Print Email Facebook Twitter The design of a large distribution system for the allocation of stores and the routing of vehicles Title The design of a large distribution system for the allocation of stores and the routing of vehicles: A Dutch case study Author Rietveld, Mike (TU Delft Civil Engineering & Geosciences; TU Delft Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering; TU Delft Technology, Policy and Management) Contributor Duinkerken, M.B. (mentor) Maknoon, M.Y. (mentor) Atasoy, B. (graduation committee) Degree granting institution Delft University of Technology Programme Transport, Infrastructure and Logistics Date 2023-11-16 Abstract Efficient distribution is crucial in many industries today, especially in retail, where customer demand grows rapidly. The rise of online shopping and automation has led to a shift towards using Central Distribution Centers (CDCs). Retailers are part of this trend, which requires them to rethink how they handle their distribution. This study focuses on two main challenges: first, changing the distribution system to adapt to new CDCs, and second, dealing with the computational complexities when optimizing the distribution on a large scale. The aim is to design a large distribution system for the allocation of stores and the routing of vehicles. In this research, we introduce new elements to the mathematical model, which are mostly focused on the routing of vehicles. We also improve the computation by implementing a start solution, adjusting the parameters of the Gurobi optimization tool and including a callback function which bounds the run time. This model will determine the routing decisions for demand from several DCs to the stores and find the optimal vehicle routes. Through a case study at a company in the Netherlands, this paper provides insights into the changing world of distribution systems. It offers practical solutions for businesses trying to make their distribution processes better. The analysis revealed that consolidating demand at CDCs can lead to significant cost improvements while altering transport costs between CDCs and RDCs and adjusting order volumes can influence delivery strategies. Despite the absence of direct relationships between routing decisions, distances, and volumes, a logistic regression model provides guidance. Subject Distribution System DesignLocation-Routing ProblemTransportationRetailer-Depot Allocation To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f2260545-c961-4884-b7a1-c1b779a206ce Part of collection Student theses Document type master thesis Rights © 2023 Mike Rietveld Files PDF Thesis_Mike_Rietveld_4676 ... public.pdf 3.07 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:f2260545-c961-4884-b7a1-c1b779a206ce/datastream/OBJ/view