Christina Burt
Honorary Research Fellow, January 2011 - June 2012 |
About me
I am currently located at the Austrian Institute of Technology (Vienna) in Dynamic Transportation Systems group (headed by Katja Schechtner). I work with Matthias Prandtstetter and Jakob Puchinger. We are researching an intermodal transportation problem in collaboration with a European company.
Background:
In 2008 I was awarded my Ph.D with a Chancellor's commendation from Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia. My Ph.D was supervised by Professor Lou Caccetta at the Western Australian Centre of Excellence for Industrial Optimisation (WACEIO); assisted by Dr Stephen Hill (currently at TSG Consulting Group), Leon Fouche (Rio Tinto) and Dr Palitha Welgama (Senior Researcher at Rio Tinto). The thesis focussed on modelling and solving large scale integer programs that arise in the equipment selection problem for surface mining. You can get it here (1.83 Mb).
Teaching:
I have assisted lecturing in Non-linear Optimisation (620-361) and lectured the Linear Programming component of Discrete Mathematics and Operations Research (MAST20018) in Semester 2, 2009 and 2010.
Extra-curricular:
Throughout 2010 I was the co-ordinator of the Operations Research Seminar series @ University of Melbourne (ORSUM). I also maintained the ORSUM mailing list and website. I shared the role of Environment Advocate with Natalie Aisbett. Our Environment Objectives are stated on the Green Team webpage.
Societies:
I am a member of INFORMS, Transportation Society, Computing Society, Optimization Society, SIAM and Mathematical Optimisation Society.
Tid-bits:
I have an Erdos number of 2 (through Lou Caccetta who has an Erdos number of 1). I have a Bacon number of 3 (although I only worked in a play and did not make it to IMDb). My Erdos-Bacon number is 5.
Research Interests
To develop innovative modelling and solving approaches for challenging real world problems; to generalise my findings and insights for the optimisation community.I have a strong interest in Mixed-Integer Programming and Transportation based problems. In particular, I study:
- problem structure that can lead to preprocessing heuristics or algorithms;
- use of simulation to provide insight into modelling approaches;
- ways to reformulate difficult-to-solve models that lead to improved computation time.
Some applications that have motivated my research include:
- network planning;
- wireless ad hoc networks;
- equipment selection.
Publications
Journal Articles
Please note that uploaded version of papers are draft versions. For the final version, please go to the official publication.4) Christina Burt and Louis Caccetta, Equipment Selection for Surface Mining, under review. Draft version (244.13 Kb)
3) Christina Burt, Louis Caccetta, Palitha Welgama and Leon Fouche, Multiple-location equipment selection for multiple period schedules, under review.
2) Christina Burt, Louis Caccetta, Palitha Welgama and Leon Fouche, Equipment selection with heterogeneous fleets for multiple period schedules, Journal of the Operations Research Society, 62:1498-1509 (2010). Draft version (1.41 Mb)
1) Christina Burt & Lou Caccetta, Match factor for heterogeneous truck and loader fleets, International Journal of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 21(4):262-270 (2008). Draft version (215.43 Kb)
Refereed Conference Papers
Upcoming conferences are listed in blue.5) Jakob Puchinger and Christina Burt, Models and Algorithms for Intermodal Transportation and Equipment Selection, OR2011, accepted for Springer proceedings publication. Preprint version (114.61 Kb).
4) Christina Burt and Jakob Puchinger, Scenario-scaping with inverse programming for intermodal transportation, CPAIOR Railways Workshop, Zuse Institute Berlin 2011. Final version (165.47 Kb).
3) Christina Burt, Yao-ban Chan & Nikki Sonenberg, Exact models for the k-connected minimum transmission problem, Ad Hoc Nets Conference 2009, In J. Zheng et al. (Eds.): ADHOCNETS 2009, LNICST 28, pp. 392–406, 2010. Draft version (310.56 Kb)
2) Christina Burt & Yao-ban Chan, Accurate costing in mixed integer utilisation mining models, MODSIM 2009 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation, In R. Braddock et al. (eds) 18th IMACS World Congress - MODSIM09 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation, December 2009, pp. 74-80. ISBN: 978-0-9758400-7-8. Draft version (227.44 Kb)
1) Christina Burt, Lou Caccetta, Stephen Hill & Palitha Welgama, Models for Mining Equipment Selection, In Zerger, A. and Argent, R.M. (eds) MODSIM 2005 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation. Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand, December 2005, pp. 170-176. ISBN: 0-9758400-2-9.
