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A Branch-and-Cut Algorithm for the Symmetric Two-Echelon Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

Author

Listed:
  • Mads Jepsen

    (Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs.Lynby, Denmark)

  • Simon Spoorendonk

    (Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs.Lynby, Denmark)

  • Stefan Ropke

    (Department of Transport, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs.Lynby, Denmark)

Abstract

This paper presents an exact method for solving the symmetric two-echelon capacitated vehicle routing problem, a transportation problem concerned with the distribution of goods from a depot to a set of customers through a set of satellite locations. The presented method is based on an edge flow model that is a relaxation and provides a valid lower bound. A specialized branching scheme is employed to obtain feasible solutions. Out of a test set of 93 instances the algorithm is able to solve 47 to optimality, surpassing previous exact algorithms.

Suggested Citation

  • Mads Jepsen & Simon Spoorendonk & Stefan Ropke, 2013. "A Branch-and-Cut Algorithm for the Symmetric Two-Echelon Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 47(1), pages 23-37, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ortrsc:v:47:y:2013:i:1:p:23-37
    DOI: 10.1287/trsc.1110.0399
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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