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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until September 01, 2026

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Social Cost-Vehicle Routing Problem in Post-Disaster Humanitarian Logistics

Sadeghi, Azadeh
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1626446795459101

Abstract Details

2021, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Industrial and Systems Engineering (Engineering and Technology).
The first section of this research develops a mathematical model to determine vehicle routing in the context of humanitarian logistics denominated Social Cost Vehicle Routing Problem. The objective function of the model minimizes social cost which incorporates private and deprivation cost. Private costs include logistics, procurement, and transportation cost. Deprivation cost account for survivors’ suffering due to the lack of access to critical supplies. Due to the NP-hard nature of the problem, a hybrid metaheuristic algorithm with a novel local search is developed. The algorithm uses Tabu Search (TS), Simulated Annealing (SA), and Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) in a combined manner that SA is embedded in TS and VNS implements randomized number of local searches. The model is applied to the case study of water distribution in Puerto Rico; similar challenge faced after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. This research develops a strategy for water distribution in post disasters. Numerical experiments indicate the efficiency of the algorithm to provide optimal or near-optimal solutions in reasonable execution times that make the methodology/solution procedure viable for operational implementation. Sensitivity analysis scenarios evaluate the robustness of the model as water rationing changes. The second section of this research develops a two-stage stochastic programming model applicable for Post-Disaster Humanitarian Logistics (PD-HL). The model solves the Social Cost Vehicle Routing Problem incorporating uncertainty in travel times. The first stage concerns with determining vehicle routings prior to the realization of travel time. The main decision in the second stage is travel time which affects the arrival time of the vehicle to the affected population. The objective of the model minimizes social cost which includes logistics cost and deprivation cost. Considering the NP hard nature of the problem, TS-SA-VNS is applied. The case study of water distribution in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017 evaluates the efficacy of the distribution and compares it with the deterministic version of the model.
Felipe Aros-Vera (Advisor)
124 p.
Industrial Engineering
Humanitarian and Disaster Response Logistics; Deprivation Cost; Social Cost VRP; Tabu Search; Simulated Annealing; Water Distribution Strategy; Scenario-Based Stochastic Programming

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Sadeghi, A. (2021). Social Cost-Vehicle Routing Problem in Post-Disaster Humanitarian Logistics [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1626446795459101

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Sadeghi, Azadeh. Social Cost-Vehicle Routing Problem in Post-Disaster Humanitarian Logistics. 2021. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1626446795459101.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Sadeghi, Azadeh. "Social Cost-Vehicle Routing Problem in Post-Disaster Humanitarian Logistics." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1626446795459101

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1626446795459101
© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.