Back to results

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Multi-modal, multi-period, multi-commodity transportation : models and algorithms

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

In this paper we present a mixed integer optimization framework for modeling the shipment of goods between origin destination (O-D) pairs by vehicles of different types over a time-space network. The output of the model is an optimal schedule and routing of vehicle movements and assignment of goods to vehicles. Specifically, this framework allows for: multiple vehicles of differing characteristics (including speed, cost of travel, and capacity), transshipment locations where goods can be transferred between vehicles; and availability times for goods at their origins and delivery time windows for goods at their destinations. The model is composed of three stages: In the first, vehicle quantities, by type, and goods are allocated to routes in order to minimize late deliveries and vehicle movement costs. In the second stage, individual vehicles, specified by vehicle identification numbers, are assigned routes, and goods are assigned to those vehicles based on the results of the first stage and a minimization of costs involved with the transfer of goods between vehicles. In the third stage we reallocate the idle time of vehicles in order to satisfy crew rest constraints. Computational results show that provably optimal or near optimal solutions are possible for realistic instance sizes.

Degree

thesis:*
Department dc:contributor.department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Operations Research Center.
Grantor dc:publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Year dc:date.issued
2014

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Jernigan, Nicholas R. (Nicholas Richard)
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • Dimitris Bertsimas.

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
Language dc:language.iso
eng

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/91399
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/91399

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
MIT
Base URL
dspace.mit.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Jernigan, Nicholas R. (Nicholas Richard). Multi-modal, multi-period, multi-commodity transportation : models and algorithms. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/91399