Building a new global search algorithm for managing the Chinese volunteer relief organisations

Abstract

In this paper, we built a network of the Chinese volunteer organisations with the centrality measure and the shortest path method to define 61 volunteer organisations in 27 provinces of China, which can organise the spontaneous volunteers to participate in the disaster relief service more effectively and timely. And we also proposed a new global search algorithm to optimise the scheduling problem of dispatching volunteers from the volunteer organisations to the disaster affected areas. This algorithm can determine the best relief path and the most appropriate number of volunteers for the volunteer organisations to carry out the relief work effectively, and get the goal of the shortest time and the lowest cost of the rescue work. So this research provided a new method and mechanism for organising the Chinese volunteers more orderly, and helped the volunteer organisations cooperate and coordinate with the Chinese government relief organisation more effectively, timely and scientifically in the future.