International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET)

Volume 8, Issue 10, October 2017, pp. 35–41, Article ID: IJMET_08_10_005
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=8&IType=10
ISSN Print: 0976-6340 and ISSN Online: 0976-6359

© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed

ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE SERVER FUZZY

QUEUEING MODEL USING α – CUTS
N. Sujatha
Department of Mathematics, Aditya Engineering College,
Surampalem, Andhra Pradesh, India

V. S. N. Murthy Akella
Department of Mathematics, School of Advanced Sciences,
VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India

G. V. S. R. Deekshitulu
Professor, Department of Mathematics, JNTUK, Kakinada,
Andhra Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT:
In the present research paper, it is worked with fuzzy queueing models with single
and multi-servers with triangular fuzzy numbers with the help of α – cut method. Both
arrival rate and service rate are supposed to be of fuzzy nature. Also, it is presumed
that the arrival rate follows Poisson distribution and service rate follows Erlang –k
( E k ) distribution. Fuzzy queues are more vivid than the discrete queues which are
generally considered in reality. In addition, extension of queues associating with fuzzy
logic increases their practicability. Various performance measures of the queueing
models are interpreted in triangular fuzzy numbers. Also the efficacy of the model is
projected by making use of DSW algorithm in various situations.
Keywords: Triangular fuzzy numbers, α-cuts, DSW algorithm, Erlang–k distribution.
Cite this Article: N. Sujatha, V. S. N. Murthy Akella and G. V. S. R. Deekshitulu,
Analysis of Multiple Server Fuzzy Queueing Model using α – cuts, International
Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology 8(10), 2017, pp. 35–41.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=8&IType=10

1 INTRODUCTION:
Queueing models have wider range of applications in service organizations as well as in
manufacturing firms, where customers receive service by different kinds of servers in
accordance with the queue discipline. In particular, the inter arrival times and service times
are restricted to follow specific probability distributions.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 35 editor@iaeme.com
 N. Sujatha, V. S. N. Murthy Akella and G. V. S. R. Deekshitulu

Erlang introduced queueing theory in 1909. Efficient methods have been developed for
analyzing the queueing system when the arrival rate and service rate of customers are avowed.
But in practical applications when the arrival rate and service rate are not confessed
numerically but are described by linguistic terms such as accelerate, medium, decelerate etc.,
it is very complicated to evaluate the performance measures of such a queueing system using
Statistical theory. To deal with such queues, Zadeh[1] introduced the concept of Fuzziness.
Fuzzy queueing model was first introduced by Timothy Rose [2] R.J.Lie [3]. Later many
authors like J.J.Buckley[4], Negi et al[5] ,S.P.Chen [6][7], improved the above model.
Recently, W.Ritha et al [8][9], R.Srinivasan [11], S.Shanmuga Sundaram et al[12],
S.Thamotharan [13] ,Mohammed Shapique.A,[14] analysed fuzzy queueing models using
DSW algorithm. W.Ritha et al[9] analysed Fuzzy N policy queues with infinite capacity.
R.Srinivasan[11] implemented DSW algorithm for the brief description of his fuzzy queueing
model. S. Shanmuugasundaram et al [12] studied fuzzy queueing model with multiple servers
using the same algorithm and also executed its performance measures. Also, S.
Thamotharan[13] worked on multi server fuzzy queueing model using α-cuts.
In all the queueing models analysed above arrival rate and service rate exhibits Poisson
distribution and exponential distribution respectively. Recently, Mohammed Shapique.A, [14]
analysed Erlang service queueing model with single server using DSW Algorithm. Also,
Ekpenyong et al [10] derived the formulae for finding characteristics of single queue
multiserver queue with multiple phases which are projected in section 4 of the present paper.

2. PERSPECTIVE OF THE QUEUEING MODEL:

In real life, the service rate is not always confined to exponential distribution and to single
phase. In daily life situations like treating patients in hospitals, in manufacturing of products
in factories, we see the queues where the customer is served in various phases and at the end
of all phases only the customer is said to be served completely. Keeping this in view, a
queueing model with k-phases is studied. Also, when the inter arrival time of customers is
small then the queueing model will become prominent with multiple servers than with single
server. To elevate the significance of a queueing model offering service to the customers in
phases, a study on multi server fuzzy queueing model in which arrival rate emulate
exponential distribution and service rate follow Erlang-k ( E k ) distribution has been carried out
in the current paper. Also, various performance measures such as Lq , Wq , Ls , Ws for various α-
cuts have been calculated by means of writing a program in Mathematica 6.0 and listed out in
tables.

