Title: Multi-source product distribution with disconnection constraints using swarm intelligence

Authors: Surafel Luleseged Tilahun

Addresses: Department of Mathematics, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract: Product distribution is one of the main components of supply chain management. The problem is to find the optimal way of distributing products from production centres or sources to a number of demand centres. Often these sources can be multiple. The problem can be formulated using a combinatorial optimisation model. Hence, in this paper, a multi source product distribution problem and its corresponding combinatorial optimisation model will be studied. A swarm-based metaheuristic algorithm is modified and used to find a solution for the formulated problem. Datasets are generated to be used in future studies on testing algorithms as well as comparing their performance. The paper assumes an almost equal working load for each of the trucks. Dummy demand centres are used to meet this assumption in cases where the number of demand centres is not evenly divided for the trucks. Simulation is done based on the generated datasets. Simulation results show that the approach produces promising solutions with the cost function to reduce through the iterations.

Keywords: swarm intelligence applications; product distribution; dataset; prey predator algorithm.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2023.135104

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2023 Vol.28 No.5/6, pp.389 - 409

Received: 25 Aug 2022
Accepted: 26 Apr 2023
Published online: 30 Nov 2023 *

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