Proprietor and customer costs in the incomplete hub location-routing network topology

The hub location problem finds the location of hubs and allocates the other nodes to them. It is widely supposed the network created with the hub nodes is complete in the extensive literature. Relaxation of this basic supposition forms the present work. The model minimizes the cost of the proprietor, including the fixed costs of hubs, hub links and spoke links. Costs of hub and spoke links are contemplated as fixed cost or maintenance cost. Moreover, the model considers routing costs of customers who want to travel from origins to destinations. In this study, we offer a model to the multiple allocations of the hub location problems, under the incomplete hub location-routing network design. This model is easily transformed to other hub location problems using one or more constraints. No network format is dictated on the hub network. We suggest a set of valid inequalities for the formulation. Some lower bounds are developed using a Lagrangian relaxation approach and the valid inequalities. Computational analyses evaluate the performances of the lower bounding implementations and valid inequalities. Furthermore, we explore the effects of several factors on the design and solution time of the problem formulation.     

A specialized branch & bound & cut for Single-Allocation Ordered Median Hub Location problems

The Single-Allocation Ordered Median Hub Location problem is a recent hub model introduced by Puerto et al. (2011) [32] that provides a unifying analysis of the class of hub location models. Indeed, considering ordered objective functions in hub location models is a powerful tool in modeling classic and alternative location paradigms, that can be applied with success to a large variety of problems providing new distribution patterns induced by the different users’ roles within the supply chain network. In this paper, we present a new formulation for the Single-Allocation Ordered Median Hub Location problem and a branch-and-bound-and-cut (B&B&Cut) based algorithm to solve optimally this model. A simple illustrative example is discussed to demonstrate the technique, and then a battery of test problems with data taken from the AP library are solved. The paper concludes that the proposed B&B&Cut approach performs well for small to medium sized problems.     

基于加权绝对值距离Steiner最优树的选址问题

提出基于加权绝对值距离Steiner最优树思想的选址模型,给出了该模型的蚂蚁算法实现策略.在此基础上,分析了电子商务环境下企业配送中心选址问题,并用算例验证了该选址方案的可行性.     

A note on “Location of hubs in a competitive environment”

This note suggests modifications to two models for locating hubs in a competitive environment introduced by Marianov et al. [European Journal of Operational Research 114 (1999) 363–371]. They make it possible to provide optimal solutions much faster. It is also shown that the implementation of the heuristic proposed by Marianov et al. contains a flaw. Yet the heuristic itself is correct.     

The Maximin-Maxisum Network Location Problem

In this paper, we consider the problem of finding a point on a general network using two objectives, maximizing the minimum weighted distance from the point to the vertices (Maximin) and maximizing the sum of weighted distances between the point and the vertices (Maxisum). This bicriterion model can be used to locate an obnoxious facility on a network. We will identify the model properties, develop a polynomial algorithm for generating the efficient set and provide a numerical example.     

The Maximum Flow Network Interdiction Problem: Valid inequalities, integrality gaps, and approximability

We present two classes of polynomially separable valid inequalities for the Maximum Flow Network Interdiction Problem. We prove that the integrality gap of the standard integer program is not bounded by a constant, even when strengthened by our valid inequalities. Finally, we provide an approximation-factor-preserving reduction from a simpler interdiction problem.     

All Stackelberg Location Equilibria in the Hotelling's Duopoly Model on a Tree with Parametric Prices

The sequential Hotelling's duopoly model on a tree was studied by Eiselt (1992), who developed conditions for the existence of location equilibria when location decisions are nodes and prices are parametric. In this paper, this competition model is also analyzed, but considering that locations for the two firms can be any pair of points on the tree, nodes or points in the edges. First, a condition is given under which both the leader and the follower get a positive profit. In this setting, the problem of finding optimal locations for each of them is studied with different and equal prices. In both cases, the set of optimal locations for the follower is generated for any location of the leader as well as the set of optimal locations for the leader. As a consequence the entire set of Stackelberg solutions to this competition model is obtained.     

A node rooted flow-based model for the local access network expansion problem

In this paper, we present a new formulation for the local access network expansion problem. Previously, we have shown that this problem can be seen as an extension of the well-known Capacitated Minimum Spanning Tree Problem and have presented and tested two flow-based models. By including additional information on the definition of the variables, we propose a new flow-based model that permits us to use effectively variable eliminations tests as well as coefficient reduction on some of the constraints. We present computational results for instances with up to 500 nodes in order to show the advantages of the new model in comparison with the others.     

Closest assignment constraints in discrete location problems

The objective of this paper is to identify the most promising sets of closest assignment constraints in the literature of Discrete Location Theory, helping the authors in the field to model their problems when clients must be assigned to the closest plant inside an Integer Programming formulation. In particular, constraints leading to weak Linear Programming relaxations should be avoided if no other good property supports their use. We also propose a new set of constraints with good theoretical properties.     

