Title: Hybrid estimation of distribution algorithm for a multiple trips fixed fleet vehicle routing problems with time windows

Authors: Jalel Euchi

Addresses: Higher Institute of Business Administration, Gafsa University, Cité universitaire, Rue Houcine Ben GADDOUR, Zarroug, 2112, Gafsa, Tunisia

Abstract: In this paper, we consider a variant of vehicle routing problem with multiple trip and time windows. In this alternative problem, we think about the scheduling of trucks to a number of customers in the presence of fixed fleet and time windows constraints. This type of problem can be described as determining a number of vehicle trips minimising total travelled distance complying with the time windows and the multiple use of vehicles. We call this problem a multiple trips fixed fleet vehicle routing problems with time windows (MTFFVRPTW). To solve this variant, a new hybrid evolutionary algorithm for transport optimisation problems, called estimation of distribution algorithm with local search is used. The proposed algorithm integrates a double structure of distribution technique, which is used to introduce the variables dependency. To evaluate our approach we provide a number of experimentation to a modified Solomon's instances for the case of multiple trips. The results show that the hybrid proposed algorithm offer a good quality solution in the term of objective functions, also in the running time.

Keywords: vehicle routing; multiple trips; time windows; estimation of distribution algorithm; truck scheduling; fixed vehicle fleet; vehicle trips; hybrid evolutionary algorithm; transport optimisation; local search.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOR.2014.065611

International Journal of Operational Research, 2014 Vol.21 No.4, pp.433 - 450

Received: 11 Dec 2012
Accepted: 03 Mar 2013
Published online: 25 Nov 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article