Using the vehicle routing problem for the transportation of hazardous materials

Transportation of hazardous materials (hazmats) is a decision problem that has attracted much attention due to the risk factor involved. A considerable amount of models have been developed that employ single or multiple objective shortest path algorithms minimising the risks for a given origin–destination pair. However in many real life applications (i.e. transportation of gas cylinders), transportation of hazmats calls for the determination of a set of routes used by a fleet of trucks to serve a set of customers, rather than determination of a single optimal route as shortest path algorithms produce. In this paper, we focus on population exposure risk mitigation via production of truck-routes by solving a variant of the Vehicle Routing Problem. For this purpose we employ a single parameter metaheuristic algorithm. A case study of this approach is also demonstrated.