An hybrid heuristic algorithm for the Two-Echelon Vehicle Routing Problem

This paper aims to put forward a kind of hybrid heuristic algorithm to solve the Two-Echelon Vehicle Routing Problem (2E-VRP), which can improve the solution quality and accelerate the convergence of algorithm. By combining greedy algorithm, ant colony optimization algorithm and neighbourhood search algorithm together, the hybrid heuristic algorithm can take full advantage of the rapidness of greedy algorithm, the search diversity of ant colony algorithm and the strong local optimization ability of local search algorithm. The paper applies the algorithm to 22 benchmark examples and three large-scale examples, and compares the results with similar studies. The experimental results show that the hybrid heuristic algorithm can not only guarantee a high accuracy, but also have high efficiency. Compared with the similar algorithm of the highest accuracy, although the hybrid heuristic algorithm performs somewhat less well in solution quality, but shows great advantage as far as the solving speed is concerned. The experimental results also show that in some cases the 2E-VRP approach obtains better performances with respect to the classical VRP, and the setting of satellites can significantly improve the city logistics efficiency.