A robust multi-objective humanitarian relief chain network design for earthquake response, with evacuation assumption under uncertainties

Abstract

In this paper, we have proposed a multi-objective mathematical model for the humanitarian supply chain design problem that minimizes: (1) total number of the injured not transferred to hospitals and total number of the homeless not evacuated from the affected area, and (2) total unmet relief commodity needs. In this model, such parameters as the demand and travel time have been considered as uncertain and two discrete robust counterpart models (with “ellipsoidal” and “box and polyhedral” uncertainty sets) have been developed to model uncertainties. Results found from Tehran Case Study have revealed that the one with the “box and polyhedral” uncertainty set performs better than the “ellipsoidal” set.