Abstract
In this work, a two-echelon location-routing problem with time windows and transportation resource sharing (2E-LRPTWTRS) is solved by selecting facility locations and optimizing two-echelon vehicle routes. The optimal solutions improve the efficiency of a logistics network based on the geographical distribution and service time windows of logistics facilities and customers. Furthermore, resource utilization is maximized by enabling resource sharing strategies within and among different logistics facilities simultaneously. The 2E-LRPTWTRS is formulated as a biobjective optimization model, and obtaining the smallest number of required delivery vehicles and the minimum total operating cost are the two objective functions. A two-stage hybrid algorithm composed of k-means clustering and extended multiobjective particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed for 2E-LRPTWTRS optimization. A self-adaptive mechanism of flight parameters is introduced and adopted during the iterative process to balance the evolution of particles and improve the efficiency of the two-stage hybrid algorithm. Moreover, 20 small-scale instances are used for an algorithm comparison with multiobjective genetic algorithm and nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II, and the solutions demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm in optimizing logistics networks. The proposed optimization model and hybrid algorithm are tested by employing a real-world case of 2E-LRPTWTRS in Chongqing, China, and the optimization results verify the positive role of the developed model and algorithm in improving logistics efficiency, reducing operating cost, and saving transportation resources in the operations of two-echelon logistics networks.
Highlights
Effective modern supply chain management has played an important, positive role in the development of logistics industries [1, 2]. e distribution system in supply chain management involves all operations related to delivering goods from the logistics center to the customers [3].erefore, as a key component of the distribution system, solving the vehicle routing problems (VRPs) is essential for achieving effective modern supply chain management [4]
Delivery time is increasingly important to guarantee the efficient operations of logistics networks [12, 13]. us, several extensions have been conducted on the study of traditional 2E-location routing problem (LRP) in the literature, and constraints such as time windows, inventory, and Journal of Advanced Transportation customer demands generally added to traditional 2E-LRPs are not optimized [2, 5]
(1) An effective two-echelon logistics network is designed based on the geographical distribution and time windows of logistics facilities and customers in the proposed 2E-LRPTWTRS. (2) Transportation resource sharing is introduced as an effective strategy for promoting sustainable development
Summary
Effective modern supply chain management has played an important, positive role in the development of logistics industries [1, 2]. e distribution system in supply chain management involves all operations related to delivering goods from the logistics center to the customers [3]. As a promising strategy for promoting the sustainability of the logistics network, transportation resource sharing allows each delivery vehicle to run multiple distribution routes of nonoverlapping time windows [17]. Under this sharing strategy, the number of vehicles required for sustaining the operations of a logistics network can be greatly reduced [20]. Erefore, in this paper, the 2ELRPTW with transportation resource sharing (2ELRPTWTRS) is proposed to design a sustainable, resourcesaving distribution network to achieve the lowest total operating cost as well as the minimum number of required vehicles.
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