Compound zone
Term explanation
In Vehicle Routing Problems (VRP), a compound zone refers to a geographical area that is treated as a single entity for routing purposes, even though it may contain multiple stops or sub-zones within it. This approach is used to simplify complex routing scenarios and reduce the computational burden of finding optimal solutions.
Grouping: A compound zone groups together several closely located stops or sub-zones within a larger geographical area. Single Entity: The entire compound zone is treated as a single entity during the initial route planning stage. Internal Routing: Once a vehicle is assigned to a compound zone, a separate, more detailed routing process is performed within the zone to determine the optimal sequence of visits to the individual stops.
Reduced Complexity: Simplifies the initial routing problem by reducing the number of nodes to consider. Improved Efficiency: Can lead to more efficient routes by allowing for better consolidation of shipments and reduced travel distances. Scalability: Makes it easier to handle large-scale VRPs with numerous stops.
Example:
Imagine a delivery scenario where a truck needs to deliver goods to 10 different stores within a city. Instead of treating each store as a separate stop, the city can
be divided into 3 compound zones, each containing a few stores. The initial VRP solution would determine the optimal sequence of visiting the 3 zones, and then a separate routing process would determine the best order to visit the stores within each zone.
Types of Compound Zones:
- Predefined Zones: Zones can be predefined based on geographical boundaries, administrative divisions, or other criteria.
- Dynamic Zones: Zones can be dynamically created based on real-time factors such as traffic conditions, customer demand, or vehicle availability.
Compound zones are used in various VRP applications, including:
- Last-Mile Delivery: Optimizing delivery routes in urban areas with high density of stops.
- Pickup and Delivery: Efficiently routing vehicles for both pickup and delivery tasks.
- Multi-Depot VRP: Managing routes for multiple depots or distribution centers.
Playground
You can try out the Compound Zone concept using the playground below.