Large neighbourhood search to optimize fresh vegetables distributions (a case study)

Widya Nurcahayanty Tanjung, Veneshia Dian Prameswari, and Riri Safitri

Citation: AIP Conference Proceedings 2043, 020029 (2018); doi: 10.1063/1.5080048

View online: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5080048
View Table of Contents: http://aip.scitation.org/toc/apc/2043/1
Published by the American Institute of Physics

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 Large Neighbourhood Search to Optimize Fresh Vegetables
Distributions (A Case Study)

Widya Nurcahayanty Tanjung1,a), Veneshia Dian Prameswari 1,b), Riri Safitri2,c)

1
Industrial Engineering, Science and Technology Faculty, University Al Azhar of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
2
InformaticsEngineering, Science and Technology Faculty, University Al Azhar of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
a)
Corresponding author: widya@uai.ac.id
b)
veneshiadian@gmail.com, c)riri@uai.ac.id

Abstract. The quality of fresh vegetables will decrease rapidly once they are being delivered. Thus, it directly linked with
customer satisfactions. In this case, the distribution method is used traditional delivery plan. It used driver intuitions to choose the
distributions route. Following this method, the optimize travel distance and effective time delivery are difficult to reached.
However, this traditional delivery plan must be changed win the global competition. One of method what is fit to solves this
problem is vehicle routing problem (VRP). VRP is a method that focuses on minimizing the transportation cost of finished goods.
Moreover, it also aims to design best coordination in delivery planning. Hereby, VRP using an artificial intelligent algorithm based
on Large Neighbourhood Search (LNS) with Time Windows (VRPTW) has implemented to solve the problem. This real case has
been satisfactory. The optimizing route construction was capable of increasing the solution quality of the route. The optimization
had reach was 1.37%. Total distance decreased from 596.65 KM became 588.45 KM or shorter 8.2 KM from previous.

INTRODUCTION
Perishable goods, such as food products, vegetables, flowers, living animals and ready-mix concrete, often deteriorate
during the production and delivery processes [9]. The quality of perishable food products will decrease rapidly once
they are produced and will keep decaying when being delivered. Hence, in economic perspectives it will be decrease
the value or profit. To reduce their profit loss due to deterioration of perishable goods, many suppliers focus on
delivery strategy. Perishable goods involve two different concepts of deterioration. First, all items become
simultaneously obsolete at the end of the planning horizon. Second, items deteriorate throughout the planning
horizon. Among these perishable goods, fresh food products usually deteriorate rapidly [9]. The condition of the
products when they are received by customers is in line and significantly affects with supplier revenue. The rapid and
continuous decaying characteristic of food products makes the suppliers concentration to build best scheme in
delivery processes. Furthermore, it is important to delivered perishable foods within allowable delivery times, or
time-windows. Any strategy can be proposed to handle it like, such as, if a vehicle arrives late, a penalty cost may be
incurred. Due to the aforementioned facts, a well-designed delivery routes must be made. However, the supplier can
ensure the provision of the best quality in product and satisfy customers' requirements in a cost effective way.
Moreover, the traditional delivery plan used the driver intuitions to choose the route must be changed to win the
global competition. To design the best coordination of delivery planning for perishable goods, vehicle routing

The 6th International Conference on Science & Engineering in Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics
AIP Conf. Proc. 2043, 020029-1–020029-6; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5080048
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1769-4/$30.00

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problem (VRP) can be applied. This method focuses on minimizing the transportation cost of finished goods.
Therefore, well planed in distribution becomes an important issue in perishable food industry.
Vehicle routing for food or perishable goods, the well-known vehicle routing problem with/without time windows
(VRPTW/VRP) has been discussed in many forms. Hsu et al. [17] consider the randomness of the Perishable food
delivery process and construct a Stochastic VRPTW model to obtain optimal delivery routes, loads, fleet dispatching
and departure times for delivering perishable food from a distribution center. Osvald and Stirn [19] develop a
heuristic algorithm for the distribution of fresh vegetables in which the perishability represents a critical factor. The
problem was formulated as a VRPTW with time-dependent travel times. The model considers the impact of the
perishability as part of the overall distribution costs. Tarantilis and Kiranoudis [16] propose a threshold-accepting-
based algorithm to solve the fresh milk distribution problem that aimed to satisfy the needs of a company that planned
to generate a schedule repeatedly, many times over a day. The problem they formulated is essentially a heterogeneous
fixed fleet vehicle routing problem and no information about perishable goods is considered. Moreover, they also
addressed an open multi-depot vehicle routing problem for distributing fresh meat from depots to their customers
located in an area of the city of Athens. A stochastic search metaheuristic algorithm was proposed to solve the
problem. Refer to Eksioglu et al. [13] for the classification of the vehicle routing problem. Various researches have
been conducted to find an efficient vehicle routing policy and supply chain design for perishable goods.

