Title: A genetic algorithm for the generalised transportation problem

Authors: W. Ho, P. Ji

Addresses: Department of Manufacturing Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. ' Department of Manufacturing Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Abstract: The generalised transportation problem (GTP) is an extension of the linear Hitchcock transportation problem. However, it does not have the unimodularity property, which means the linear programming solution (like the simplex method) cannot guarantee to be integer. This is a major difference between the GTP and the Hitchcock transportation problem. Although some special algorithms, such as the generalised stepping-stone method, have been developed, they are based on the linear programming model and the integer solution requirement of the GTP is relaxed. This paper proposes a genetic algorithm (GA) to solve the GTP and a numerical example is presented to show the algorithm and its efficiency.

Keywords: generalised transportation problem; genetic algorithms; integer programming.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2005.006959

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2005 Vol.22 No.4, pp.190 - 197

Published online: 27 Apr 2005 *

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