Towards a Sustainable Collaborative Distribution Network 4.0 with Blockchain Involvement

Overview & Synopsis

This paper addresses the problem of designing a collaborative 4.0 distribution network using blockchain to ensure coordination between partners and the secure transfer of transactions. In this study, we compare the performance of horizontal collaboration and that of non-collaboration in terms of sustainability. The economic level is considered by the reduction of the logistics costs, while the environmental level is evaluated by the reduction of CO2emissions from vehicles through their use and depreciation as well as thosefrom the hubs’ operation and construction. The social level is addressed by maximizing the created job opportunities and by reducing the accident risk and the noise level. Both mono-and multi-objective optimization approaches are proposed to solve the problemof exactand meta-heuristic optimization using the genetic algorithm and the NSGA-II. The obtained results showthat horizontal collaborationis more efficient and promising at all levels.