Special Issues
Table of Content

Engineering Applications of Discrete Optimization and Scheduling Algorithms

Submission Deadline: 28 February 2026 View: 1620 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Frank Werner, Otto-Von-Guericke-University, Germany
Dr. Mohammad Shokouhifar, Shahid Beheshti University, Iran


Summary

Discrete optimization and scheduling algorithms are essential for addressing a wide range of complex and resource-intensive engineering problems. These algorithms excel in solving issues where decisions must be made discretely, such as scheduling tasks, allocating resources, or selecting a subset of projects. In recent years, numerous discrete optimization methods including integer programming, mixed-integer programming, graph theory, combinatorial optimization, heuristics, metaheuristics, and hyper-heuristics, have been employed to model and solve engineering problems in areas like resource allocation, design, manufacturing, logistics, and operations research. These techniques enable the efficient organization of resources, tasks, and processes, leading to optimal or near-optimal solutions. The use of discrete optimization and scheduling algorithms significantly improves decision-making and operational efficiency across various engineering domains. By leveraging these techniques, engineers can design systems that are more efficient, cost-effective, and robust, ultimately leading to better operational performance in modern engineering practices.


This Special Issue invites experts from either academia or industry to showcase the latest achievements in the applications of discrete optimization and scheduling algorithms for solving real-world problems across various engineering domains. We invite high-quality research papers and review articles on topics including, but not limited to:

· Integer and mixed-integer programming

· Combinatorial optimization problems

· Graph theory and network flows

· Exact search techniques

· Heuristic, metaheuristic, and hyper-heuristic algorithms

· Job-shop and flow-shop scheduling problems

· Project scheduling and management

· Timetabling problems

· Resource allocation problems

· Vehicle routing problems

· Just-in-time optimization for dynamic scheduling

· Manufacturing and production planning

· Healthcare and medical scheduling

· Smart cities and urban planning

· Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications

· Smart manufacturing and supply chain logistics 


Keywords

Discrete Optimization, Scheduling Algorithms, Engineering Problems, Resource Allocation, Heuristics, Metaheuristics, Hyper-heuristics

Published Papers


  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Priority-Based Scheduling and Orchestration in Edge-Cloud Computing: A Deep Reinforcement Learning-Enhanced Concurrency Control Approach

    Mohammad A Al Khaldy, Ahmad Nabot, Ahmad Al-Qerem, Mohammad Alauthman, Amina Salhi, Suhaila Abuowaida, Naceur Chihaoui
    CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.145, No.1, pp. 673-697, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.070004
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Engineering Applications of Discrete Optimization and Scheduling Algorithms)
    Abstract The exponential growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has created unprecedented challenges in data processing and resource management for time-critical applications. Traditional cloud computing paradigms cannot meet the stringent latency requirements of modern IoT systems, while pure edge computing faces resource constraints that limit processing capabilities. This paper addresses these challenges by proposing a novel Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL)-enhanced priority-based scheduling framework for hybrid edge-cloud computing environments. Our approach integrates adaptive priority assignment with a two-level concurrency control protocol that ensures both optimal performance and data consistency. The framework introduces three key innovations: (1)… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    An Adaptive Firefly Algorithm for Dependent Task Scheduling in IoT-Fog Computing

    Adil Yousif
    CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.142, No.3, pp. 2869-2892, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.059786
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Engineering Applications of Discrete Optimization and Scheduling Algorithms)
    Abstract The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as an important future technology. IoT-Fog is a new computing paradigm that processes IoT data on servers close to the source of the data. In IoT-Fog computing, resource allocation and independent task scheduling aim to deliver short response time services demanded by the IoT devices and performed by fog servers. The heterogeneity of the IoT-Fog resources and the huge amount of data that needs to be processed by the IoT-Fog tasks make scheduling fog computing tasks a challenging problem. This study proposes an Adaptive Firefly Algorithm (AFA) for… More >

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