Methods for Generating Alternative Solutions to Environmental Planning Problems

An optimization model is not a perfect representation of a complex environmental planning problem because not all important objectives can be captured in a model. Optimization models can be used in a planning process to generate planning alternatives that are good and different so that the analyst and the decision maker can examine a wide range of alternatives to gain insight and understanding. Modeling to generate alternatives (MGA) is designed to serve this purpose. Several MGA methods, a random method, a generating and screening (G&S) method and a Fuzzy HSJ method, are developed in this dissertation. This work also provides an assessment of the potential use of these MGA methods and an HSJ method for generating good and different alternative solutions; the methods are illustrated using a land use planning problem and a solid waste problem, which are formulated as linear programming models, and a wastewater treatment system planning problem, which is formulated as a mixed integer programming (MIP) model. The results show that various attractive and different plans for the problems can be obtained by using the above approaches.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Environmental Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Chang, Shoou-Yuh

• Engineering, Sanitary and Municipal

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8127562

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/66896