Empirical study of long-range connections in a road network offers new ingredient for navigation optimization models

Navigation problem in lattices with long-range connections has been widely studied to understand the design principles for optimal transport networks; however, the travel cost of long-range connections was not considered in previous models. We define long-range connection in a road network as the shortest path between a pair of nodes through highways and empirically analyze the travel cost properties of long-range connections. Based on the maximum speed allowed in each road segment, we observe that the time needed to travel through a long-range connection has a characteristic time Th ~ 29 min, while the time required when using the alternative arterial road path has two different characteristic times Ta ~ 13 and 41 min and follows a power law for times larger than 50 min. Using daily commuting origin–destination matrix data, we additionally find that the use of long-range connections helps people to save about half of the travel time in their daily commute. Based on the empirical results, we assign a more realistic travel cost to long-range connections in two-dimensional square lattices, observing dramatically different minimum average shortest path 〈l〉 but similar optimal navigation conditions.National Natural Science Foundation (China) (number 51208520)National Natural Science Foundation (China) (number 71071165)New England University Transportation Center (Year 23 grant)NEC Corporation of America (Funding award)Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Solomon Buchsbaum AT&T Research Fund)Central South University of Technology (China) (Shenghua Scholar Program

Optimal Decision Model of Production-Inventory with MTS and ATO Hybrid Model Considering Uncertain Demand

This paper presents an optimization decision model for a production system that comprises the hybrid make-to-stock/assemble-toorder (MTS/ATO) organization mode with demand uncertainty, which can be described as a two-stage decision model. In the first decision stage (i.e., before acquiring the actual demand information of the customer), we have studied the optimal quantities of the finished products and components, while in the second stage (i.e., after acquiring the actual demand information of the customer), we have made the optimal decision on the assignment of components to satisfy the remaining demand. The optimal conditions on production and inventory decision are deduced, as well as the bounds of the total procurement quantity of the components in the ATO phase and final products generated in the MTS phase. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the above optimal model. The findings are shown as follows: the hybrid MTS and ATO production system reduces uncertain demand risk by arranging MTS phase and ATO phase reasonably and improves the expected profit of manufacturer; applying the strategy of component commonality can reduce the total inventory level, as well as the risk induced by the lower accurate demand forecasting

Distribution Route Optimization for Electric Vehicles in Urban Cold Chain Logistics for Fresh Products under Time-Varying Traffic Conditions

Electric vehicles (EVs) have been widely used in urban cold chain logistic distribution and transportation of fresh products. In this paper, an electric vehicle routing problem (EVRP) model under time-varying traffic conditions is designed for planning the itinerary for fresh products in the urban cold chain. The object of the EVRP model is to minimize the total cost of logistic distribution that includes economic cost and fresh value loss cost. To reflect the real situation, the EVRP model considers several influencing factors, including time-varying road network traffic, road type, client’s time-window requirement, freshness of fresh products, and en route queuing for charging. Furthermore, to address the EVRP, an improved adaptive ant colony algorithm is designed. Simulation test results show that the proposed method can allow EVs to effectively avoid traffic congestion during the distribution process, reduce the total distribution cost, and improve the performance of the cold chain logistic distribution process for fresh products. Document type: Articl

An Autonomous Path Planning Method for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle based on A Tangent Intersection and Target Guidance Strategy

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) path planning enables UAVs to avoid obstacles and reach the target efficiently. To generate high-quality paths without obstacle collision for UAVs, this paper proposes a novel autonomous path planning algorithm based on a tangent intersection and target guidance strategy (APPATT). Guided by a target, the elliptic tangent graph method is used to generate two sub-paths, one of which is selected based on heuristic rules when confronting an obstacle. The UAV flies along the selected sub-path and repeatedly adjusts its flight path to avoid obstacles through this way until the collision-free path extends to the target. Considering the UAV kinematic constraints, the cubic B-spline curve is employed to smooth the waypoints for obtaining a feasible path. Compared with A*, PRM, RRT and VFH, the experimental results show that APPATT can generate the shortest collision-free path within 0.05 seconds for each instance under static environments. Moreover, compared with VFH and RRTRW, APPATT can generate satisfactory collision-free paths under uncertain environments in a nearly real-time manner. It is worth noting that APPATT has the capability of escaping from simple traps within a reasonable time

Optimization of transportation routing problem for fresh food in time-varying road network: Considering both food safety reliability and temperature control.

