A hybrid particle swarm optimization algorithm for the open vehicle routing problem

Abstract

This paper introduces a new hybrid algorithmic nature inspired approach based on Particle Swarm Optimization, for successfully solving one of the most popular supply chain management problems, the Open Vehicle Routing Problem. The Open Vehicle Routing Problem (OVRP) is a variant of the classic vehicle routing problem in which the vehicles do not return in the depot after the service of the customers. The proposed algorithm for the solution of the Open Vehicle Routing Problem, the Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization (HybPSO), combines a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) Algorithm, the Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) Strategy and a Path Relinking (PR) Strategy. The algorithm is suitable for solving large-scale open vehicle routing problems within short computational time. Two sets of benchmark instances are used in order to test the proposed algorithm. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.