Sequential Integer Programming for Solving Curriculum-Based University Course Timetabling Problem
Mansour Hassani Abdalla1, Joe Henry Obit2, Rayner Alfred3, Kuan Yik Junn4
1Mansour Hassani Abdalla, Department of Computing and Informatic, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, F.T. Labuan, Malaysia.
2Joe Henry Obit, Department of Computing and Informatics, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, F.T. Labuan, Malaysia.
3Rayner Alfred, Department of Computing and Informatics, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
4Kuan Yik Junn, Student, Department of Computing and Informatics, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
Manuscript received on 21 August 2019 | Revised Manuscript received on 11 September 2019 | Manuscript Published on 17 September 2019 | PP: 1455-1462 | Volume-8 Issue-2S8 August 2019 | Retrieval Number: B10820882S819/2019©BEIESP | DOI: 10.35940/ijrte.B1082.0882S819
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: This research propose two stages sequential integer programming (IP) approach for solving curriculum-based university course timetabling problems (CB-UTT) in University Malaysia Sabah, Labuan international campus (UMSLIC). Like other timetabling problems, CB-UTT in UMSLIC has its own rules and features. The problem involves several hard constraints which need to be fully satisfied and soft constraints which satisfaction are very highly desirable. In this research mathematical formulation and two stages sequential IP search methodology based on UMSLIC is proposed. The IP search methodology is tested over two real-world instances, semester 1, session 2016/2017 and semester 2, session 2016/2017. The objective of this research is to generate high quality feasible CB-UTT which satisfies all peoples affected by the timetable. The results show that, the IP formulation proposed in this research is able to produce feasible solution in the first stage, and further improve by 10.99% and 8.92% respectively by solving soft constraints in the second stage without violating any hard constraints solved in the first stage. This IP approach is applicable towards the CB-UTT in UMSLIC.
Keywords: Curriculum Course Timetabling, Integer Programming, Mathematical Formulation.
Scope of the Article: Logic, Functional programming and Microcontrollers for IoT