Solving hub arc location problems on a cluster of workstations

Many modern transportation systems rely on a network of hub facilities to help concentrate flows of freight or passengers to exploit the economies of scale in transportation. The design of a hub network, including location of the hub facilities, is a key determinant of the cost and competitiveness of a transportation and logistics system. This paper reports on a parallel implementation of an algorithm for the hub arc location model to design such a network. Computational work was performed on a cluster of workstations with data for air passenger traffic in the United States and postal operations in Sydney, Australia.