The Stochastic Location-Assignment Problem on a Tree

In the assignment problem units of supply are assigned on a one-to-one basis to units of demand so as to minimize the sum of the cost associated with each supply-to-demand matched pair. Defined on a network, the supplies and demands are located at vertices and the cost of a supply-to-demand matched pair is the distance between them. This paper considers a two-stage stochastic program for locating the units of supply based upon only a probabilistic characterization of demand. The objective of the first-stage location problem is to minimize the expected cost of the second-stage assignment problem. Principal results include showing that the problem is NP-hard on a general network, has a simple solution procedure on a line network, and is solvable by a low order polynomial greedy procedure on a tree network. Potential applications are discussed.     

Spherical Minimax Location Problem

This paper presents an algorithm for determining a minimax location to service demand points that are equally weighted and distributed over a sphere. The norm under consideration is geodesic. The algorithm presented here is based on enumeration and has a polynomial time complexity.     

A Probabilistic Minimax Location Problem on the Plane

In this paper we consider the weighted minimax (1-center) location problem in the plane when the weights are not given but rather drawn from independent uniform distributions. The problem is formulated and analyzed. For certain parameters of the uniform distributions the objective function is proven to be convex and thus can be easily solved by standard software such as the Solver in Excel. Computational experience is reported.     

井位不确定环境下的油田仓库选址问题

油田工作中,合理的仓库选址决策不仅能节约物流成本,而且能提高油田作业效率。现有研究通常基于当前的油井位置(简称井位),没有考虑未来井位变化对仓库选址的影响。同时井位受到地下储层条件及油气公司远景规划等因素影响,未来的井位具有很强的不确定性。此外,仓库选址决策属中长期决策,将长期影响油田的物流费用、管理工作甚至开发工作,而且油田生产要求仓库能持续供应物资,所以油田仓库选址应考虑井位的不确定性和仓库服务中断等因素。本文首先根据油田井位分布和钻井规划采用随机模拟方法模拟未来井位,建立并求解考虑设施中断的离散选址模型。然后以鄂南油区物资仓库选址问题为例,模拟井位并求解仓库选址问题,从8个候选点中选出3个建库/租库。最后,分析井位和需求量变化对仓库选址结果的影响。井位不确定环境下油田物资仓库选址问题的研究,不仅对油田物流系统管理的研究具有一定的理论意义,也对油田的物流决策有重要的现实意义。     

The Aircraft Maintenance Base Location Problem

Aviation authorities such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provide stringent guidelines for aircraft maintenance, with violations leading to significant penalties for airlines. Moreover, poorly maintained aircraft can lead to mass cancellation of flights, causing tremendous inconvenience to passengers and resulting in a significant erosion in brand image for the airline in question. Aircraft maintenance operations of a complex and extended nature can only be performed at designated maintenance bases. Aircraft maintenance planning literature has focused on developing good tail-number routing plans, while assuming that the locations of the maintenance bases themselves are fixed. This paper considers an inverse optimization problem, viz., locating a minimal number of maintenance bases on an Euler tour, while ensuring that all required aircraft maintenance activities can be performed with a stipulated periodicity. The Aircraft Maintenance Base Location Problem (AMBLP) is shown to be NP-complete and a new lower bound is developed for the problem. The performance of four simple “quick and dirty” heuristics for obtaining feasible solutions to AMBLP is analyzed.     

最优场址问题的研究进展

３０年代以来，最优场址问题一直是运筹学界阳活跃的研究领域之一。此问题具有深镔实验背景和广泛的实用价值。本文综述了最优场址问题研究进展并对其发展历史进行了简单的回顾，主要介绍近年来最优场址问题研究的一些重要成果，对每一种成果进行了基本的评论。     

A flexible model and efficient solution strategies for discrete location problems

Flexible discrete location problems are a generalization of most classical discrete locations problems like p-median or p-center problems. They can be modeled by using so-called ordered median functions. These functions multiply a weight to the cost of fulfilling the demand of a customer, which depends on the position of that cost relative to the costs of fulfilling the demand of other customers.In this paper a covering type of model for the discrete ordered median problem is presented. For the solution of this model two sets of valid inequalities, which reduces the number of binary variables tremendously, and several variable fixing strategies are identified. Based on these concepts a specialized branch & cut procedure is proposed and extensive computational results are reported.     

Network hub location problems: The state of the art

Hubs are special facilities that serve as switching, transshipment and sorting points in many-to-many distribution systems. The hub location problem is concerned with locating hub facilities and allocating demand nodes to hubs in order to route the traffic between origin–destination pairs. In this paper we classify and survey network hub location models. We also include some recent trends on hub location and provide a synthesis of the literature.