Study on fresh food safety reliability and temperature control has being a research focus in the fresh food cold distribution optimization study field. On this basis, optimization of transportation routing problem with time windows for fresh food in time-varying road network is studied by considering both economic cost and fresh food safety loss. A calculation method for path division strategy is designed. A food safety value loss measurement function, a metric function of energy and heat conversion a measure function of carbon emission rate are employed by considering time-varying vehicle speeds, fuel consumptions, cost of temperature control, the loss of food safety reliability and carbon emissions from transportation and temperature control. The fresh food cold chain distribution vehicle routing problem model with time windows in time-varying road network is formulated based on the objective of the distribution cost and food safety value loss minimization. According to the characteristics of the model, an adaptive improved ant colony algorithm is designed. Finally, the experimental data show that the model can effectively avoid the congestion period, reasonably control the refrigeration temperature, reduce the distribution cost, and improve food safety

Distribution Route Optimization for Electric Vehicles in Urban Cold Chain Logistics for Fresh Products under Time-Varying Traffic Conditions

Electric vehicles (EVs) have been widely used in urban cold chain logistic distribution and transportation of fresh products. In this paper, an electric vehicle routing problem (EVRP) model under time-varying traffic conditions is designed for planning the itinerary for fresh products in the urban cold chain. The object of the EVRP model is to minimize the total cost of logistic distribution that includes economic cost and fresh value loss cost. To reflect the real situation, the EVRP model considers several influencing factors, including time-varying road network traffic, road type, client’s time-window requirement, freshness of fresh products, and en route queuing for charging. Furthermore, to address the EVRP, an improved adaptive ant colony algorithm is designed. Simulation test results show that the proposed method can allow EVs to effectively avoid traffic congestion during the distribution process, reduce the total distribution cost, and improve the performance of the cold chain logistic distribution process for fresh products

An Optimal Decision Model of Production-Inventory with MTS and ATO Hybrid Model Considering Uncertain Demand

This paper presents an optimization decision model for a production system that comprises the hybrid make-to-stock/assemble-to-order (MTS/ATO) organization mode with demand uncertainty, which can be described as a two-stage decision model. In the first decision stage (i.e., before acquiring the actual demand information of the customer), we have studied the optimal quantities of the finished products and components, while in the second stage (i.e., after acquiring the actual demand information of the customer), we have made the optimal decision on the assignment of components to satisfy the remaining demand. The optimal conditions on production and inventory decision are deduced, as well as the bounds of the total procurement quantity of the components in the ATO phase and final products generated in the MTS phase. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the above optimal model. The findings are shown as follows: the hybrid MTS and ATO production system reduces uncertain demand risk by arranging MTS phase and ATO phase reasonably and improves the expected profit of manufacturer; applying the strategy of component commonality can reduce the total inventory level, as well as the risk induced by the lower accurate demand forecasting

Optimal Investment Timing and Size of a Logistics Park: A Real Options Perspective

This paper uses a real options approach to address optimal timing and size of a logistics park investment with logistics demand volatility. Two important problems are examined: when should an investment be introduced, and what size should it be? A real option model is proposed to explicitly incorporate the effect of government subsidies on logistics park investment. Logistic demand that triggers the threshold for investment in a logistics park project is explored analytically. Comparative static analyses of logistics park investment are also carried out. Our analytical results show that (1) investors will select smaller sized logistics parks and prepone the investment if government subsidies are considered; (2) the real option will postpone the optimal investment timing of logistics parks compared with net present value approach; and (3) logistic demands can significantly affect the optimal investment size and timing of logistics park investment