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The Mathematical Modelling and Simulation research group has a long history in providing decision support to clients, using the scientific approach to problem-solving in various domains. Such key solutions include, amongst others, demand forecasting; location/allocation modelling; scheduling; simulation and optimisation of supply chains or elements thereof; inventory control; crime analysis and mapping; and energy modelling and forecasting.
The group interacts extensively with the research groups in the competence area, and with local and international institutions.
The group's current research focus is on the following topics:
- Heuristic methods, such as Swarm Intelligence techniques (Particle Swarm Optimisation and Ant Colony Optimisation)
- Humanitarian operations research (OR) with emphasis on which OR tools and techniques can be of value in humanitarian security situations
- Complexity science, specifically as to how it can be utilised to address urban and regional dynamics problems; and
- Spatial location-allocation modelling, concentrating on how the functionality of the software package Flowmap (developed by the University of Utrecht with significant input from the CSIR and used extensively in various applications in South Africa), can be improved by utilising guidelines formulated by means of statistical analysis of data.
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