Hybrid iterated local search algorithm for the vehicle routing problem with lockers

In the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) with Lockers, the vertices in a graph are divided into two key subsets: a customer set and a locker set, with lockers serving as alternative delivery points for the customer’s parcel. This paper presents a generic VRP with lockers, where a customer’s parcel can be delivered either to its … Read more

Equity-Driven Workload Allocation for Crowdsourced Last-Mile Delivery

Crowdshipping, a rapidly growing approach in Last-Mile Delivery (LMD), relies on independent crowdworkers for delivery orders. Building a sustainable network of crowdshippers is essential for the survival and growth of such systems, while their participation is primarily motivated by fair pay. Additionally, the financial well-being of crowdworkers is sensitive to fair compensation, especially for those … Read more

Adjustable robust optimization for fleet sizing problem in closed-loop supply chains with simultaneous delivery and pickup

The Fleet Sizing Problem (FSP) stands as a critical challenge within the realm of logistics and supply chain management, particularly in the context of Closed-Loop Supply Chains (CLSC). The significance of addressing the FSP lies in its direct impact on operational costs, resource utilization, and environmental sustainability. By effectively optimizing fleet size, organizations can streamline … Read more

Optimization Over Trained Neural Networks: Taking a Relaxing Walk

Besides training, mathematical optimization is also used in deep learning to model and solve formulations over trained neural networks for purposes such as verification, compression, and optimization with learned constraints. However, solving these formulations soon becomes difficult as the network size grows due to the weak linear relaxation and dense constraint matrix. We have seen … Read more

Exact Solutions for the NP-hard Wasserstein Barycenter Problem using a Doubly Nonnegative Relaxation and a Splitting Method

The simplified Wasserstein barycenter problem, also known as the cheapest hub problem, consists in selecting one point from each of \(k\) given sets, each set consisting of \(n\) points, with the aim of minimizing the sum of distances to the barycenter of the \(k\) chosen points. This problem is also known as the cheapest hub … Read more

A variable neighborhood search for the green vehicle routing problem with two-dimensional loading constraints and split delivery

We address the Green Vehicle Routing Problem with Two-Dimensional Loading Constraints and Split Delivery (G2L-SDVRP), which extends the split delivery vehicle routing problem to include customer demands represented by two-dimensional, rectangular items. We aim to minimize carbon dioxide (CO\(_2\)) emissions instead of travel distance, a critical issue in contemporary logistics activities. The CO\(_2\) emission rate … Read more

An Efficient Pixel-based Packing Algorithm for Additive Manufacturing Production Planning

Additive Manufacturing (AM), the technology of rapid prototyping directly from 3D digital models, has made a significant impact on both academia and industry. When facing the growing demand of AM services, AM production planning (AMPP) plays a vital role in reducing makespan and costs for AM service companies. This research focuses on the AMPP problem … Read more

Minimizing earliness-tardiness costs in supplier networks – A Just-in-time Truck Routing Problem

We consider a routing problem where orders are transported just-in-time from several suppliers to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). This implies that shipments cannot be picked up before their release date when they are ready at the supplier and should be delivered as close as possible to their due date to the OEM. Every shipment … Read more

The Combinatorial Brain Surgeon: Pruning Weights That Cancel One Another in Neural Networks

Neural networks tend to achieve better accuracy with training if they are larger — even if the resulting models are overparameterized. Nevertheless, carefully removing such excess parameters before, during, or after training may also produce models with similar or even improved accuracy. In many cases, that can be curiously achieved by heuristics as simple as … Read more