Efficient Design of Grocery Distribution Networks.

连锁超市需要大量不同的产品，这些产品由许多不同的供应商生产，在大量的商店中销售。因此，他们使用一个非常大的分销网络将产品从供应商运送到商店。该项目的目的是产生一个模型，设计一个有效的配电网。中间设施被用来改善网络，使产品以最高效的方式运输。本博士学位的目的是开发一个模型/方法来支持决策，其决策对应于：-中间设施：我们应该使用哪种中间设施？我们将需要决定是否使用现有的中间设施和/或建造新的设施。在建造新设施时，我们需要考虑建造这些设施的最佳地点，以及哪些商店将由哪个中间设施提供服务。-路线：车辆应选择哪些路线通过设施？-网络流量：设施之间运输的每种产品的适当数量。目标是在经济效益和减少有害排放方面建立最具成本效益的网络。考虑到优化问题的高度复杂性，我们的计划是使用启发式方法。

Supermarket chains require a large number of different products which are produced by many different suppliers to sell in a large number of stores. Hence they use a very large distribution network to transport products from suppliers to stores. The aim of this project is to produce a model which designs an efficient distribution network. Intermediate facilities are used to improve the network by allowing products to be transported in the most efficient manner.The aim of this PhD is to develop a model/method which will support the decision making with decisions corresponding to:- Intermediate facilities: Which intermediate facilities should we use? We will need to decide whether to use intermediate facilities that already exist and/or build new ones. When building new ones we will need to consider the best location to build these facilities and which stores will be served by which intermediate facility.- Routes: What routes through facilities should vehicles take?- Flow through the network: What is the appropriate quantity of each product to transport between facilities.The objective is to make the most cost-efficient network in terms of economic benefits and reduction in harmful emissions. Our plan is to use heuristic methods given the highly complicated nature of the optimisation problem.