Truck and Unmanned Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows: A Satellite Synchronization Perspective

We consider an important feature of satellite synchronization in the practical scenario of using unmanned vehicles (UVs) carried by trucks for “last-meter” delivery and introduce the truck and UV routing problem with time windows (TUVRP-TW) for optimizing the routes of a homogeneous fleet of truck-U...

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Main Authors: Hongqi Li, Jiamin Zhao, Zhuopeng Zhan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-01-01
Series:Journal of Advanced Transportation
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/6599089
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author Hongqi Li
Jiamin Zhao
Zhuopeng Zhan
author_facet Hongqi Li
Jiamin Zhao
Zhuopeng Zhan
author_sort Hongqi Li
collection DOAJ
description We consider an important feature of satellite synchronization in the practical scenario of using unmanned vehicles (UVs) carried by trucks for “last-meter” delivery and introduce the truck and UV routing problem with time windows (TUVRP-TW) for optimizing the routes of a homogeneous fleet of truck-UV combinations. A UV that has been dispatched from its truck must be picked up by the same truck or must return by itself to the depot. Customers with time windows are classified into two types: truck-UV customers (TUCs) and UV customers (UCs). The TUCs where trucks dispatch or pick up the carried UVs are regarded as satellites. Fleet coordination and satellite synchronization are essential for modelling the TUVRP-TW. We classify satellite synchronization into inner-satellite synchronization and intersatellite synchronization. The inner-satellite synchronization generally considered in the literature focuses on synchronization operations at the same satellite. Intersatellite synchronization, which focuses on synchronization operations at various satellites, allows UVs to not return to the dispatched locations, if necessary. In the mixed-integer linear programming model of the TUVRP-TW, both binary variables for identifying the appointed satellites and continuous variables for time continuity constraints are introduced to ensure the interaction between truck routes and UV routes. A hybrid algorithm based on a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) and a variable neighborhood search (VNS) is provided. Based on generated instances and benchmark instances, computational experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the intersatellite synchronization, the performance of the developed formulation, and the applicability of the hybrid algorithm.
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spelling doaj-art-6eb5efcd464b451cafa82239ac82746e2025-08-20T03:34:08ZengWileyJournal of Advanced Transportation2042-31952022-01-01202210.1155/2022/6599089Truck and Unmanned Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows: A Satellite Synchronization PerspectiveHongqi Li0Jiamin Zhao1Zhuopeng Zhan2School of Transportation Science and EngineeringSchool of Transportation Science and EngineeringSchool of Transportation Science and EngineeringWe consider an important feature of satellite synchronization in the practical scenario of using unmanned vehicles (UVs) carried by trucks for “last-meter” delivery and introduce the truck and UV routing problem with time windows (TUVRP-TW) for optimizing the routes of a homogeneous fleet of truck-UV combinations. A UV that has been dispatched from its truck must be picked up by the same truck or must return by itself to the depot. Customers with time windows are classified into two types: truck-UV customers (TUCs) and UV customers (UCs). The TUCs where trucks dispatch or pick up the carried UVs are regarded as satellites. Fleet coordination and satellite synchronization are essential for modelling the TUVRP-TW. We classify satellite synchronization into inner-satellite synchronization and intersatellite synchronization. The inner-satellite synchronization generally considered in the literature focuses on synchronization operations at the same satellite. Intersatellite synchronization, which focuses on synchronization operations at various satellites, allows UVs to not return to the dispatched locations, if necessary. In the mixed-integer linear programming model of the TUVRP-TW, both binary variables for identifying the appointed satellites and continuous variables for time continuity constraints are introduced to ensure the interaction between truck routes and UV routes. A hybrid algorithm based on a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) and a variable neighborhood search (VNS) is provided. Based on generated instances and benchmark instances, computational experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the intersatellite synchronization, the performance of the developed formulation, and the applicability of the hybrid algorithm.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/6599089
spellingShingle Hongqi Li
Jiamin Zhao
Zhuopeng Zhan
Truck and Unmanned Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows: A Satellite Synchronization Perspective
Journal of Advanced Transportation
title Truck and Unmanned Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows: A Satellite Synchronization Perspective
title_full Truck and Unmanned Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows: A Satellite Synchronization Perspective
title_fullStr Truck and Unmanned Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows: A Satellite Synchronization Perspective
title_full_unstemmed Truck and Unmanned Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows: A Satellite Synchronization Perspective
title_short Truck and Unmanned Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows: A Satellite Synchronization Perspective
title_sort truck and unmanned vehicle routing problem with time windows a satellite synchronization perspective
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/6599089
work_keys_str_mv AT hongqili truckandunmannedvehicleroutingproblemwithtimewindowsasatellitesynchronizationperspective
AT jiaminzhao truckandunmannedvehicleroutingproblemwithtimewindowsasatellitesynchronizationperspective
AT zhuopengzhan truckandunmannedvehicleroutingproblemwithtimewindowsasatellitesynchronizationperspective