Vehicle routing problems with loading constraints: state-of-the-art and future directions

Abstract

Distributors are faced with loading constraints in their route planning, e.g.,multi-dimensional packing constraints, unloading sequence constraints, stability constraints and axle weight limits. Ignoring these constraints impairs planning and induces last-minute changes resulting in additional costs. Developing vehicle routing models incorporating loading constraints is critical to more efficient route planning. The last couple of years has seen a huge increase of contributions to this field of research with almost 60 % of these being published after 2009. Our contribution is twofold. First, we overview the recent developments in the literature on all vehicle types in which loading constraints play a key role (trucks, airplanes, ships, and automated guided vehicles), using a state-of-the-art classification scheme to identify the loading constraints considered in each article. Second, we identify research gaps and opportunities for future research.

A concise guide to existing and emerging vehicle routing problem variants

“…Loading constraints and compartments. Trucks, ships, and airplanes have many specific load restrictions which must be taken into account during optimization (Pollaris et al 2015). The papers considering these aspects are primarily classified by geometry, e.g., pallet loading (Pollaris et al 2017), 2D packing (Iori et al 2007), and 3D packing constraints (Gendreau et al 2006), but other constraints related to fragility, orientation, or equilibrium often come into play.…”

A tailored two-phase constructive heuristic for the three-dimensional Multiple Bin Size Bin Packing Problem with transportation constraints

“…This type of constraints can also be adapted to the case of truck loading in which a precise distribution of the cargo over the axles of the vehicles has to be respected (Pollaris et al (2015(Pollaris et al ( , 2016, Alonso et al (2016)).…”

Don’t Rock the Boat: Algorithms for Balanced Dynamic Loading and Unloading

“…These scenarios often occur in container loading for trucks, for which the objective is to achieve an even weight distribution between the axles. For a state-of-the-art survey of vehicle routing with different loading constraints and a spectrum of scenarios, see Pollaris et al [18].…”