The profit-oriented hub line location problem with elastic demand

Abstract

This paper deals with an extension of the hub line location problem considering demand elasticity with respect to travel times. The proposed model aims to capture the impact the hub network topology has on demand. The objective is to maximize the total revenue generated by each unit of demand using the hub line. We propose mixed-integer nonlinear formulations to model this problem. We study some properties of the nonlinear objective function associated with these formulations. Due to the inherent complexity involved in solving these nonlinear formulations with state-of-the-art solvers, we also present alternative mixed-integer linear programming formulations. Computational results compare the proposed formulations and the benefits of the presented model using benchmark instances commonly used in hub location. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis study is carried out with real data from the city of Montreal, Canada, to demonstrate the added value of incorporating demand elasticity when using the proposed model for public transportation planning.