DiPro: An Algorithm for the Packing in Product Transportation Problems with Multiple Loading and Routing Variants

摘要

The present paper approaches the loading distribution of trucks for Product Transportation as a rich problem. This is formulated with the classic Bin Packing Problem and five variants associated with a real case of study. A state of the art review reveals that related work deals with three variants at the most. Besides, they do not consider its relation with the vehicle routing problem. For the solution of this new rich problem a heuristic-deterministic algorithm was developed. It works together with a metaheuristic algorithm to assign routes and loads. The results of solving a set of real world instances show an average saving of three vehicles regarding their manual solution; this last needed 180 minutes in order to solve an instance and the actual methodology takes two minutes. On average, the demand was satisfied in 97.45%. As future work the use of a non deterministic algorithm is intended.