Title: A comparison of two mathematical models for earthquake relief logistics

Authors: Linet Ozdamar; Chandra Sekhar Pedamallu

Addresses: Systems Engineering Department, Yeditepe University, Kayisdagi, Kad?koy, 34755 Istanbul, Turkey. ' Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA

Abstract: This paper describes an efficient model for coordinating the logistics of emergency response activities that involve both deliveries and pickups. The proposed model is more efficient than previously published models. We show that the proposed model reduces the size of a recently published dynamic network flow model by a factor of T, where T is the length of the planning horizon. In the numerical results, we illustrate the trade-off among three objective functions that are managerially important: minimising total delay of deliveries and pickups, minimising total distance travelled and minimising the number of vehicles used in the operation.

Keywords: catastrophe logistics planning; reverse logistics; network flow models; capacitated vehicle routing; modelling; earthquake relief; relief logistics; emergency management; disaster response.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2011.043122

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2011 Vol.10 No.3, pp.361 - 373

Published online: 06 May 2015 *

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