OVERVIEW

The course illustrates the main decisional methods for planning logistics systems, with specific attention to sustainability issues. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide methodologies and tools for optimizing and controlling logistic systems (intermodal networks, container terminals, logistic centers). Referring to the planning and organization of logistic systems, the student will learn how to: identify the decision problem type, define the most appropriate mathematical model, define the most adequate solution methodology, choose a software solution for the problem, discuss the problem relevance/effects.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, the student will be able:
- identify the decision problem type;
- to define the most appropriate mathematical model;
- to define the solution methodology;
- to choose a software tool and implement the relative code;
- to discuss the solution.

Besides these learning outcomes, the student who actively participates to lessons and team working activities can acquire the following  soft skills:
- social skills – basic level: capacity to manage social interactions, collaborative behaviour, constructive communication in different environments;
- capacity of learning to learn – basic level: awareness of the preferred learning stretegies, organization and evaluation of personal learning.

PREREQUISITES

There are no specific requirements.

TEACHING METHODS

The lessons consist in lectures given by the professor and team working activities with specific software. The team working activities are conceived to allow the students to learn how to formalize planning problems and to implement them with specific software, and to develop critical analysis capabilities about the results obtained for applications in the logistics field. The team working activities start in the classroom, under the supervision of the professor, after which each team is required to work independently and deliver a report of the project carried out, within a deadline to be agreed.

The team working activities allow the students who actively participate to acquire social skills (basic level) and the capacity of learning to learn (basic level).

Students who have valid certifications for Specific Learning Disorders (DSA), for disabilities or other educational needs are invited to contact the professor and the contact person for disabilities of the Polytechnic School, Prof. Federico Scarpa (federico.scarpa@unige.it), at the beginning of the course to agree on any teaching methods that, in compliance with the objectives of the course, take into account their individual learning approach.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Introduction to logistics and sustainability
Strategic decisions in logistics: location problems, network design problems
Tactical decisions in logistics: allocation of products in storage areas, vehicle allocation in transport networks, intermodal transport planning
Operational decisions in logistics: bin packing problems, vehicle routing and vehicle scheduling problems for freight distribution
Ports and container terminals: main characteristics and planning problems

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The students can find all the slides used during the lectures and other teaching material on Aulaweb. In general, the notes taken during the lectures and the material available on Aulaweb are sufficient for adequately preparing for the exam. 

For an in-depth analysis of the subjects, students can consult the following texts:
- Gianpaolo Ghiani, Gilbert Laporte, Roberto Musmanno, Introduction to Logistics Systems Planning and Control, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 2004
- J. W. Böse, Handbook of Terminal Planning, Operations Research/Computer Science Interfaces Series, Springer, 2011

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/en/corsi/11160/students-timetable

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists in an oral test. During the test, the student has to discuss a project assigned by the professor. In the presentation the student must describe the modelling and implementing activity of an optimization model for a logistic problem, by discussing all the results in detail. Moreover, the student must answer some open-ended questions regarding the topics addressed in the course.

Students with certification of Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), disabilities, or other special educational needs must contact the instructor at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and examination methods that, while respecting the course objectives, take into account individual learning styles and provide appropriate compensatory tools. It is reminded that the request for compensatory/dispensatory measures for exams must be sent to the course instructor, the School representative, and the “Settore servizi per l'inclusione degli studenti con disabilità e con DSA” office (dsa@unige.it) at least 10 working days before the exam, as per the guidelines available at the link: https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam aims to verify the following aspects about the knowledge of the student:
- knowledge regarding the main decision-making problems and the related mathematical formalization and solution approaches for the organization of sustainable logistic systems activities;
- ability to formalize mathematical models for solving planning problems for logistics systems;
- ability to implement mathematical models using suitable software;
- ability to analyze results and evaluate alternative scenarios for planning and managing logistics systems.

The evaluation of the exam will consider not only the knowledge of the contents addressed in the course but also the reasoning and critical analysis skills of the student, as well as his/her capability to use a technical lexicon appropriate for the context.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Ask the professor for further information.