Dynamic stability metrics for the container loading problem

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Galrao Ramos, AG (Author) Other; José Fernando Oliveira (Author) FEUP; Jose Fernando Goncalves (Author) FEP; Lopes, MP (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Transportation Research, Part C: Emerging Technologies

Vol. 60

Pages: 480-497

ISSN: 0968-090X

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 26 Citations

Scopus - 34 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-T89

DOI: 10.1016/j.trc.2015.09.012

Abstract (EN): The Container Loading Problem (CLP) literature has traditionally evaluated the dynamic stability of cargo by applying two metrics to box arrangements: the mean number of boxes supporting the items excluding those placed directly on the floor (M1) and the percentage of boxes with insufficient lateral support (M2). However, these metrics, that aim to be proxies for cargo stability during transportation, fail to translate real-world cargo conditions of dynamic stability. In this paper two new performance indicators are proposed to evaluate the dynamic stability of cargo arrangements: the number of fallen boxes (NFB) and the number of boxes within the Damage Boundary Curve fragility test (NB_DBC). Using 1500 solutions for well-known problem instances found in the literature, these new performance indicators are evaluated using a physics simulation tool (StableCargo), replacing the real-world transportation by a truck with a simulation of the dynamic behaviour of container loading arrangements. Two new dynamic stability metrics that can be integrated within any container loading algorithm are also proposed. The metrics are analytical models of the proposed stability performance indicators, computed by multiple linear regression. Pearson's r correlation coefficient was used as an evaluation parameter for the performance of the models. The extensive computational results show that the proposed metrics are better proxies for dynamic stability in the CLP than the previous widely used metrics.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 18