Route generation for optimization in the Air Transport System : aircraft recovery problem and 4D trajectory planning

Abstract

First and foremost, I thank my parents, Qian Rongchang and Yuan Zhaohua, who gave me life and raised me up in spite of all the difficulties. I am also deeply indebted to my fiancée, Cao Yin, her parents, Cao Di and Qian Ming, and her grandmother, Shen Guanbai. I could never have reached so far in my study without their firm support and confidence in me, even during the time I was in doubt of myself. I also thank my uncles and aunties, Yuan Yuehua and He Liqun, Yuan Jianjun and Ma Yuan, and, particularly, Yuan Jianmin and Hong Qin, who are always willing to give me their kind help. This dissertation is dedicated to my beloved grandparents, Qian Hao and Cui Yonglan and Yuan Gensheng and Jiang Shizhen, as well. I am so fortunate that I have been helped by so many significant professors during my Ph.D. study. I am extremely grateful to my supervisor, Prof Chen Chun-Hsien, for his profound knowledge, patient guidance, and heartwarming encouragement. In addition, my sincere thanks go to my co-supervisor, Prof Chen Songlin, for his insightful suggestion on research and career. I would also express my great gratitude to Prof Duan Fei, for his wisdom and care, which solved my confusion and anxiety in my dark time. What's more, I am privileged to have Prof Wen Changyun and Prof Jitamitra Desai as my thesis advisory committee members, and the discussions with Prof Nie Xiaofeng are always helpful. I will never forget Prof Mao Jianfeng, who brought me to Nanyang Technological University, got me start this marvelous Ph.D. journey, and continued to offer his generous help to me ever after. Moreover, I would like to extend my special thanks to Prof Liang Zhe, who kindly invited me to do research at Tongji University in Shanghai for one year. It is one year full of my best memories. I am eternally grateful for the teaching and training that I received during that period of time. Finally, my biggest thanks to my dear friends I have ever made in Singapore and Shanghai during my Ph.D. life. They are Yang Changpeng,