Lower and upper bounds for the two-echelon capacitated location-routing problem

In this paper, we introduce two algorithms to address the two-echelon capacitated location-routing problem (2E-CLRP). We introduce a branch-and-cut algorithm based on the solution of a new two-index vehicle-flow formulation, which is strengthened with several families of valid inequalities. We also propose an adaptive large-neighbourhood search (ALNS) meta-heuristic with the objective of finding good-quality solutions quickly. The computational results on a large set of instances from the literature show that the ALNS outperforms existing heuristics. Furthermore, the branch-and-cut method provides tight lower bounds and is able to solve small- and medium-size instances to optimality within reasonable computing times.     

A multi-start evolutionary local search for the two-dimensional loading capacitated vehicle routing problem

This paper addresses an extension of the capacitated vehicle routing problem where customer demand is composed of two-dimensional weighted items (2L-CVRP). The objective consists in designing a set of trips minimizing the total transportation cost with a homogenous fleet of vehicles based on a depot node. Items in each vehicle trip must satisfy the two-dimensional orthogonal packing constraints. A GRASP×ELS algorithm is proposed to compute solutions of a simpler problem in which the loading constraints are transformed into resource constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP) constraints. We denote this relaxed problem RCPSP-CVRP. The optimization framework deals with RCPSP-CVRP and lastly RCPSP-CVRP solutions are transformed into 2L-CVRP solutions by solving a dedicated packing problem. The effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated through computational experiments including both classical CVRP and 2L-CVRP instances. Numerical experiments show that the GRASP×ELS approach outperforms all previously published methods.     

A GRASP with evolutionary path relinking for the truck and trailer routing problem

In the truck and trailer routing problem (TTRP) a heterogeneous fleet composed of trucks and trailers has to serve a set of customers, some only accessible by truck and others accessible with a truck pulling a trailer. This problem is solved using a route-first, cluster-second procedure embedded within a hybrid metaheuristic based on a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP), a variable neighborhood search (VNS) and a path relinking (PR). We test PR as a post-optimization procedure, as an intensification mechanism, and within evolutionary path relinking (EvPR). Numerical experiments show that all the variants of the proposed GRASP with path relinking outperform all previously published methods. Remarkably, GRASP with EvPR obtains average gaps to best-known solutions of less than 1% and provides several new best solutions.     

An iterated local search heuristic for the split delivery vehicle routing problem

This paper concerns the Split Delivery Vehicle Routing Problem (SDVRP). This problem is a relaxation of the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP) since the customers׳ demands are allowed to be split. We deal with the cases where the fleet is unlimited (SDVRP-UF) and limited (SDVRP-LF). In order to solve them, we implemented a multi-start Iterated Local Search (ILS) based heuristic that includes a novel perturbation mechanism. Extensive computational experiments were carried out on benchmark instances available in the literature. The results obtained are highly competitive, more precisely, 55 best known solutions were equaled and new improved solutions were found for 243 out of 324 instances, with an average and maximum improvement of 1.15% and 2.81%, respectively.     

A tabu search/path relinking algorithm to solve the job shop scheduling problem

We present an algorithm that incorporates a tabu search procedure into the framework of path relinking to generate solutions to the job shop scheduling problem (JSP). This tabu search/path relinking (TS/PR) algorithm comprises several distinguishing features, such as a specific relinking procedure to effectively construct a path linking the initiating solution and the guiding solution, and a reference solution determination mechanism based on two kinds of improvement methods. We evaluate the performance of TS/PR on almost all of the benchmark JSP instances available in the literature. The test results show that TS/PR obtains competitive results compared with state-of-the-art algorithms for JSP in the literature, demonstrating its efficacy in terms of both solution quality and computational efficiency. In particular, TS/PR is able to improve the upper bounds for 49 out of the 205 tested instances and it solves a challenging instance that has remained unsolved for over 20 years.     

校车路径问题的改进迭代局部搜索算法

针对考虑站点服务时间、学生最大乘车时间约束的校车路径问题(SBRP),提出一种改进迭代局部搜索(ILS)算法以提升求解质量。该算法使用大规模邻域搜索(LNS)算法作为扰动算子;在解的破坏过程中,设计一组解的破坏因子并赋以一定的选择概率,每隔若干次迭代后根据解的质量自适应更改破坏因子的选择概率,进而调整解的破坏程度。为提升ILS解的多样性,算法采用了基于偏差系数的邻域解接受准则。在国际基准测试案例上进行了测试,测试结果表明在ILS算法中使用自适应调整破坏程度的LNS扰动比常规扰动和其他破坏扰动的求解质量有大幅提升;与蚁群算法的比较结果进一步验证了改进算法的有效性。     

