TY - JOUR
T1 - Optimal tank-trailer routing using the ILOG constraint programming - a Taiwan case study
AU - Lin, Pei Chun
AU - Cheng, Tai Chiu Edwin
AU - Chang, Juo Yi
AU - Wang, Jenhung
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the helpful comments of the editor and reviewers who provided valuable input and comments that have contributed to improving the content and exposition of this paper. This research was supported in part by a grant from the National Science Council of the Republic of China in Taiwan under grants NSC 96-2415-H-327-002.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - This paper investigates the routing of pressurized tank trailers and proposes a scheduling plan which ensures the practical delivery of industrial gases under the objective of reducing transportation costs. Using constraint programming, we solve a combinatorial optimization problem that incorporates both hard and soft constraints for routing and scheduling tank trailers. Hard constraints are resource and safety/regulation constraints, whereas soft constraints are utilization and efficiency constraints. This approach enables tank-trailer routing and scheduling management to consider different combinations of parameters and view the results in 'real-time.' The routing and scheduling results based on a case study in Taiwan fulfil the goals of avoiding risks associated with transporting industrial gases, and attaining efficient delivery while conforming to regulations and consistent with good business practice. The results also suggest that significant economies in distribution costs are possible.
AB - This paper investigates the routing of pressurized tank trailers and proposes a scheduling plan which ensures the practical delivery of industrial gases under the objective of reducing transportation costs. Using constraint programming, we solve a combinatorial optimization problem that incorporates both hard and soft constraints for routing and scheduling tank trailers. Hard constraints are resource and safety/regulation constraints, whereas soft constraints are utilization and efficiency constraints. This approach enables tank-trailer routing and scheduling management to consider different combinations of parameters and view the results in 'real-time.' The routing and scheduling results based on a case study in Taiwan fulfil the goals of avoiding risks associated with transporting industrial gases, and attaining efficient delivery while conforming to regulations and consistent with good business practice. The results also suggest that significant economies in distribution costs are possible.
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U2 - 10.1080/03081060.2010.494031
DO - 10.1080/03081060.2010.494031
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77954181577
SN - 0308-1060
VL - 33
SP - 395
EP - 406
JO - Transportation Planning and Technology
JF - Transportation Planning and Technology
IS - 4
ER -