The Multi Trip Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows and Release Dates

Overview & Synopsis

The Multi-Trip Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows and Release Dates is a variant of the Multi-Trip Vehicle Routing Problem where a time windows is associated with each customer and a release date is associated with each merchandise to be delivered at a certain client. The release date represents the moment the merchandise becomes available at the depot for final delivery. The problem is relevant in city logistics context, where delivery systems based on city distribution centers (CDC) are studied. Trucks arrive at the CDC during the whole working day to deliver goods that are transferred to eco-friendly vehicles in charge of accomplish final deliveries to customers. We propose a population-based algorithm for the problem based on giant tour representation of the chromosomes as well as a split procedure to obtain solutions from individuals.