Open-source approaches for location cover models: capabilities and efficiency

Abstract

Location cover models are aimed at siting facilities so as to provide service to demand efficiently. These models are crucial in the management, planning and decision-making of service systems in public and private sectors. As a result, location cover models have been incorporated in a range of GIS tools, either closed or open source. Among them, open-source tools are advantageous due to transparency and reproducibility. Nonetheless, the capabilities and limitations of location cover tools remain largely unknown, necessitating further investigation and assessment. To this end, this paper provides an overview of the open-source tools that are capable of structuring and solving location cover models. Case studies are provided to demonstrate access of location models through different open-source tools as well as exploring solution quality, scalability, computing performance and reproducibility. Directions for improving location cover models accessible through open-source tools are summarized based on this review.