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Title: Environmental inspection routes and the constrained travelling salesman problem

Book ·
OSTI ID:7309375

The constrained version of the classical traveling salesman problem (TSP) is seen to be a generic model for a wide variety of problems. Concern here is limited to problems that impinge directly on the environmental issues; however, the constrained problem is of even more general interest though not pursued here. Some potential applications are in the areas of resource management, energy conservation, and transportation. The version of the problem can be stated as: given 1 or more persons (or vehicles) that must visit a set of n sites (plants, bus stops, etc.) how can one develop a route of minimum mileage that meets certain restrictions (8-hour work day, bus seating capacity, etc.) This paper addresses the following issues in light of this problem: (1) areas of potential application--for example, locational problems (office location), regionalization studies (development of efficient regional boundaries, efficient inspection and delivery routes, long-range and short-term resource management); (2) data problems--in particular, efficient means of gathering and maintaining data; (3) numerical results: the study of efficient algorithms so that the model can be used efficiently on large problems and also on a day-to-day basis; and (4) decision-making applications in terms of analysis of operations, planning, and analysis of resources via sensitivity analysis.

OSTI ID:
7309375
Report Number(s):
NP-22100
Resource Relation:
Related Information: Report No. 20
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English