Dissertations
2) Christina Burt (2008) An Optimisation Approach to Materials Handling in Surface Mines, Doctoral Thesis (Supervised by Louis Caccetta), Curtin University of Technology, Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Available here (1.83 Mb).
1) Christina Burt (2003) Truck and loader equipment selection for surface mines. Honours Dissertation (Supervised by Louis Caccetta), Curtin University of Technology, Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Working papers
6) Christina Burt and Jakob Puchinger, A decomposition model for strategic intermodal network planning, in preparation.
5) Christina Burt and Jakob Puchinger, A complete strategic model for Intermodal Transportation, in preparation.
4) Christina Burt and Jakob Puchinger, An inverse-programming based heuristic for strategic network planning, in preparation.
3) Timo Berthold, Christina Burt and Ambros Gleixner, A utilisation model with 'staircase' structure, in preparation.
2) Christina Burt and Yao-ban Chan, Utilisation models for multiple period equipment selection, in preparation.
1) Christina Burt and Yao-ban Chan, On the k-connected minimum energy problem, in preparation.
Contributed presentations
14) Scenario-scaping with inverse programming for intermodal transportation, Wednesday Nov 16 2011, (11:00 - 12:30), INFORMS Annual Meeting, Charlotte USA
13) Scenario-scaping with inverse programming for intermodal transportation, May 24 2011, CPAIOR Railway Workshop, Berlin
12) Modelling the equipment selection problem for surface mines using MIP, October 13, Discrete Optimisation 2010, UNSW
11) An exact model for the k-connected wireless survivable network problem, October 1, AustMS Annual Conference, Brisbane
10) A reformulation of a utilisation model based on staircase structure, August 11, RMIT, Melbourne (and access grid).
9) Exact models for the k-connected wireless survivable network problem, July 21, ZIB, Berlin.
8) Exact models for the k-connected wireless survivable network problem, July 12, EURO2010, Lisbon.
7) Equipment Selection for Surface Mines and Minimum transmission, September 28, MATHEON, Berlin.
6) An exact approach to the k-connected minimum transmission problem, September 11, RMIT, Melbourne.
5) On the k-connected minimum energy problem, PRIMA congress 2009, Sydney NSW.
4) On the k-connected minimum energy problem, ORSUM Seminar 2009, University of Melbourne.
3) The minimum transmission problem, ANZIAM annual conference 2009, Caloundra QLD.
2) Multi-period equipment selection with a utilised cost objective, ANZIAM annual conference 2008, Katoomba NSW.
1) Multi-period equipment selection with a utilised cost objective, Australian Society for Operations Research biennial conference 2007. For this presentation I was a joint winner of the student presentation prize.
Awards
4) Chancellor's Commendation for my thesis entitled "An Optimisation Approach to Materials Handling in Surface Mines" (2008).
3) Best Student presentation at ASOR 2007 for my talk entitled "Multi-period equipment selection with a utilised cost objective".
2) Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry).
1) Top-up Scholarship, Western Australian Centre of Excellence for Industrial Optimisation.
Projects
Strategic network planning
Collaborators: Jakob Puchinger, Matthias Prandtstetter and Strabag (Industry collaborator).We study a network expansion problem in the context of intermodal transportation. Since the problem is very difficult to solve optimally (especially when considering uncertainties), we are currently developing heuristic approaches to assist in long-term strategic decisions.
Minimum transmission
Collaborators: Yao-ban Chan and Nikki Sonenberg.We study an ad hoc wireless telecommunication network where the topology is known and seek relationships in the underlying structure that may help guide near-optimal behaviour when the topology is not known. In particular, we wish to decide on the best transmission range for each node in the network such that the network is sufficiently connected.
Preventing cutvertices in a connected graph
We currently have four ways to define a bi-connected network in an integer program. Two of these formulations give rise to cutvertices. We seek a set of linear constraints to identify and prevent cutvertices in a bi-connected network.Subtour elimination
Collaborators: Yao-ban Chan.Arising from our work in ad hoc networks, we have developed a set of subtour elimination constraints for an undirected graph. We are currently studying the effect of these constraints on computation time, as well as the applications for such constraints.
Equipment selection for surface mines
Collaborators: Yao-ban Chan, Lou Caccetta (Curtin University), Palitha Welgama (Rio Tinto) and Leon Fouche (Rio Tinto), Timo Berthold (MATHEON), Ambros Gleixner (MATHEON).Following on from work in my thesis, we study several integer programming formulations of the equipment selection problem for surface mines. We are interested in incorporating important characteristics for the Surface Mining application, such as compatibility of fleets and tracking the utilisation of equipment.