Vehicle routing problem with stochastic demands

Abstract

In the introductory section of this paper there is a view of several types of stochastic vehicle routing problems. In the second section of the paper the vehicle routing problem with stochastic demands is described. The following modifications to the vehicle routing problem are required: Customers demand is a random variable with a known probability distribution. Routes must be designed before the actual demands become known. The presence of nonlinear constraints, caused by random demands, can complicate the solution. Under the specific presumptions it is possible to transfer a nonlinear constraint to a linear form. This transformation enables to use the known algorithms of the deterministic vehicle routing problem for solution of the stochastic vehicle routing problem.