Design and optimization of parking lot in an underground container logistics system

Abstract

To relieve the ground traffic pressure caused by container trucks in a port, an underground container logistics system (UCLS) between Shanghai Waigaoqiao Terminal and Jiading Northwest Logistics Park is proposed. Furthermore, in order to guarantee the connection between the UCLS and the yard behind the ground terminal, a design of an underground parking lot in the system is also proposed. The underground parking lot is a buffer used for the loading and unloading of underground guided vehicles (UGVs). A mixed integer nonlinear programming model (MNIP) for UGVs and yard cranes in the underground system is formulated to minimize the total cost of UGVs waiting and yard cranes. Then, the optimization model is solved via MATLAB software. With sensitivity analysis, the number of loading and unloading points in the underground parking lot is optimized for the purpose of minimizing the total cost. Finally, a simulation experiment is carried out to obtain the optimal configuration of the number of loading and unloading points and the arrival rate in the UCLS.