Heuristic Solution Approaches to the Double TSP with Multiple Stacks

This paper introduces the Double Travelling Salesman Problem with Multiple Stacks and presents three different metaheuristic approaches to its solution. The Double TSP with Multiple Stacks is concerned with determining the shortest route performing pickups and deliveries in two separated networks (one for pickups and one for deliveries) using only one container. Repacking is not allowed, instead each item can be positioned in one of several rows in the container, such that each row can be considered a LIFO stack, but no mutual constraints exist between the rows. Two different neighbourhood structures are developed for the problem and used with each of the heuristics. Finally some computational results are given along with lower bounds on the objective value.

Vehicle Routing with Cross-Docking

As part of the current trend towards optimisation of freight transport operations, cross-docking has played an increasing role in recent years, as a means of obtaining better utilisation of vehicles, thereby allowing for a reduction of total driven dis- tance. In order to make efficient use of a cross-dock it is necessary to have access to good data for the transported goods, and proper procedures for handling these data and planning the daily operation. In this paper we present an application of a transportation problem with cross-docking, and our suggested solution approach for solving the corresponding vehicle routing problem