An iterated local search for the biomedical sample transportation problem with multiple and interdependent pickups

Abstract

An iterated local search for the biomedical sample transportation problem with multiple and interdependent pickups Anaya-Arenas et al. 2019 [2] An Iterated Local Search for the Biomedical Sample Transportation Problem with Multiple and Interdependent Pickups This paper addresses a new version of the biomedical sample transportation problem, as a vehicle routing problem with precedence constraints arising in the context of health care logistics, and proposes an iterated local search algorithm to solve it. This new version is more realistic and complex since it considers the collection centers' opening hours and the moment at which they are visited as decision variables, granting additional flexibility to elaborate more efficient routes. Indeed, this problem is harder to model and to solve than its previous version because the constraint on the short samples' lifetime leads to interdependency between successive pickups at each collection center. A metaheuristic is thus proposed to solve real-life instances. Numerical experiments confirm (1) the value of simultaneously planning routes, opening hours, and visit hours (which is new in the literature) and (2) the efficiency of the proposed algorithm to solve this problem.

Desarrollo de la plataforma Rutia para la innovación y optimización en la gestión de procesos de transporte de pasajeros

“…En los últimos años, la producción científica sobre VRP ha incluido variables adicionales como aspectos medioambientales [7], aspectos relacionados a la distribución de elementos biomédicos [8] y tendencia en el uso de vehículos eléctricos [9,10] considerando su rango limitado de operación en la planificación del transporte de carga urbano debido a la capacidad restringida de la batería y el consumo de energía, además de los impactos en la demanda de transporte de carga, el kilometraje por carretera realizado y los costos de transporte resultantes y las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI).…”