A Multi-period Multi-objective Location- routing Model for Relief Chain Management under Uncertainty

Abstract

Natural disasters, accidents, and crises, that cause widespread destruction and inflict heavy casualties, accentuate the importance of a careful planning to deal with the aftermath and mitigate their impacts responsively. Thus, the logistics of disaster relief is one of the main activities in disaster management. In this paper, the response phase of the disaster management cycle is considered and a multi-objective model for location and routing of vehicles is presented. Uncertainties in transfer time, demands of regional warehouses in the damaged areas and inventories at supply centers in different periods are taken into account. Three objectives are considered in this model. Two objectives consist of minimizing total time required to reach the damaged areas and maximizing satisfaction of the damaged areas. The third objective, which is of secondary importance, attempts to minimize total costs, including startup costs, transfer costs, and shortage costs. In order to convert the proposed multi-objective formulation to a single objective one, Global Criterion approach is applied. Afterwards, the obtained single objective model is solved using an efficient genetic algorithm and simulated annealing. Finally, a case study in Southern Khorasan is conducted and the applicability of the proposed model is examined.