Title: Application of autonomous control in event logistics

Authors: Florian Harjes; Bernd Scholz-Reiter

Addresses: LogDynamics – Bremen Research Cluster for Dynamics in Logistics, University of Bremen, c/o BIBA – Bremer Institut für Produktion und Logistik GmbH, Hochschulring 20, 28359 Bremen, Germany ' University of Bremen, Bibliothekstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany

Abstract: The complexity and dynamics of logistic systems continuously increase. As a result, the established planning and control approaches reach their limits. This paper introduces a concept based on the paradigm of autonomous control that deals with the problems related to the resource allocation under complex and dynamic circumstances. At this, the paper focuses on the field of event management to demonstrate the shift to a decentralised control by adapting and combining several autonomous control methods. The overall objective is an autonomously controlled distribution system for rental articles in event logistics, including a process mapping, the development of an autonomously controlled target process as well as a description of the overall system. The paper further includes a description of the implementation proceeding, first simulation-based performance measurements and an efficiency analysis. All aspects of the approach are clarified by means of an example company from the given field of application.

Keywords: event logistics; rental articles; autonomous control; system integration; efficiency analysis; agent-based simulation; information and communications technology; ICT; information technology; route planning; autonomous decision making; resource allocation; agent-based systems; multi-agent systems; MAS; decentralised control; process mapping; event management; public events; private events; Germany; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2015.071542

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2015 Vol.22 No.2, pp.171 - 192

Received: 25 Mar 2014
Accepted: 17 Jul 2014

Published online: 31 Aug 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article