Combined location and routing problems for drug distribution

We present a model for the optimization of logistics operations in emergency health care systems; in particular, we study the problem of efficient distribution of vaccines or drugs through the simultaneous and coordinated use of distribution centers and vehicles. We devise an exact algorithm based o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Discrete Applied Mathematics 2014-03, Vol.165, p.130-145
Main Authors: Ceselli, Alberto, Righini, Giovanni, Tresoldi, Emanuele
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Branch-and-price
Column generation
Drugs
Dynamical systems
Emergency vehicles
Health care
Location-routing
Logistics
Mathematical models
Optimization
Vaccines
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Summary:We present a model for the optimization of logistics operations in emergency health care systems; in particular, we study the problem of efficient distribution of vaccines or drugs through the simultaneous and coordinated use of distribution centers and vehicles. We devise an exact algorithm based on column generation with three different types of columns and branch-and-bound. The pricing subproblems are solved through advanced dynamic programming techniques. In order to strengthen the dual bounds, we adapt two families of cuts from the literature and we introduce a new one. Our framework also includes primal heuristics and ad-hoc branching rules. An experimental campaign on realistic data proves our method to be effective and flexible.
ISSN:0166-218X
1872-6771
DOI:10.1016/j.dam.2013.07.016