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Particle swarm optimization algorithm for a vehicle routing problem with heterogeneous fleet, mixed backhauls, and time windows

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Abstract

Today, companies need to collect and to deliver goods from and to their depots and their customers. This problem is described as a Vehicle Routing Problem with Mixed Linehaul and Backhaul customers (VRPMB). The goods delivered from the depot to the customers can be alternated with the goods picked up. Other variants of VRP added to VRPMB are Heterogeneous fleet and Time Windows. This paper studies a complex VRP called HVRPMBTW which concerns a logistic/transport society, a problem rarely studied in literature. In this paper, we propose a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) with a local search. This approach has shown its effectiveness on several combinatorial problems. The adaptation of this approach to the problem studied is explained and tested on the benchmarks. The results are compared with our previous methods and they show that in several cases PSO improves the results.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Charles Delaunay-OSI, University of Technology of Troyes, 12, rue Marie Curie, 10010, Troyes, France

    Farah Belmecheri, Christian Prins, Farouk Yalaoui & Lionel Amodeo

  2. TCP Distribution, 116 route d’Auxerre, 10120, Saint André les Vergers, France

    Farah Belmecheri

Authors
  1. Farah Belmecheri
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  2. Christian Prins
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  3. Farouk Yalaoui
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  4. Lionel Amodeo
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Correspondence to Farah Belmecheri.

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Belmecheri, F., Prins, C., Yalaoui, F. et al. Particle swarm optimization algorithm for a vehicle routing problem with heterogeneous fleet, mixed backhauls, and time windows. J Intell Manuf 24, 775–789 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-012-0627-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-012-0627-8

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