Applying the corridor method to a blocks relocation problem

In this paper, we present a corridor method inspired algorithm for a blocks relocation problem in block stacking systems. Typical applications of such problem are found in the stacking of container terminals in a yard, of pallets and boxes in a warehouse, etc. The proposed algorithm applies a recently proposed metaheuristic. In a method‐based neighborhood we define a two‐dimensional ‘corridor’ around the incumbent blocks configuration by imposing exogenous constraints on the solution space of the problem and apply a dynamic programming algorithm capturing the state of the system after each block movement for exploring the neighborhoods. Computational results on medium‐ and large‐size problem instances allow to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.