3. PRELIMINARIES:
3.1. Fuzzy Set:
A fuzzy set is an ordered pair ( A, f A ) where ‘A’ is a set and f A : A 
→[0,1] is a membership
function.

3.2. Triangular fuzzy number:

A triangular fuzzy number A* is a 3-tuple ( p1 , p 2 , p3 ) where pi ∈ R; i = 1,2,3. Its membership
function is

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 36 editor@iaeme.com
 Analysis of Multiple Server Fuzzy Queueing Model using α – cuts

0, x < p1
 x− p
 1
, p1 ≤ x ≤ p 2
*
 p 2 − p1
φ A ( x) = 
 p3 − x , p ≤ x ≤ p
 p3 − p 2 2 3


0, x > p3

3.3. Alpha cut interval:

Alpha cut interval Aα of triangular fuzzy numbers can be obtained from its membership
function using the following procedure.
x − p1 p3 − x
=α =α
First, we let p 2 − p1 and p 3 − p 2 .
Solving the above equations, we obtain x = ( p2 − p1 )α + p1 , x = ( p 2 − p3 )α + p3 . We
define Aα as
Aα = [ p1α , p 2α ] = [( p 2 − p 1 )α + p1 , ( p 2 − p 3 )α + p 3 ]

3.4. Strong α-cut:

A strong α-cut of a fuzzy set A is a crisp set constituted by all the elements of X whose
membership value in A exceeds α and is symbolized as α*A={x/A(x)>α}.

3.5. Weak α-cut:

A crisp set constructed by including all the elements of X for which the value of membership
function in A is not less than α is said to be weak α-cut of fuzzy set A and is denoted as
α A** = {x / A( x) ≥ α }

4. DESCRIPTION OF QUEUEING MODEL:

In this section, it is explained about a multiple server queueing model where both arrival rate
and service rate are of fuzzy nature. In this model, arrival rate possess Poisson distribution
and service rate satisfy Erlang – k distribution. It consists of ‘s’ number of service channels
and a chain of ‘k’ similar stages gaining an average service time 1/sµ individually. The
distribution of total servicing time of customers in the system is some joint distribution of
time in all these stages. Each customer to be served enters the system in first phase before
proceeding to the second phase up to kth phase. The assumption is that a new service does not
start until a customer completes all k-phases. Moreover, the discipline followed in the queue
is first come first served and it accepts the service of infinite number of customers. The
present model is denoted as ( M / E k / s ) : (∞ / FCFS )

4.1. Characteristics of ( M / E k / s) : (∞ / FCFS ) :

Let the number of arrivals and the number of services per unit time be l, m respectively. Then
the the characteristics of the current queueing model can be determined with the help of
following formulae.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 37 editor@iaeme.com
 N. Sujatha, V. S. N. Murthy Akella and G. V. S. R. Deekshitulu

(1) The number of customers expected to be in the queue is

(k + 1)l 2
Lq =
2ksm( sm − l )
(2) The time expected to be spent by the customer in the queue,
Lq
Wq =
l
(3) Expected time a customer waits in the system
1
Ws = Wq +
sm
(4) Expected number of customers in the system
Ls = lWs

5. DSW ALGORITHM:
We implement the below steps in DSW Algorithm
(a) For every α, we choose alpha cut value.
(b) Corresponding to these α, the intervals in the input membership functions are to be
ascertained.
(c) By making use of standard operations of binary intervals, the interval for the output
membership functions are to be assessed.
(d)Steps (a), (b) and (c) are to be iterated to finish α cut representation of the solution for
distinct values of α.

6 NUMERICAL EXAMPLES:
6.1 Triangular Fuzzy numbers:
Consider a (M / E K / S ) queue, where both the arrival rate and service rate are triangular
fuzzy numbers represented by λ* = [2,3,4] & µ * = [8,9,10] . The confidence interval at a
particular level for arrival rate is [ 2 + α ,4 − α ] and for service rate is [8 + α ,10 − α ] . All the
performance measures of the present queueing model such as Lq , Wq , Ls , Ws are calculated at
all the possible values within the confidence interval are calculated by writing a program
using Mathematica 6.0 and some of those values are listed in the following tables.

