ROUTING OF SOLID WASTE COLLECTION VEHICLES. APPENDIX B: A HEURISTIC SOLUTION TO THE M-POSTMEN'S PROBLEM

This paper presents the theory and procedure of an algorithm which routes a known number of solid waste collection vehicles on a city street network. The network is assumed to be planar and connected and consists of only undirected edges (two-way streets). Each edge has a cost and load associated with it. The purpose of the procedure is to route the vehicles from a depot to a collection area (district), through the district and back to the depot. The algorithm determines districts and tours simultaneously. For each tour it lists a sequence of nodes and specifies whether the edge leading to each node is traveled or serviced. Computational experience shows that the algorithm is feasible for a network with as many as 90 nodes.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper copy also available in set of 4 reports as PB-239 895-SET, PC$16.00.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  Urbana, IL  United States  61801

  National Environmental Research Center

  Solid and Hazardous Waste Research Laboratory
  Cincinnati, OH  United States 
• Authors:
  • Liebman, J C
  • Male, J W
• Publication Date: 1974-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 130 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Algorithms; City planning; Freight handling; Heuristic methods; Linear programming; Management; Numerical analysis; Planning; Routing; Solid waste disposal; Traffic regulations; Transportation; Trucks; Waste disposal
• Identifier Terms: Chinese postman problem
• Uncontrolled Terms: Hauling
• Old TRIS Terms: Collection; Management planning
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00090940
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: EPA-R-801289
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 26 1975 12:00AM