A Continuous Deviation-Flow Location Problem for an Alternative-Fuel Refueling Station on a Tree-Like Transportation Network

Abstract

Due to the increasing popularity of alternative-fuel (AF) vehicles in the last two decades, several models and solution techniques have been recently published in the literature to solve AF refueling station location problems. These problems can be classified depending on the set of candidate sites: when a (finite) set of candidate sites is predetermined, the problem is called discrete; when stations can be located anywhere along the network, the problem is called continuous. Most researchers have focused on the discrete version of the problem, but solutions to the discrete version are suboptimal to its continuous counterpart. This study addresses the continuous version of the problem for an AF refueling station on a tree-type transportation network when a portion of drivers are willing to deviate from their preplanned simple paths to receive refueling service. A polynomial time solution approach is proposed to solve the problem. We first present a new algorithm that identifies all possible deviation options for each travel path. Then, an efficient algorithm is used to determine the set of optimal locations for the refueling station that maximizes the total traffic flow covered. A numerical example is solved to illustrate the proposed solution approach.

An edge scanning method for the continuous deviation‐flow refueling station location problem on a general network

“…This paper was the first one to consider an infinite number of candidate locations. Later, Kweon et al [29] extended the continuous location problem on a tree or tree-like network by allowing deviations from preplanned paths. In these two papers, optimal locations were defined in terms of endpoints of refueling segments instead of taking midpoints of arcs as suggested by Kuby and Lim [28].…”

“…Our study considers the continuous version of the problem. Unlike the procedures proposed by Ventura et al [48], and Kweon et al [29] that are restricted to tree-like networks, we propose exact algorithms to position AF refueling stations in general networks. In a general network, multiple paths could exist between any O-D pair.…”

“…The issue with the discrete version is that it may provide suboptimal solutions because it does not consider all locations in the network. Ventura et al [48], and Kweon et al [29] introduced two polynomial-time algorithms to solve the continuous version of the problem to locate a single facility in a tree or tree-like networks considering only simple paths or deviation paths, respectively.…”

An Alternative Fuel Refueling Station Location Model considering Detour Traffic Flows on a Highway Road System

“…While most AF refueling station location problems assume that the AF refueling stations can only be located at the vertices, Kuby and Lim [37] and Ventura et al [38] consider additional candidate sites along arcs. Kweon et al [39] extend the approach suggested in Ventura et al [38] to locate a refueling station anywhere along a tree network to the case where a portion of drivers are willing to deviate to receive refueling service. He et al [40] propose a bilevel model to solve the optimal locations of electric charging stations, through taking the driving range limitation of an electric vehicle, the battery charging time required, and the situation in which some electric vehicle drivers possibly charge at home into account.…”