Project 1

Summary: With a partner, you will explore an optimization model/case study using Pyomo.

Learning Goals

By completing this project, you will:

• Practice formulating and analyzing optimization problems on paper

• Develop proficiency in Python and Pyomo

• Analyze and discuss optimization results

• Make publication quality figures

Choosing a Problem

Select an optimization problem of interest to your team. Recommendation: choose a simple optimization problem from literature or a textbook. You want to choose an optimization problem where all of the input data/parameters are available and a model has already been formulated. Recommended resources to find examples:

• Hands-On Mathematical Optimization with Python

• ND Pyomo Cookbook

• Pyomo — Optimization Modeling in Python

• Applications of Optimization with Xpress-MP

• Introduction to Stochastic Programming

Your project must enhance or extend the source reference material. For example, if you reproduced an optimization example from a textbook, you should perform a small additional analysis to gain a new insight about the problem not already discussed in the reference. If you choose an example that already has a Pyomo implementation, you need to extend the model in some way; this ensures that everyone gets some Pyomo practice in the project.

Deliverable: Jupyter Notebook

Prepare a Jupyter notebook similar to our class examples. Your notebook should include:

• Problem definition

• Description (and possible visualization) of the data sources

• Optimization model typeset and explained

• If appropriate, a diagram to explain the problem description or optimization problem

• Degree of freedom analysis for the optimization problem

• Optimization model implemented and solved in Pyomo

• Analysis including at least one visualization of the optimization solution(s)

• A short paragraph explaining how your paragraph goes beyond the reference material

• A list of references, including all sources for data, models, figures, codes, etc.

You and your partner will contribute these notebooks to the class website.

Deliverable: Class Presentation

You and your partner will give a 5-minute presentation to the class. Your presentation should:

• Clearly state the problem and summarize the input data

• Provide an overview of the optimization formulation. What type of optimization problem is it? How many variables and constraints?

• Present and analyze the optimization results

• Draw at least one conclusion from the optimization results

• Your slides should be professionally formatted including:

  • Slide numbers

  • References for all sources for data, figures, models, codes, etc. you did not create

  • Publication quality figures

  • Font large enough to see from the back of our classroom on the projector