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A new multi-objective optimization formulation for rail-car fleet sizing problems

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Abstract

With potential application to a variety of industries, fleet sizing problems present a prevalent and significant challenge for engineers and managers. This is especially true of applications involving rail cars, where origins and destinations have capacity restrictions. This paper presents a new multi-objective optimization formulation, solution method, and analysis for multi-periodic fleet sizing problems of various sizes. Profit and quality (minimal unmet demands) represent conflicting objectives and are maximized simultaneously. The Pareto optimal set is depicted and is used for trade-off analysis. The solution involves the optimal fleet size as well as the optimal rail-car allocation strategy. The proposed approach is applied to an example problem and is shown to be successful, ultimately providing a new managerial tool for planning and analyzing rail-car fleets more effectively.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Engineering, Mazandaran University of Science and Technology, 16388-95114, Babol, Iran

    Hamid Reza Sayarshad

  2. Center for Computer Aided Design, Virtual Soldier Research Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA

    Timothy Marler

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  1. Hamid Reza Sayarshad
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  2. Timothy Marler
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Correspondence to Timothy Marler.

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Sayarshad, H.R., Marler, T. A new multi-objective optimization formulation for rail-car fleet sizing problems. Oper Res Int J 10, 175–198 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12351-009-0068-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12351-009-0068-0

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