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GIS oriented service optimization for fecal sludge collection

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Abstract

In developing countries most of the urban dwellers do not have access to the sewer system. People are mostly using “on-site” systems such as septic tanks or pit latrines that need to be emptied periodically. Fecal sludge collection system is different from the traditional vehicle routing and even from solid waste collection system in terms of dynamic collection points, the urgency of getting the service and diversity of demand. Due to these changing conditions, authorities are facing proper networking and management problems. This research describes algorithms that can accommodate constraints and prioritize customers who need immediate service. The GPS log data of the fecal sludge collection truck that maintained by Nonthaburi Municipality, Thailand has been considered as the base data during the development of this optimization techniques. Spatial analysis has been done using Geographic Information Systems.Tabu Search has been implemented in order to optimize. Basically, two algorithms were produced for assisting fecal sludge collection systems. The first algorithm was able to produce multiple trips for each vehicle preserving time window. The second one was able to perform optimizations that can accommodate priority along with the first one. Algorithms were able to produce a better result than the actual operation or even from shortest path algorithm in term of distance. After optimization, traveling distances were reduced to half compared to the actual cost and it ensured maximum utilization of vehicle capacity by allocating a maximum number of customers in each route.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Engineering and Management (EEM) FoS, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), P. O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand

    Mohammad Dalower Hossain & Thammarat Koottatep

  2. Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (RS&GIS) FoS, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), P. O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand

    Sarawut Ninsawat & Shulaxan Sharma

  3. Pollution Control Department, Water Quality Management Bureau, Phahon Yothin Road, Phayathai, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand

    Yuttachai Sarathai

Authors
  1. Mohammad Dalower Hossain
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  2. Sarawut Ninsawat
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  3. Shulaxan Sharma
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  4. Thammarat Koottatep
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  5. Yuttachai Sarathai
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Correspondence to Mohammad Dalower Hossain.

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Hossain, M.D., Ninsawat, S., Sharma, S. et al. GIS oriented service optimization for fecal sludge collection. Spat. Inf. Res. 24, 235–243 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41324-016-0024-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41324-016-0024-z

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