Location of compressed natural gas stations using multi-objective flow refueling location model in the two-way highways: A case study in Iran

Increasing the use of fossil fuels is with severe environmental and economic problems, bringing more attention to alternative fuels. The compressed natural gas (CNG), as an alternative fuel, offers many more benefits than gasoline or diesel fuel such as cost-effectiveness, lower pollution, better performance, and lower maintenance costs. Gas stations location and the number of gas stations are the pivotal‎ factors, influencing the less using of CNG in comparison with other fuels. In this regard, this paper unveils a two-step phase method to locate the CNG stations in the two-way highways. In the first phase, an optimized Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model is deployed to determine the best candidate location for gas fuel stations. Concerning the selected candidate locations, the second stage devises a multi-objective flow refueling location model with the aim of maximizing the traffic flow of the vehicles in the two-way highways and reducing the cost of constructing fuel stations. Notably, fuel tanks capacity is considered to be hemmed in by uncertainty. The introduced method is evaluated and verified via investigating a three-part of Persian Gulf Highway. The results corroborate the effectiveness and usefulness of the model and can help researchers to set up their refueling location problems efficiently.