The p-Median Structure as a Unified Linear Model for Location—Allocation Analysis

Abstract

The p-median problem is to select p facility sites from among n locations to minimize the average distance from the populations at the n locations to their nearest facility. A set of linear constraints and a linear objective function describe the problem. By varying the way that the objective function coefficients are derived, many other location problems can be defined as special cases of the same general mathematical form of the p-median model. These models include maximum distance-covering problems, problems with facility costs, and problems having multiple objectives. The diversity of these special cases suggests the use of the model as the core of a computer software system for location—allocation and spatial analyses.