An Efficient Biography-Based Optimization Algorithm to Solve the Location Routing Problem With Intermediate Depots for Multiple Perishable Products

Abstract

The process of distributing perishable goods considering quality is an important competitive and complicated task. In this paper, a novel mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model is proposed to consider a location routing problem (LRP) for multiple perishable products with multi-trip vehicles having multiple trips, intermediate depots, and soft time windows. To cope with the solution complexity of the problem, an efficient biography based optimization algorithm (BBO) is designed. The algorithm is enhanced by tuning its parameters using Taguchi design method. In the first phase of the computational results, the proposed mathematical model is validated using CPLEX solver of GAMS in small-sized problems as an exact method. At the second phase, the performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated compared to CPLEX, and it is demonstrated that it has an appropriate performance to generate high-quality and near-optimum solutions with the average gap of 0.839% for 3600 seconds of runtime limitation. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed on the demand parameter to study the behavior of the objective function in the real world condition. © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.