Scatter search for Heterogeneous Fleet vehicle routing problem with Time Windows and Split Deliveries. / Scatter Search para problemas de roterização de veículos com frota heterogênea, janelas de tempo e entregas fracionadas.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

This thesis studies the implementation of heuristics and scatter search (SS) metaheuristic in a Heterogeneous Fleet Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows and Split Deliveries (HFVRPTWSD). The HFVRPTWSD is a combination of Heterogeneous Fleet Vehicle Routing Problem (HFVRP), Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW) and Vehicle Routing Problem with Split Deliveries (VRPSD). The problem is based in a single depot, the demand of each client can be greater than the vehicle’s capacity and beyond the time windows constraints, and there are also constraints on the vehicle capacity and vehicles type. The VRPSD was introduced in the literature by Dror e Trudeau in 1989. In the split deliveries vehicle routing problem, each client can be supplied by more than one vehicle; while in a classic vehicle routing problem (VRP) each client is supplied by only one vehicle. Thus, for the VRPSD, besides the delivery routes, the amount to be delivered to each client in each vehicle must also be determined. All the split delivery vehicle routing problems researched in the literature (VRPSD and its extensions) have as a characteristic the homogeneous fleet. Therefore, the problem studied differs from the split deliveries vehicle routing problems of the literature because it has a heterogeneous fleet. The same reasoning can be applied in heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing problem. The models will be applied in a retail market in Brazil that is supplied by a distribution center. The market has 519 stores distributed in 12 Brazilian states. The heuristics and the scatter search metaheuristic will also be applied in three benchmark problems (SOLOMON, 1987; HO AND HAUGLAND, 2004; LIU AND SHEN, 1999), aiming to evaluate the design of the algorithms for each problem. The problem consists in determining, each day, how to allocate the trucks to the stores, the amount to be delivered in each truck to each client, which one is the best route and the initial time for attending the first client, with the aim of minimizing the total distribution cost, attending the clients’ demand and respecting all the problem’s constraints. For the VRPSD and its extensions, the only metaheuristic implemented in the literature was tabu search. For the heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing problem and its extensions, only the tabu search and BATA (Back-Tracking Adaptative Threshold Accepting) metaheuristics have been implemented. The strategies proposed here consist in the implementation of constructive heuristics and the scatter search metaheuristic. The initial solutions of SS are obtained with the implementation of four constructive heuristics: saving heuristics, sequential insertion heuristic based on the ideas of Solomon (1987), sequential insertion heuristic based on the ideas of Ho e Haugland (2004) and adaptation of the sequential insertion heuristic of Dullaert et al. (2002). For the real case, it was possible to reduce the total fleet cost, when comparing to the actual solution. At some instances of the three benchmark problems, the algorithms presented similar or better results when compared to the best solutions in the literature.

ASSUNTO(S)

heuristic roteirização varejo heurística pesquisa operacional routing retail operational research

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