Table 1 Performance measures of (M / E2 / 1) : (∞ / FCFS) queue at various values of α

α Lq Wq Ws Ls
0 [0.0375 0.3223] [0.0187 0.0848] [0.1187 0.2098] [0.2375 0.7973]
0.2 [0.0487 0.2576] [0.0221 0.0715] [0.1241 0.1935] [0.2732 0.6967]
0.4 [0.0625 0.2064] [0.0260 0.0607] [0.1302 0.1797] [0.3125 0.6111]
0.6 [0.0793 0.1653] [0.0305 0.0516] [0.1368 0.1679] 0.3559 0.5374]
0.8 [0.1025 0.1558] [0.0366 0.0487] [0.1465 0.1623] [0.4102 0.5194]
1 [0.125 0.125] [0.0416 0.0416] [0.1527 0.1527] [0.4583 0.4583]

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 38 editor@iaeme.com
 Analysis of Multiple Server Fuzzy Queueing Model using α – cuts

Table2: Performance measures of ( M / E3 / 1) : (∞ / FCFS ) queue at various values of α .

α Lq Wq Ws Ls
0 [0.0333 0.2865] [0.0166 0.0753] [0.1166 0.2003] [0.2333 0.7615]
0.2 [0.0433 0.2290] [0.0196 0.0636] [0.1217 0.1855] [0.2678 0.6680]
0.4 [0.0555 0.1834] [0.0231 0.0539] [0.1273 0.1730] [0.3055 0.5882]
0.6 [0.0705 0.1470] [0.0271 0.0459] [0.1335 0.1622] [0.3471 0.5190]
0.8 [0.0911 0.1385] [0.0325 0.4329] [0.1424 0.1569] [0.3471 0.5021]
1 [0.111 0.111] [0.0370 0.0370] [0.1481 0.1481] [0.4444 0.4444]

Table 3 Performance measures of (M / E 2 / 2) : (∞ / FCFS) queue at various values of α

α Lq Wq Ws Ls
0 [0.0083 0.0554] [0.0041 0.0146] [0.0541 0.077] [0.10830.2929]
0.2 [0.0106 0.0463] [0.0048 0.0128] [0.0558 0.0738] [0.1228 0.2658]
0.4 [0.0133 0.0385] [0.0055 0.0113] [0.0576 0.0708] [0.1383 0.2408]
0.6 [0.0166 0.0318] [0.0064 0.0099] [0.0595 0.0681] [0.1549 0.2179]
0.8 [0.2048 0.0262] [0.0073 0.0087] [0.0616 0.0655] [0.1726 0.1967]
1 [0.025 0.025] [0.0083 0.0083] [0.0638 0.0638] [0.1916 0.1916]

Table 4 Performance measures of ( M / E / 3) : (∞ / FCFS ) queue at various values of α .

5

α Lq Wq Ws Ls
0 [0.0028 0.0178] [0.0014 0.0047] [0.0347 0.0463] [0.0695 0.1762]
0.2 [0.0036 0.0150] [0.0016 0.0041] [0.0356 0.0448] [0.0784 0.1613]
0.4 [0.0045 0.0126] [0.0018 0.0037] [0.0366 0.0433] [0.0878 0.1475]
0.6 [0.0056 0.0105] [0.0021 0.0032] [0.0376 0.0420] [0.0978 0.1345]
0.8 [0.0068 0.0087] [0.0024 0.0029] [0.0386 0.0407] [0.1083 0.1223]
1 [0.0083 0.0083] [0.0027 0.0027] [0.0398 0.0398] [0.1194 0.1194]

Table 5 Performance measures of ( M / E k / 1) : (∞ / FCFS ) queue at

α = 1 and for different values of k .
k Lq Wq Ws Ls
2 0.1250 0.04166 0.1527 0.4583
3 0.1111 0.03703 0.1481 0.4444
4 0.1041 0.03472 0.1458 0.4375
5 0.1000 0.03333 0.1444 0.4333
6 0.0972 0.03240 0.4351 0.4305

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 39 editor@iaeme.com
 N. Sujatha, V. S. N. Murthy Akella and G. V. S. R. Deekshitulu

Table 6 Performance measures of ( M / E k / 5) : (∞ / FCFS ) queue at

α = 1 and for different values of k
k Lq Wq Ws Ls
2 0.0035 0.0019 0.0234 0.0702
4 0.0029 0.00099 0.0232 0.0696
6 0.0027 0.00092 0.02314 0.0694
8 0.00267 0.00089 0.02311 0.0693
10 0.00262 0.00087 0.02309 0.0692

