The Stochastic Multiperiod Location Transportation Problem

This paper studies a Stochastic Multi-Period Location-Transportation Problem (SMLTP) characterized by multiple transportation options, multiple demand periods and a stochastic stationary demand. We consider the determination of the number and location of the depots required to satisfy a set of customer’s demands, and the mission of these depots in terms of the subset of customers they must supply. The problem is formulated as a stochastic program with recourse, and a hierarchical heuristic solution approach is proposed. It incorporates a tabu search procedure, an approximate route length formula, and a modified Clark and Wright procedure. Three neighbourhood exploration strategies are proposed and compared with extensive experiments based on realistic problems.