A Tabu Search Algorithm for the Discrete Split Delivery Vechicle Routing Problem.

In the classic split delivery vehicle routing problem, the demands of customers can be split unconditionally into pieces of any size. However, in the real-world distribution system, the customer demands consist of a set of orders on different quantities of goods. During the distribution, demands can be spitted, but orders cannot. This paper considers the vehicle routing problem with split delivery by order. It formulates the problem as an integer linear programming model, creatively applies the binary to the decimal decoder method to represent the solution, proposes a heuristic order-insertion procedure, and develops a tabu search algorithm. Using the developed algorithm, this paper tests 25 benchmark instances. According to the test results, the algorithm proposed has a small gap with the best-known solutions, but has an advantage in computing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]