A Novel Method for Solving Multi-objective Shortest Path Problem in Respect of Probability Theory

Abstract

Transportation process or activity can be considered as a multi-objective problem reasonably. However, it is difficult to obtain an absolute shortest path with optimizing the multiple objectives at the same time by means of Pareto approach. In this paper, a novel method for solving multi-objective shortest path problem in respect of probability theory is developed, which aims to get the rational solution of multi-objective shortest path problem. Analogically, each objective of the shortest path problem is taken as an individual event, thus the concurrent optimization of many objectives equals to the joint event of simultaneous occurrence of the multiple events, and therefore the simultaneous optimization of multiple objectives can be solved on basis of probability theory rationally. The partial favorable probability of each objective of every scheme (routine) is evaluated according to the actual preference degree of the utility indicator of the objective. Moreover, the product of all partial favorable probabilities of the utility of objective of each scheme (routine) casts the total favorable probability of the corresponding scheme (routine), which results in the decisively unique indicator of the scheme (routine) in the multi-objective shortest path problem in the point of view of system theory. Thus, the optimum solution of the multi-objective shortest path problem is the scheme (routine) with highest total favorable probability. Finally, an application example is given to illuminate the approach.

Keywords

• concurrent optimization
• favorable probability
• multi-objective
• probability theory
• shortest path