Simple Switch between Single Trip Vehicle Routing Problem and Multiple Trip Vehicle Routing Problem

Abstract

omplexity of the mathematical model development for vehicle routing problems increases with the addition of more variables, constraints, and instances to single trip vehicle routing models. In this study, mathematical model was developed for the single trip vehicle routing problem in the initial phase and then it was converted to a multiple trip vehicle routing model using a simple approach. Novelty is brought to the study through simple three index formulation developed for the multiple trip vehicle routing problem, with a fewer constraint. Both the models were developed with Mixed integer linear programing techniques and were tested with the real-world data set using Cplex optimizer. Output of the experimental analysis showed a clear reduction in distance travel and the number of vehicles used. It implies that the optimization algorithm proposed in the study is applicable to real world cases to enjoy cost benefits and easiness in scheduling and optimizations. This study contributes to the existing knowledge gap through the development of novel and simple mathematical model, and the model’s testing and validation serve to the industrial applications as well.