Optimizing Fibre Flow in the Forest Products Industry

FPInnovations has developed FPInterface, a software platform in which forest operations are simulated in order to estimate fibre supply costs, including harvesting and transportation. It currently has 7 sub-modules including MaxTour and FPAlloc. The goal of this project is to develop and validate optimization techniques in order to implement new sub-modules to FPInterface that will allow for more accurate scenario valuations. TruckScheduler will optimize the truck fleets schedule based on supply, demand, and drivers preferred working hour constraints, to minimize unproductive deadheading and queuing at loaders by maximizing the use of backhaul tours and synchronizing the vehicle routes in time. RoadOpt will minimizing harvesting and road construction and upgrading costs to provide mills with a continuous supply of wood products. BioPathways will calculate the socio-economic benefits of all potential bio-products manufacturing facilities in order to better use the harvested wood fibre in various forms.

Faculty Supervisor:

Louis-Martin Rousseau

Student:

James Gregory Rix

Partner:

FPInnovations

Discipline:

Mathematics

Sector:

Forestry

University:

Program: