Short-Term Scientific Mission

Optimization Methods for Innovative Last-Mile Delivery Operations

Main theme: Problem Modelling and User Experience
Grantee: Çağrı Koç, Social Sciences University of Ankara, Ankara, Türkiye
Host: Ola Jabali, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy

Start date: 2024-09-15
End date: 2024-09-21
Awarded: 2024-07-03
Report approved: 2024-10-08

Description

The logistics industry is experiencing disruptive effects due to the rise of e-commerce. Businesses are seeking innovative solutions and experimental logistics models to minimize costs, expedite deliveries, increase parcel volumes, and satisfy customers. However, the transportation of goods also leads to pollution, traffic congestion, road accidents, and infrastructure damage. The STSM aims to explore and develop optimization methods for a last-mile delivery planning problem. The problem considers innovative delivery methods such as electric vehicles and drones. The research visit is expected to lay the foundation for future work in this field.

Achievements

The STSM primarily focused on defining the optimization problem, discussing the outline of the mathematical model, and developing the metaheuristic framework, with particular emphasis on drone route optimization. Various mathematical formulations, including mixed-integer linear programming, were explored to effectively model challenges associated with constraints such as capacity, demand, distance, and time. The discussions also addressed the incorporation of several effective and widely used valid inequalities to strengthen the model and enhance the efficiency of the solution process. The STSM led to advancements in the understanding and approach to route optimization and established a strong foundation for continued research and collaboration.