Genetic Algorithm based Solution for the Hub Location Problem

Design of network, through which data, packages or even people can be transported, is an important issue for achieving a desired level of service quality at an acceptable cost. For this purpose, it is possible to design a network comprised of nodes that are connected to each other with dedicated lines. However, this kind of solution will not be cost effective. In order to decrease the total transportation cost some facilities (hubs), which behave as consolidation or routing point for other nodes, can be used. Airlines, logistic firms, postal offices and telecommunication companies make use of hubs for building this type of network. A challenging point with hubs is to decide which nodes will be used as hub location points where characteristics of the network may differ. This study will investigate previous works about hub location problems. A genetic algorithm based solution is proposed and implemented to the problem. Experimental results show that the proposed architecture can be used for designing this type of hub networks. Key Word:-Hub location, Genetic Algorithm, Hub-spoke network, Uncapacitated Hub, p-Hub,p-Center.