Title: A fuzzy optimal search approach: real applications in crisis and mine detection

Authors: Soheil Sadi-Nezhad; Alireza Sotoudeh-Anvari; Kaveh Khalili-Damghani

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, 1477893855, Iran ' Department of System and Industrial Engineering, Industrial Management Institute, Tehran, 1999915511, Iran ' Department of Industrial Engineering, South-Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, 1151863411, Iran

Abstract: The classical optimal search model is seeking to find a strategy to minimise the searching costs or time of a particular object. An object may probably present in a specific location. The detection of the object by a searcher has defined probability. All these may affect each other. So, optimal search problem has stochastic-dynamic nature. In this paper, a fuzzy search model, in which the time or cost of the search can be fuzzy parameters, is presented to minimise the cost of search. The proposed models are applied in two practical problems namely planning for lost individuals in natural disasters and mine finding. Considering the significance of resources (i.e., time and cost) of searching a particular object, the proposed fuzzy optimal search model can be applied in several cases such as detection of a mine, search for illegal computer servers, detection of oil fields, and rescuing lost people.

Keywords: classical optimal search; fuzzy optimal search; lost individuals; mine detection; search and rescue; disaster management; natural disasters; Iran; emergency management; fuzzy search; fuzzy logic; crisis management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMDM.2014.063574

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2014 Vol.13 No.3, pp.318 - 334

Received: 19 Dec 2013
Accepted: 20 Jan 2014
Published online: 24 Jul 2014 *

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