Heuristic search for the stacking problem

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Rui Jorge Rei (Author) Other; Joao Pedro Pedroso (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: International Transactions in Operational Research

Vol. 19

Pages: 379-395

ISSN: 0969-6016

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 18 Citations

Scopus - 24 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Industrial biotechnology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-AWK

DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-3995.2011.00831.x

Abstract (EN): This paper presents the Stacking Problem, a hard combinatorial optimization problem concerning handling and storage of items in a warehouse, where they are handled by a crane and organized into stacks. We define the problem, study its complexity class, and present a mathematical programming model to solve it. In order to tackle medium- or large-scale instances, we propose a simulation-based algorithm using semi-greedy construction heuristics. This simple approach allows for multiple constructions, finding solutions within reasonable time even for large instances. Three semi-greedy heuristics are proposed and compared in an extensive computational experiment, where we study the relation between the number of constructions and the best solution obtained using each heuristic.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 17