A Simulation-Based Solution for Optimal Logistics of Heavy and Variable-Size Items

Abstract

The Vehicle Routing Problem seeks to attain the optimal determination of the routes to be used by a fleet of vehicles stations at one or several depots. When investigating acceptable solutions in this context, researchers favour the optimization technique based on simulation models, which permits descriptions of complex systems without too many assumptions. This paper presents a new solution to add onto the mathematical model developed by Ros et al. (2010), where orders are grouped by route with the objective of improving the efficiency of the transported load and the reduction of associated costs. This new work changes the previous situation by introducing additional constraints. Fleet variations are modeled for the different cases studied by using the Monte Carlo simulation technique. The aim is to find a variety of operative solutions since they have been validated by Google Maps web application.