textThis dissertation details an algorithm to solve the Airlift Loading Problem
(ALP). Given a set of cargo to be transported from an aerial port of embarkation
to one or more aerial ports of debarkation, the ALP seeks to pack the cargo items
onto pallets (if necessary), partition the set of cargo items into aircraft loads,
select an efficient and effective set of aircraft from available aircraft, and to place
the cargo in allowable positions on those aircraft. The ALP differs from most
partitioning and packing problems described in the literature because, in addition
to spatial constraints, factors such as allowable cabin load, balance, and temporal
restrictions on cargo loading availability and cargo delivery requirements must be
considered. While classical methods would be forced to attack such problems in a
hierarchical fashion by solving a sequence of related subproblems, this research
develops an algorithm to simultaneously solve the combined problem by
employing an advanced tabu search approach.Operations Research and Industrial Engineerin
