We present two recently released R packages, DiceKriging and DiceOptim, for the approximation and the optimization of expensive-to-evaluate deterministic functions. Following a self-contained mini tutorial on Kriging-based approximation and optimization, the functionalities of both packages are detailed and demonstrated in two distinct sections. In particular, the versatility of DiceKriging with respect to trend and noise specifications, covariance parameter estimation, as well as conditional and unconditional simulations are illustrated on the basis of several reproducible numerical experiments. We then put to the fore the implementation of sequential and parallel optimization strategies relying on the expected improvement criterion on the occasion of DiceOptim's presentation. An appendix is dedicated to complementary mathematical and computational details.

Over the past few years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones, have been adopted as part of a new logistic method in the commercial sector called "last-mile delivery". In this novel approach, they are deployed alongside trucks to deliver goods to customers to improve the quality of ser-

No abstract

This paper describes the design, implementation, and applications of the constraint logic language cc(FD). cc(FD) is a declarative nondeterministic constraint logic language over nite domains based on the cc framework 33], an extension of the CLP scheme 21]. Its constraint s o l v er includes (non-linear) arithmetic constraints over natural numbers which are approximated using domain and interval consistency. The main novelty o f cc(FD) is the inclusion of a number of general-purpose combinators, in particular cardinality, constructive disjunction, and blocking implication, in conjunction with new constraint operations such as constraint e n tailment a n d generalization. These combinators signi cantly improve the operational expressiveness, extensibility, and exibility of CLP languages and allow issues such as the de nition of non-primitive constraints and disjunctions to be tackled at the language level. The implementation o f cc(FD) (about 40,000 lines of C) includes a WAM-based engine 44], optimal arc-consistency algorithms based on AC-5 40], and incremental implementation of the combinators. Results on numerous problems, including scheduling, resource allocation, sequencing, packing, and hamiltonian paths are reported and indicate that cc(FD) comes close to procedural languages on a number of combinatorial problems. In addition, a small cc(FD) program was able to nd the optimal solution and prove optimality to a famous 10/10 disjunctive s c heduling problem 29], which w as left open for more than 20 years and nally solved in 1986.

No abstract