VRP Multiple deliveries to one order

[KoenVeenenbos]

Hello GeoNet,

I am working on a Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), with network analyst in ArcGIS 10.5.1, for a number of depots and orders in the city Berlin (Germany). From the distribution centres (depots) trucks will supply supermarkets (orders).

The supermarkets have a specific number of tons they need to get delivered. This number is present in the attribute table. The number of tons differs between 11 and 106. The trucks have a capacity of 30 tons, which means that some supermarkets can be supply at once, but others need several truck loads.

My problem is that only supermarkets that ask for less than 30 tons are reached. All the supermarkets which require more than one delivery (more than 30 tons) are skipped by the trucks.

I already applied the route renewals to the trucks, so they are refilled after suppling a supermarket.

Does somebody know how I can let the truck also deliver to the supermarkets, which require more than 30 tons of goods?

Thank you in advance.

[XanderBakker]

Maybe not the best option, but could you try duplicate the supermarkets with a demand higher than 30. So the supermarket with a demand of 106 would be represented by 4 points (3 with a value of 30 and 1 with a value of 16 for instance). There may be other options to account for type of situation.

[KoenVeenenbos]

Thank you for the idea. It could be a good work around. 

[XanderBakker]

Just in case, since I am not an expert in NA I will CC jsandhu-esristaff who is. I'm sure he can confirm if there is some way you can configure this without having to duplicate geometries.

[KoenVeenenbos]

That would be very nice. I would love to hear if he has any recommendations. 

[HeatherMoe · Accepted solution]

Xander's description of creating multiple orders that fit under the capacity limit is correct and the best workaround for this problem.

Note: The following is only an additional option but not needed if it isn't a part of your business model.

If you have all of your trucks the same you could also use a specialty for those duplicate orders and one truck so that the same truck delivers all of them with the renewals you already have set up.  That added complexity really is only needed if you have the business constraint of the same truck delivering all of the food to the supermarket.  In the example above from Xander you could make the first three have the specialty along with one truck and then the partial order could either be included with the same specialty in which case the same truck would also deliver the final portion but it would limit the optimization on the less then truck load runs.  Or you could leave the last partial order without the specialty which would allow for all of the less then truck load deliveries to be be considered on every truck to find the best way to deliver that part also.  

[XanderBakker]

Hi HMoe-esristaff , thanks for the clarification!

[KoenVeenenbos]

Thank you for your answer and the clarification Heather Moe.

[GarrettMelvin]

I have a similar challenge.  My orders class has multiple points at the same location, between 1 and 8 delivery quantities.  Each route capacity is 8.  In our business model, it is preferred, but not required that all orders get serviced by a single truck.  I would like to setup the VRP to service all orders at one location whenever possible, and then group other orders as necessary.  Is this possible?  

Also, I ran a simulation of orders with an assignment rule to honor a set of past routes.  The VRP solves, but after changing all orders assignment rule to override, the solution does not solve with all orders serviced.  Why would the VRP not solve if a solution is possible?

[HeatherMoe]

Hello,

If you are wanting the orders at the same location to be serviced by the same truck then you should consolidate those orders into one making sure to adjust the quantities and service times accordingly.  This way they will be considered a single order and be placed on the same route.  Make sure to not combine too many so that the quantity becomes bigger then the capacity.  The order location will not be routed if that is the case.

By consolidating points like this it also reduces the complexity of the problem sent to the VRP which usually makes for better results from the heuristic.

Hope this helps,

Heather