In this paper, a multi-step model related to freight movements in urban areas is formalised to solve a Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW). In modelling terms, the VRPTW is formulated to consider the optimum paths between all the customers combined to determine the best vehicle routes. The optimum path search with a selective mono-criterion approach is tackled. A model for forecasting the link cost is calibrated. Some procedures (traffic assignment, real-time system measurement, reverse assignment) for estimating system performance in terms of travel cost are also proposed. In terms of procedures, the VRPTW is solved with a genetic algorithm and two different crossover operators are reported and used simultaneously. A real case application is made, comparing the results of the proposed procedure with the routes of a truck (<6 tonnes) delivering dairy products to some retailers in a city. The contribution of this paper is to relate the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) to transport the network theory. Indeed, the VRP is generally treated without considering network congestion. In the approach proposed in this paper, the costs are assumed to be functions of network characteristics and traffic flow, while a model for forecasting link costs is calibrated from real data.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Vehicle routing in urban areas: an optimal approach with cost function calibration


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2014-01-02


    Size :

    19 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    Optimal Routing of urban traffic

    Hershdorfer, A. M. | TIBKAT | 1965


    Optimal Vehicle Routing

    Chambers, Aijalon / Kothari, Arvind | DSpace@MIT | 2016

    Free access

    Optimal routing of urban traffic.

    Hershdorfer, Alan Martin | DSpace@MIT | 1965

    Free access


    Optimal location of battery electric vehicle charging stations in urban areas: A new approach

    Giménez-Gaydou, Diego A. / Ribeiro, Anabela S. N. / Gutiérrez, Javier et al. | Taylor & Francis Verlag | 2016