Genetic Algorithm to Create Bulk Delivery Routes for Multi-compartment Vehicles with Limited Capacities

Abstract

The route-calculation problem for multi-compartment vehicles with limited capacities (known as the multi-compartment vehicle route problem or MCVRP) has been studied many times. In the animal feed industry, this problem has specific complicating features that require more elaborate techniques than those published in the literature. More specifically, the problem of possible incompatibilities between feeds for different animal species and the access restrictions for delivery vehicles to certain farms depending on previously undertaken routes, complicate the problem significantly. This paper presents work carried out to develop a genetic algorithm to solve this problem in a reasonable time, for application in a company that performs a very large number of daily deliveries. This algorithm can solve a more complicated problem than those present in the literature.