The robust vehicle routing problem with time windows

This paper addresses the robust vehicle routing problem with time windows. We are motivated by a problem that arises in maritime transportation where delays are frequent and should be taken into account. Our model only allows routes that are feasible for all values of the travel times in a predetermined uncertainty polytope, which yields a … Read more

A Dynamic Traveling Salesman Problem with Stochastic Arc Costs

We propose a dynamic traveling salesman problem (TSP) with stochastic arc costs motivated by applications, such as dynamic vehicle routing, in which a decision’s cost is known only probabilistically beforehand but is revealed dynamically before the decision is executed. We formulate the problem as a dynamic program (DP) and compare it to static counterparts to … Read more

Algorithms for the Cross-dock Door Assignment Problem

In a cross-dock facility, goods are moved by forklift from incoming truck platforms (strip doors) to temporary holding areas and then to outgoing truck platforms (stack doors) or directly from strip doors to stack doors. Costs within the cross-dock may be minimized by appropriate assignment of strip doors to incoming trucks and stack doors to … Read more

Solving Bin Packing Related Problems Using an Arc Flow Formulation

We present a new method for solving bin packing problems, including two-constraint variants, based on an arc flow formulation with side constraints. Conventional formulations for bin packing problems are usually highly symmetric and provide very weak lower bounds. The arc flow formulation proposed provides a very strong lower bound, and is able to break symmetry … Read more

Improved Load Plan Design Through Integer Programming Based Local Search

We present integer programming models of the service network design problem faced by less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation carriers, and a solution approach for the large-scale instances that result in practical applications. To accurately represent freight consolidation opportunities, the models use a fine discretization of time. Furthermore, the models simultaneously route freight and empty trailers, and … Read more

Layered Formulation for the Robust Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows

This paper studies the vehicle routing problem with time windows where travel times are uncertain and belong to a predetermined polytope. The objective of the problem is to find a set of routes that services all nodes of the graph and that are feasible for all values of the travel times in the uncertainty polytope. … Read more

Large Neighborhood Search for LNG Inventory Routing

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is steadily becoming a common mode for commercializing natural gas. Due to the capital intensive nature of LNG projects, the optimal design of LNG supply chains is extremely important from a profitability perspective. Motivated by the need for a model that can assist in the design analysis of LNG supply chains, … Read more

Global optimization of pipe networks by the interval analysis approach: the Belgium network case

We show that global optimization techniques, based on interval analysis and constraint propagation, succeed in solving the classical problem of optimization of the Belgium gas network. Citation Published as Inria Research report RR-7796, November 2011. Article Download View Global optimization of pipe networks by the interval analysis approach: the Belgium network case

Improving Robust Rolling Stock Circulation in Rapid Transit Networks

The routing of the rolling stock depends strongly on the rolling stock assignment to di erent opera- tions and the shunting schedule. Therefore, the integration of these decision making is justi ed and is appropriate to introduce robustness in the model. We propose a new approach to obtain better circula- tions of the rolling stock material, solving … Read more

Stochastic approaches for solving Rapid Transit Network Design models with random demand

We address rapid transit network design problems characterized by uncertainty in the input data. Network design has a determinant impact on the future e ective- ness of the system. Design decisions are made with a great degree of uncertainty about the conditions under which the system will be required to operate. The de- mand is one … Read more