Tabu search with path relinking for an integrated production–distribution problem

This paper deals with the problem of integrating production and distribution planning over periods of a finite horizon. We consider a capacity-constrained plant that produces a number of items distributed by a fleet of homogenous vehicles to customers with known demand for each item in each period. The production planning defines the amount of each item produced in every period, while the distribution planning defines when customers should be visited, the amount of each item that should be delivered to customers, and the vehicle routes. The objective is to minimize production and inventory costs at the plant, inventory costs at the customers and distribution costs. We propose two tabu search variants for this problem, one that involves construction and a short-term memory, and one that incorporates a longer term memory used to integrate a path relinking procedure to the first variant. The proposed tabu search variants are tested on generated instances with up to ten items and on instances from the literature involving a single item.     

A tabu search heuristic for the truck and trailer routing problem

Two new construction heuristics and a tabu search heuristic are presented for the truck and trailer routing problem, a variant of the vehicle routing problem. Computational results indicate that the heuristics are competitive to the existing approaches. The tabu search algorithm obtained better solutions for each of 21 benchmark problems.     

Multi-start iterated local search for the periodic vehicle routing problem with time windows and time spread constraints on services

In the field of high-value shipment transportation, companies are faced to the malevolence problem. The risk of ambush increases with the predictability of vehicle routes. This paper addresses a very hard periodic vehicle routing problem with time windows, submitted by a software company specialized in transportation problems with security constraints. The hours of visits to each customer over the planning horizon must be spread in the customer's time window. As the aim is to solve real instances, the running time must be reasonable. A mixed integer linear model and a multi-start iterated local search are proposed. Results are reported on instances derived from classical benchmarks for the vehicle routing problem with time windows, and on two practical instances. Experiments are also conducted on a particular case with a single period, the vehicle routing problem with soft time windows: the new metaheuristic competes with two published algorithms and improves six best known solutions.     

Statistical analysis of distance-based path relinking for the capacitated vehicle routing problem

In this paper we develop an intelligent path relinking procedure for the capacitated vehicle routing problem, based on the relocate distance. This procedure transforms an incumbent solution into a guiding solution in a minimal number of relocate moves. In each step of the path relinking procedure, one customer is removed from the solution and re-inserted in another position.     

Solving bi-objective flow shop problem with hybrid path relinking algorithm

This paper presents and investigates different ways to integrate path relinking techniques into the hypervolume-based multi-objective local search algorithm (HBMOLS). We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of different path relinking strategies, these strategies focus on two main steps: the ways of path generation and the mechanisms of solutions selection. We propose different methods to establish the path relinking algorithms in a multi-objective context. Computational results on a bi-objective flow shop problem (FSP) and a statistical comparison are reported in the paper. In comparison with two versions of HBMOLS, the algorithms selecting a set of solutions located in the middle of the generated path are efficient. The behavior of these algorithms sheds light on ways to further improvements.     

Scatter search with path relinking for the job shop with time lags and setup times

This paper addresses the job shop scheduling problem with time lags and sequence-dependent setup times. This is an extension of the job shop scheduling problem with many applications in real production environments. We propose a scatter search algorithm which uses path relinking and tabu search in its core. We consider both feasible and unfeasible schedules in the execution, and we propose effective neighborhood structures with the objectives of reducing the makespan and regain feasibility. We also define new procedures for estimating the quality of the neighbors. We conducted an experimental study to compare the proposed algorithm with the state-of-the-art, in benchmarks both with and without setups. In this study, our algorithm has obtained very competitive results in a reduced run time.     

An iterated local search for the multi-commodity multi-trip vehicle routing problem with time windows

The Multi-Commodity Multi-Trip Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows calls for the determination of a routing planning to serve a set of customers that require products belonging to incompatible commodities. Two commodities are incompatible if they cannot be transported together into the same vehicle. Vehicles are allowed to perform several trips during the working day. The objective is to minimize the number of used vehicles.We propose an Iterated Local Search that outperforms the previous algorithm designed for the problem. Moreover, we conduct an analysis on the benefit that can be obtained introducing the multi-trip aspect at the fleet dimensioning level. Results on classical VRPTW instances show that, in some cases, the fleet can be halved.     

A hybrid variable neighborhood tabu search heuristic for the vehicle routing problem with multiple time windows

This paper presents a new hybrid variable neighborhood-tabu search heuristic for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Multiple Time windows. It also proposes a minimum backward time slack algorithm applicable to a multiple time windows environment. This algorithm records the minimum waiting time and the minimum delay during route generation and adjusts the arrival and departure times backward. The implementation of the proposed heuristic is compared to an ant colony heuristic on benchmark instances involving multiple time windows. Computational results on newly generated instances are provided.     

