disruptions in operations. While significant contributions have been made for container terminals, relatively little attention has been directed to the use of operations research methods and techniques to optimize bulk port operations. In this research we aim to develop large scale mathematical models for bulk port operations, with emphasis on integrated planning; furthermore, we plan to include robustness to account for uncertainties in operations. A broader objective of our work is to study how the methodologies developed for bulk ports can be extended to multi-modal transport operations, including other domains such as container ports, airlines and railways, with a view to optimize the usage and operations of existing infrastructure to achieve sustainability in the mobility of goods and people. The devised models and algorithms will be tested and validated in a real-world context using as a case study, the SAQR port in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Models and methods for large scale optimization problems and applications in container terminals

Sponsor: Swiss National Science Foundation

Team: Michel Bierlaire (PI), Ilaria Vacca (PM), Matteo Salani (PM)

Period: December 01, 2009-November 30, 2012

We develop new strategies to tackle large scale problems and their optimization. We focus in particular applications arising in the optimization of container terminal operations.

Optimization of container terminal operations

Sponsor: Transport and Mobility Laboratory, EPFL

Team: Michel Bierlaire (PI), Ilaria Vacca (PM), Matteo Salani (PM)

Period: February 01, 2007-November 30, 2009

Design and development of models and algorithms for the optimization of operations in seaport container terminals.