A multi-start random constructive heuristic for the container loading problem

A multi-start random constructive heuristic for the container loading problem

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Article ID: iaor20084667
Country: Brazil
Volume: 27
Issue: 2
Start Page Number: 311
End Page Number: 331
Publication Date: May 2007
Journal: Pesquisa Operacional
Authors: ,
Keywords: containers, packing
Abstract:

This paper deals with the container loading problem which involves the selection of a subset of boxes, each box with a given volume, such that they fit in a single container and maximize its volume utilization subject to orientation and stability constraints. We propose a multi-start random constructive heuristic with a load arrangement that is based on maximal cuboids that fit in given empty spaces. Each instance is adaptively evaluated by a set of criteria, and at each step of the construction process one maximal cuboid is chosen probabilistically from a restricted list of candidates. In order to enhance the flexibility in the construction of a solution, a probabilistic reduction on such cuboids is allowed. Computational tests on several instances from the literature show that the proposed method performs better than other approaches.

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