多目标同时取送货选址–路径问题的多起点变邻域搜索算法

为使同时取送货的选址–路径问题(LRPSPD)的总成本和各路径间最大长度差最小化, 建立同时考虑车辆容量和行驶里程约束的LRPSPD双目标模型. 采用多蚁群算法构造多个以信息素为关联的初始解, 作为多目标变邻域搜索算法搜索的多个起点, 构造四类邻域结构进行变邻域搜索, 并根据最新获得的最优邻域解更新蚂蚁信息素,从而使蚁群算法产生的多个初始解间、以及初始解与变邻域搜索产生的解之间均存在正向影响关系. 用该算法求得文献中4组共128个算例的近似Pareto解集, 结果证明了最小化路径间最大长度差目标对于节点及需求分布不集中算例的重要意义. 以绝对偏向最小化总成本的解与文献中仅最小化总成本的几种算法的算例结果进行比较, 结果表明算法可在极短的运行时间里求得权衡各目标的Pareto解, 并使最小总成本目标值具有竞争性.     

An iterated local search algorithm for the permutation flowshop problem with total flowtime criterion

An ILS algorithm is proposed to solve the permutation flowshop sequencing problem with total flowtime criterion. The effects of different initial permutations and different perturbation strengths are studied. Comparisons are carried out with three constructive heuristics, three ant-colony algorithms and a particle swarm optimization algorithm. Experiments on benchmarks and a set of random instances show that the proposed algorithm is more effective. The presented ILS improves the best known permutations by a significant margin.     

Genetic algorithm with iterated local search for solving a location-routing problem

This paper deals with a location routing problem with multiple capacitated depots and one uncapacitated vehicle per depot. We seek for new methods to make location and routing decisions simultaneously and efficiently. For that purpose, we describe a genetic algorithm (GA) combined with an iterative local search (ILS). The main idea behind our hybridization is to improve the solutions generated by the GA using a ILS to intensify the search space. Numerical experiments show that our hybrid algorithm improves, for all instances, the best known solutions previously obtained by the tabu search heuristic.     

Iterated local search for the team orienteering problem with time windows

A personalised electronic tourist guide assists tourists in planning and enjoying their trip. The planning problem that needs to be solved, in real-time, can be modelled as a team orienteering problem with time windows (TOPTW). In the TOPTW, a set of locations is given, each with a score, a service time and a time window. The goal is to maximise the sum of the collected scores by a fixed number of routes. The routes allow to visit locations at the right time and they are limited in length. The main contribution of this paper is a simple, fast and effective iterated local search meta-heuristic to solve the TOPTW. An insert step is combined with a shake step to escape from local optima. The specific shake step implementation and the fast evaluation of possible improvements, produces a heuristic that performs very well on a large and diverse set of instances. The average gap between the obtained results and the best-known solutions is only 1.8% and the average computation time is decreased with a factor of several hundreds. For 31 instances, new best solutions are computed.     

Extended guided tabu search and a new packing algorithm for the two-dimensional loading vehicle routing problem

In this paper, we develop an extended guided tabu search (EGTS) and a new heuristic packing algorithm for the two-dimensional loading vehicle routing problem (2L-CVRP). The 2L-CVRP is a combination of two well-known NP-hard problems, the capacitated vehicle routing problem, and the two-dimensional bin packing problem. It is very difficult to get a good performance solution in practice for these problems. We propose a meta-heuristic methodology EGTS which incorporates theories of tabu search and extended guided local search (EGLS). It has been proved that tabu search is a very good approach for the CVRP, and the guiding mechanism of the EGLS can help tabu search to escape effectively from local optimum. Furthermore, we have modified a collection of packing heuristics by adding a new packing heuristic to solve the loading constraints in 2L-CVRP, in order to improve the cost function significantly. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is tested, and proven by extensive computational experiments on benchmark instances.     

Improving the quality of heuristic solutions for the capacitated vertex p-center problem through iterated greedy local search with variable neighborhood descent

The capacitated vertex p-center problem is a location problem that consists of placing p facilities and assigning customers to each of these facilities so as to minimize the largest distance between any customer and its assigned facility, subject to demand capacity constraints for each facility. In this work, a metaheuristic for this location problem that integrates several components such as greedy randomized construction with adaptive probabilistic sampling and iterated greedy local search with variable neighborhood descent is presented. Empirical evidence over a widely used set of benchmark data sets on location literature reveals the positive impact of each of the developed components. Furthermore, it is found empirically that the proposed heuristic outperforms the best existing heuristic for this problem in terms of solution quality, running time, and reliability on finding feasible solutions for hard instances.