Use of Mathematical Programming Methods for Complex Systems

Abstract

Although mathematical programming techniques can be applied to solve certain (type A) problems, they cannot be used to solve complex (type B) problems directly. Instead they can be used to generate alternative solutions that can then be evaluated by the designer and modified according to judgment and intuition. A wastewater‐treatment plant design context is used to illustrate that, although a minimum‐cost model may produce an unsatisfactory design, other model formulations