Academic Journal
An Exact Linearization-Based Refinement Algorithm to the Carrier-Vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem.
| Τίτλος: | An Exact Linearization-Based Refinement Algorithm to the Carrier-Vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Vieira, Bruno S.1,2 bruno.vieira@ifsc.edu.br, Frazzon, Enzo M.3 enzo.frazzon@ufsc.br, Coelho, Leandro C.4 leandro.coelho@fsa.ulaval.ca |
| Πηγή: | Transportation Science (INFORMS). Jul/Aug2026, Vol. 60 Issue 4, p589-607. 19p. |
| Θεματικοί όροι: | *Traveling salesman problem, *Mathematical optimization, *Algorithms, *Drone aircraft delivery, Mixed integer linear programming |
| Περίληψη: | Traditional single-vehicle systems often fail to provide efficient solutions in applications, such as rescue operations, postdisaster relief, environmental mapping, and last-mile delivery. Coordinated systems composed of two echelons and heterogeneous vehicles with complementary capabilities offer a promising alternative. This paper focuses on the carriervehicle traveling salesman problem, which involves a slow carrier vehicle (mothership) transporting a fast vehicle (e.g., a drone) that must take off from and return to the mothership to serve a set of customers. We propose a mixed-integer nonlinear programming formulation and an approximation that can be modeled as a mixed-integer linear programming model. An exact algorithm is proposed that corrects the approximation error of the nonlinear term. Combined with a set of valid inequalities, our branch-and-cut algorithm guarantees optimal solutions for the original nonlinear problem. We evaluate our algorithm on a wide range of benchmark instances from the literature, ranging from 10 to 200 customers. Our method outperforms all previous exact and heuristic approaches in the literature in terms of objective value or computational time. Moreover, we are the first to solve all benchmark instances with up to 25 customers optimally, and notably, we find a proven optimal solution for an instance with 35 customers, the largest one solved to optimality in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Transportation Science (INFORMS) is the property of INFORMS: Institute for Operations Research & the Management Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | Business Source Index |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: An Exact Linearization-Based Refinement Algorithm to the Carrier-Vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vieira%2C+Bruno+S%2E%22">Vieira, Bruno S.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><i> bruno.vieira@ifsc.edu.br</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Frazzon%2C+Enzo+M%2E%22">Frazzon, Enzo M.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><i> enzo.frazzon@ufsc.br</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Coelho%2C+Leandro+C%2E%22">Coelho, Leandro C.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo><i> leandro.coelho@fsa.ulaval.ca</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Transportation+Science+%28INFORMS%29%22">Transportation Science (INFORMS)</searchLink>. Jul/Aug2026, Vol. 60 Issue 4, p589-607. 19p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Traveling+salesman+problem%22">Traveling salesman problem</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematical+optimization%22">Mathematical optimization</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Algorithms%22">Algorithms</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Drone+aircraft+delivery%22">Drone aircraft delivery</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mixed+integer+linear+programming%22">Mixed integer linear programming</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Traditional single-vehicle systems often fail to provide efficient solutions in applications, such as rescue operations, postdisaster relief, environmental mapping, and last-mile delivery. Coordinated systems composed of two echelons and heterogeneous vehicles with complementary capabilities offer a promising alternative. This paper focuses on the carriervehicle traveling salesman problem, which involves a slow carrier vehicle (mothership) transporting a fast vehicle (e.g., a drone) that must take off from and return to the mothership to serve a set of customers. We propose a mixed-integer nonlinear programming formulation and an approximation that can be modeled as a mixed-integer linear programming model. An exact algorithm is proposed that corrects the approximation error of the nonlinear term. Combined with a set of valid inequalities, our branch-and-cut algorithm guarantees optimal solutions for the original nonlinear problem. We evaluate our algorithm on a wide range of benchmark instances from the literature, ranging from 10 to 200 customers. Our method outperforms all previous exact and heuristic approaches in the literature in terms of objective value or computational time. Moreover, we are the first to solve all benchmark instances with up to 25 customers optimally, and notably, we find a proven optimal solution for an instance with 35 customers, the largest one solved to optimality in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Transportation Science (INFORMS) is the property of INFORMS: Institute for Operations Research & the Management Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1287/trsc.2025.0292 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 19 StartPage: 589 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Traveling salesman problem Type: general – SubjectFull: Mathematical optimization Type: general – SubjectFull: Algorithms Type: general – SubjectFull: Drone aircraft delivery Type: general – SubjectFull: Mixed integer linear programming Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: An Exact Linearization-Based Refinement Algorithm to the Carrier-Vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Vieira, Bruno S. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Frazzon, Enzo M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Coelho, Leandro C. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: Jul/Aug2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00411655 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 60 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Transportation Science (INFORMS) Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |