Modelling Distribution Routes in City Logistics by Applying Operations Research Methods

Abstract

The article focuses on the up-to-date subject from the practical as well as scientific point of view. It specifically discusses a proposal of an approach concerning transport or distribution problems in the range of city logistics and investigates possibilities to use opted operations research methods in this particular area. Specific suggestions lie first and foremost in using selected tools of operations research (i.e. a set of methods concerning vehicle routing problem) to model multiple variants of distribution paths from a determined hub to multiple spokes in order to minimise the overall travelled distance in an urban area. As far as the very research goes, to define distribution paths to supply multiple logistics objects in the range of city logistics, ensuing methods are step by step used: Clarke-Wright algorithm, Mayer algorithm and the nearest neighbour algorithm. The article consists of a conceptual section, describing the relevant theory as well as data and methods used, the practical part and the section encompassing an assessment of the key findings, along with the discussion. A suitable combination of adequate operations research methods and their application to city logistics issues is where an innovative solution of this research lies.

Keywords

• urban agglomeration
• city logistics
• urban distribution centre
• operations research
• vehicle routing problem