RESEARCH METHOD

The VRPTW is given by a fleet with limited capacity q, and homogeneous vehicles denoted V. Kallehauge [2] stated
the problem G = (N, E) be a complete undirected graph with a vertex set (N) and an edge set (E). Each vertex, v i (i=0,
1, …n), represents a giving customer (v0 corresponding to the depot). The set of edges represents connections
between the depot and customers, and among the customers. Each customer i has a certain demand (q i), a service time
(si) and a time window [ai, bi]. A vehicle must arrive at the customer before bi. It can arrive before ai; however, the
customer is serviced before. The depot also has a time window [a 0, b0]. This interval is called the scheduling horizon.
Vehicles may not leave the depot before a0 and must be back before or at time b0. It is assumed that a symmetric
distance matrix D=(dij) satisfying the triangle inequality is defined on E. Travel time t ij is supposed to be proportional
to distance dij. Two decisions variables x and y are also defined. For each edge (i, j), where i ≠j and i, j ≠0, and each
vehicle k we define xijk by:
Ͳ‹ˆ†‘‡•‘–†”‹˜‡ˆ”‘–‘˜‡”–‡š
୧୨୩ ൌ ൜1 otherwise ݇ (1)
௜௝
Decision variable yik is defined for each vertex i each vehicle k. Time vehicle k starts to service customer i. In the
case where the given vehicle k does not service customer i, yik does not mean anything. We assume a0 = 0 and
therefore y0k = 0, for all k. We can state the VRPTW in the following mathematical form had used.
‹ ‫ ݖ‬ൌ  ෍ ෍ ෍ ܿ௜௝Ǥ ‫ݔ‬௜௝௞ ሺʹሻ
௞‫א‬௩ ௜‫א‬ே ௝‫א‬ே

෍ ෍ ‫ݔ‬௜௝௞ ൌ ͳ‫ ܰ א ݅׊‬ሺ͵ሻ

௞‫א‬௩ ௝‫א‬ே

෍ ‫ ݅ݍ‬෍ ‫ݔ‬௜௝௞ ൑ ܳ‫ ܸ א ݇׊‬ሺͶሻ

௜‫א‬௩ ௝‫א‬ே

෍ ‫ݔ‬௢௝௞ ൌ ͳ ‫ܸ א ݇׊‬ሺͷሻ

௝‫א‬ே

෍ ‫ݔ‬௜௛௞ െ ෍ ‫ݔ‬௛௝௞ ൌ Ͳ ‫ܰ א ݄׊‬ǡ ‫ܸ א ݇׊‬ሺ͸ሻ

௜‫א‬ே ௝‫א‬ே

020029-2
 ෍ ‫ݔ‬௜଴௞ ൌ ͳ ‫ܸ א ݇׊‬ሺ͹ሻ
௜‫א‬ே

‫ݕ‬௜௞ ൅ ‫ݏ‬௜ ൅ ‫ݐ‬௜௝ െ ‫ܭ‬൫ͳ െ ‫ݔ‬௜௝௞ ൯ ൑ ‫ݏ‬௝௞‫ܰ א ݅׊‬ሺͺሻ

ܽ௜ ൑ ‫ݕ‬௜௞ ൑ ܾ௜ ‫ܰ א ݅׊‬ǡ ‫ܸ א ݇׊‬ሺͻሻ

‫ݔ‬௜௝௞ ‫ א‬ሼͲǡͳሽ‫݅׊‬ǡ ݆ ‫ܰ א‬ǡ ‫ܸ א ݇׊‬ሺͳͲሻ

The objective function (2) minimizes the total travel cost. Constraint (3) guarantees that each customer is visited
exactly once. Constraint (4) means that no vehicle is loaded with more than its capacity. Equations (5) to (7) ensure
that each vehicle leaves the depot, after arriving at a customer the vehicle leaves again. Finally, all vehicles must
arrive at the depot n+1. Inequality (8) states that vehicle k cannot arrive at customer j before yik + si + tij if it travels
from customer i to customer j. Here K is a large scalar. Finally, Constraint (9) ensures that time windows are
respected, and Constraint (10) is the integrality constraint. Note that an unused vehicle is modeled by driving the
“empty” route (0,n+1).

LNS framework for solving the VPRTW

LNS algorithm [4],[7] are used to solve the problem. An outline of the algorithm is given below.
Step 1 (Initialization): Initialize the incumbent solution, the best known solution as an input, and the iteration counter
k = 1. Read the solution on the solution worksheet into the incumbent solution if a “warm start” is required. Set α 1 =
LNS minimum removal rate, α2 = LNS maximum removal rate, and β = LNS candidate list size.
Step 2 (Stopping condition): If the time limit is exceeded, stop and report the best known solution.
Step 3 (Break): Randomly select and remove α1+U[0, 1]*(α2-α1) percent of the locations from the incumbent
solution.
Step 4 (Repair): Randomly choose and insert a location among the best β candidate locations for insertion, until no
more vertices can be inserted.
Step 5 (Polishing): Select and apply the best among the operators of vertex relocation, vertex swap, 2-opt, and vehicle
swaps, until no further improvement is possible.
Step 6 (Best solution update): If the incumbent solution is feasible and better than the best known solution, update the
best known solution. Increment k and go to Step 2. The output of this process reached, if there is no candidates will
be replaced.

RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS

We study a problem that is encountered by fresh vegetables supplier in Depok, Indonesia, which is responsible for
providing the product to their consumers which spread in Jakarta. They have 1 depot that was notate by 0 and Have
51 customers node which are spread in Jakarta area. The Customers node’s converted into latitude (x) and longitude
(y) using by Bing Maps. The latitude and longitude are used to calculate Euclidian distances which are used as input
in VRP problem. Total demand also needed to calculate vehicle capacities for each fleet. The capacity are stored into
vehicle must be in maximize conditions and served all the Customers orders. Time windows are intervals of a certain
time span in transferring the products, in general, start at 06:00 AM and finish at 15:00 PM. Service time is the time
needed to serve the services in all outlets with some procedures applied. First procedure that must be done is
registration by submitting the permit or invoice. Then, checking the items reserved and only good quality items will
accept and can be transferred to customer warehouses. Last, the outlet giving back the invoice to the driver. It
requires approximate 20 minutes to complete all the administration processes. After that, loading and unloading can
be done with time needed is 10 minutes. So, in total, service time to each customer approximate 30 minutes.

Costs are calculated in this problem divide into two categories, there are rent car and fuel. Car rent cost per fleet is
Rp.5,00.000,- and the fuel used is premium with price Rp.6,600,- per litre. Maximum load capacity for each car is 24
containers with capacity 50 kg per container. Total fleet are used 7 cars with number of tires are 4 tires. Car average

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speeds approximate 70 km/h and assumption for fuel consumption is 1 litre to reach 8km. From the data calculation
and analysis, before optimization, each fleet can be served 7 customers in average with total distances 596.655 KM.
This initial route came from the driver intuitions when they are distributing the goods and also following the nearest
current position to move to the next. The distributions for 7 fleets are shown below:
Fleet 1 : 0–51–50–44–48–29–31–47–0
Fleet 2 : 0–21–17–15–49–30–45–12–11–10–0
Fleet 3 : 0–28–16–22–34–39–42–46–40–0
Fleet 4 : 0–2–1–3–8–7–14–9–13–0
Fleet 5 : 0–38–25–33–32–41–0
Fleet 6 : 0–5–24–23–20–19–18–0
Fleet 7 : 0–4–6–26–43–36–35–27–37–0
The detail routes map can be seen in fig.1. From there also known, colour distinctions are indicating the fleets.

Fig.1. Distribution routes before optimization

Following the existing routes, LNS algorithm will be implemented to optimize the distributions. The main objective
is minimizing total distances for all fleets. LNS is a one of artificial intelligent method which can be used in VRP
problems. After optimization did, have some difference routes from the existing route. The route alterations are
described as bellow.
Fleet 1 : 0–47–51–50–44–48–35–27–0
Fleet 2 : 0–31–49–45–12–11–10–30–21–40–0
Fleet 3 : 0–42–39–34–17–22–15–16–28–46–0
Fleet 4 : 0–9–13–14–7–8–3–1–2–0
Fleet 5 : 0–33–20–38–26–43–36–37–0
Fleet 6 : 0–25–19–18–23–5–4–6–24–0
Fleet 7 : 0–29–32–41–0

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 Fig.2. Distribution routes after optimization
From these routes, each fleet was served 7 customers in average with total distances 588.451 KM. Total distance
calculated using VRPTW mathematical model and the best routes proposed got from LNS algorithm by inserted or
removed customer node until the minimum distance to each fleet reached. The iterations stopped until all the
customers’ node cannot be changed. From here was known, the total distance decreased 8.204 KM. However, the
supplier was did an efficiency 1.37% in distance. The routes map can be seen at fig.2.
There is still remaining some work on fleet 7. From there knew, that was only 3 customers are served. Here made
inefficiency in worker. Thus, advance study must be done solve this problem. Hereby, the comparison fleets before
and after optimization, as shown in table 1:

Table.1. Travel Distance comparison

Distance before Distance After Efficiency Efficiency in

Fleet Number
optimization optimization in KM %

1 82.072 82.737 0.664 0.81%

2 87.392 85.116 -2.276 -2.60%
3 84.371 83.729 -0.642 -0.76%
4 87.881 86.861 -1.020 -1.16%
5 82.265 83.186 0.921 1.12%
6 86.832 86.121 -0.711 -0.82%
7 85.842 80.701 -5.141 -5.99%
Total Distance 596.655 588.451 -8.204 -1.37%

From the table, fleet number 1 and fleet number 5 shown that the travel distance was not shorter than before. But, in
total they perform and have been satisfactory.

CONCLUSION
This paper has proposed Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW) in a real-case study using artificial
intelligent algorithm based on Large Neighbourhood Search (LNS) for optimizing distribution routes. The optimizing
route construction was capable of increasing the solution quality of the route. The optimization can be reach 1.37%.
Thus, total distance decreased from 596.65 KM became 588.45 KM or shorter 8.2 KM compared from previous. This
real case has been satisfactory. However, some aspects could further improve the performance of the proposed
algorithm, such as large number of customers and considering congestion levels.

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was supported in part by DRPM DIKTI under Grant No: 0425/K3/KM/2017 and No. 014/SPK/A-
01/UAI/VI/2017

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