Abstract
The paper presents a concept and application of a multi-agent approach to modeling and optimization the Multi-Echelon Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem. Two environments (mathematical programming (MP) and constraint logic programming (CLP)) and two types of agents were integrated. The strengths of MP and CLP, in which constraints are treated in a different way and different methods are implemented, were combined to use the strengths of both. The proposed approach is particularly important for the decision models with an objective function and many discrete decision variables added up in multiple constraints. The Two-Echelon Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (2E-CVRP) is an extension of the classical Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP) where the delivery depot-customers pass through intermediate depots (called satellites). Multi-echelon distribution systems are quite common in supply-chain and logistic systems. The presented multi-agent approach will be compared with classical mathematical programming on the same data sets.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Verrijdt, J., de Kok, A.: Distribution planning for a divergent n-echelon network without intermediate stocks under service restrictions. International Journal of Production Economics 38, 225–243 (1995)
Schrijver, A.: Theory of Linear and Integer Programming. John Wiley & Sons (1998)
Kumar, S., Panneerselvam, R.: Survey on the Vehicle Routing Problem and Its Variants. Intelligent Information Management 4, 66–74 (2012)
Perboli, G., Tadei, R., Vigo, D.: The Two-Echelon Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem: Models and Math-Based Heuristics. Transportation Science 45, 364–380 (2012)
Bocewicz, G., Banaszak, Z.: Declarative approach to cyclic steady states space refinement: periodic processes scheduling. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 67(1-4), 137–155 (2013)
Relich, M.: Project prototyping with application of CP-based approach. Management 15(2), 364–377 (2011)
Barbati, M., Bruno, G., Genovese, A.: Applications of agent-based models for optimization problems: A literature review. Expert Systems with Applications 39, 6020–6028 (2012)
Sitek, P., Wikarek, J.: A Declarative Framework for Constrained Search Problems. In: Nguyen, N.T., Borzemski, L., Grzech, A., Ali, M. (eds.) IEA/AIE 2008. LNCS (LNAI), vol. 5027, pp. 728–737. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)
Sitek, P., Wikarek, J.: Cost optimization of supply chain with multimodal transport. In: Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems (FedCSIS), pp. 1111–1118 (2012)
Sitek, P., Wikarek, J.: A hybrid approach to supply chain modeling and optimization. In: Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems, pp. 1223–1230 (2013)
Apt, K., Wallace, M.: Constraint Logic Programming using Eclipse. Cambridge University Press (2006)
Crainic, T., Ricciardi, N., Storchi, G.: Advanced freight transportation systems for congested urban areas. Transportation Research Part C 12, 119–137 (2004)
Jain, V., Grossmann, I.E.: Algorithms for hybrid MILP/CP models for a class of optimization problems. INFORMS Journal on Computing 13(4), 258–276 (2001)
Milano, M., Wallace, M.: Integrating Operations Research in Constraint Programming. Annals of Operations Research 175(1), 37–76 (2010)
Achterberg, T., Berthold, T., Koch, T., Wolter, K.: Constraint Integer Programming: A New Approach to Integrate CP and MIP. In: Trick, M.A. (ed.) CPAIOR 2008. LNCS, vol. 5015, pp. 6–20. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)
Christofides, N., Elion, S.: An algorithm for the vehicle dispatching problem. Operational Research Quarterly 20, 309–318 (1996)
ORO Group Web-page, http://www.orgroup.polito.it/
Grzybowska, K., Kovács, G.: Developing Agile Supply Chains - system model, algorithms, applications. In: Jezic, G., Kusek, M., Nguyen, N.-T., Howlett, R.J., Jain, L.C. (eds.) KES-AMSTA 2012. LNCS, vol. 7327, pp. 576–585. Springer, Heidelberg (2012)
Pawlewski, P.: Situated MAS Approach for Freight Trains Assembly. In: Corchado, J.M., et al. (eds.) PAAMS 2013. CCIS, vol. 365, pp. 106–117. Springer, Heidelberg (2013)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this paper
Cite this paper
Sitek, P., Wikarek, J., Grzybowska, K. (2014). A Multi-Agent Approach to the Multi-Echelon Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem. In: Corchado, J.M., et al. Highlights of Practical Applications of Heterogeneous Multi-Agent Systems. The PAAMS Collection. PAAMS 2014. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 430. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07767-3_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07767-3_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-07766-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-07767-3
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)