Table 7 Performance measures of ( M / E3 / s) : (∞ / FCFS ) queue at

α = 1 nd for different values of s
s Lq Wq Ws Ls
2 0.0222 0.0074 0.0629 0.1888
4 0.0051 0.0016 0.0294 0.0883
6 0.0022 0.0007 0.0192 0.0577
8 0.0012 0.0004 0.0142 0.0428
10 0.0007 0.0002 0.0113 0.0341

7. CONCLUSION:
In this paper, it is analyzed that a fuzzy queueing model when arrival rate follows exponential
distribution and service rate follows Erlang –k ( E k ) using triangular fuzzy numbers. Here
both arrival and service rates are of fuzzy nature. Also performance measures such as
Lq , Wq , Ls , Ws of the above queueing model for various values of α are computed. Also, it is
discussed in brief about the effect of k on Lq , Wq , Ls , Ws in the case when arrival and service
rates are triangular fuzzy numbers. From table 6, it is observed that the effect of k on Ws is
negligible. Also, from table 7, it is observed that as s increases, Lq , Wq , Ls , Ws decreases. This
means that the performance of queueing model with phases can be improved by increasing the
number of servers suitably. In future, we can analyse the queueing models with restrictions on
capacitance and for various queue disciplines.

REFERENCES:
[1] Zadeh L.A., Fuzzy Sets as basis for a theory of possibility, Fuzzy Sets and
Systems,1(1),3-28, 1978.
[2] Timothy Rose., Fuzzy Logic and its applications to engineering, Wiley Eastern Publishers.
Yovgav, R.R, A Characterization of the Extension Principle, Fuzzy Sets and Systems 18:
71 – 78, 1986.
[3] Li. R.J and Lee E.S., Analysis of fuzzy queues, Computers and Mathematics with
Applications, 17(7), 1143-1147, 1989.
[4] Buckley, J.J., Elementary queueing theory based on possibility theory, Fuzzy Sets and
Systems 37, 43-52, 1990.
[5] Nege D.S. and Lee. E.S., Analysis and Simulation of Fuzzy Queue, Fuzzy Sets and
Systems 46, 321-330, 1992.
[6] Chen S.P., Parametric non-linear programming approach to fuzzy queues with bulk
service, European Journal of Operational Research 163, 434-444, 2004.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 40 editor@iaeme.com
 Analysis of Multiple Server Fuzzy Queueing Model using α – cuts

[7] Chen S.P., A mathematics programming approach to the machine interference problem
with fuzzy parameters, Applied Mathematics and Computation 174, 374-387, 2006.
[8] W. Ritha and Lilly Robert., Fuzzy Queues with priority Discipline, Applied Mathematical
Sciences, 4(12)575-582, 2010.
[9] W. Ritha and B. Sreelekha Menon., Fuzzy N policy Queues with Infinite Capacity,
Journal of Physical Sciences, 15, 73-82,2011.
[10] Ekpenyong, Emmanuel John Udoh, Nse Sunday, Analysis of Multi-Server Single Queue
System with Multiple Phases, Pak. j. Stat. Oper. Res, 305-314,VII(2.2), 2011.
[11] R. Srinivasan., Fuzzy Queueing Model using DSW Algorithm, Int.Jour. of Advanced
Research in Mathematics and Applications, 1(1),57-62,2014.
[12] S. Shanmuga Sundaram and B. B. Venkatesh., Fuzzy Multi Server Queueing Model
through DSW Algorithm, Int. Jour. of Latest Trends in Engineering and Technology, 452-
457,2015.
[13] S. Thamotharan., A Study on Multi Server Fuzzy Queueing Model in Triangular and
Trapezoidal fuzzy numbers using α cuts, Int. Jour. of Science and Research, 226-230,
5(1), 2016.
[14] Mohammed Shapique.A.,Fuzzy Queue with Erlang Service Model using DSW Algorithm,
Int. Jour. of Engineering Sciences & Research Technology,50-54,5(1), 2016.
[15] Dr. K. Prasadh, R. Senthilkumar, Nonhomogeneous Network Traffic Control System
Using Queueing Theory, International Journal of Computer Engineering & Technology
(IJCET), Volume 3, Issue 3, October - December (2012), pp. 394-405

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 41 editor@iaeme.com