A multi-objective genetic algorithm based approach for location of grain silos in Paraná State of Brazil

• Published in: Computers & industrial engineering 2017-09, Vol.111, p.381-390
• Main Authors: Steiner Neto, Pedro José, Datta, Dilip, Arns Steiner, Maria Teresinha, Canciglieri Júnior, Osíris, Figueira, José Rui, Detro, Silvana Pereira, Scarpin, Cassius Tadeu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Genetic algorithm; Grain storage system; Multi-objective optimization; Territory partitioning problem
• ISSN: 0360-8352; 1879-0550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cie.2017.07.019

•Soybean and corn production has increased steadily in Brazil.•The acute storage in Paraná State is a problem for the state.•The new methodology for resolving the storage problem is divided into two phases.•The 1st phase partitions the state into regions by multiple objective functions.•The 2nd phase decides the number of new silos in each region and their locations. The production of soybean and corn has increased steadily in Brazil, with the Paraná State being the second largest producer of these grains. The increased production has now necessitated the storing facility also to be increased. Accordingly, partitioning the storage facility is a proposal to aggregate the municipalities of Paraná into regions for effective transportation of the grains. Motivated by the requirement, the present work aims to organize the storage regions by aggregating the municipalities as a multi-objective graph (territory) partitioning problem with the municipalities being the nodes and roads linking them as the edges of the graph. In order to find the effective number of new silos to be constructed and their region-wise locations, maximization of the homogeneity of storage deficit and minimization of the inter-region product transportation cost from production sources to storage points are considered as two objective functions for the problem. A multi-objective genetic algorithm based results, presented here, should have a strong impact on the grain storage system management in Paraná. Moreover, the proposed methodology might act as a useful grain storage management decision aiding tool in other territories.