Route Optimization for Hazardous Materials Transportation with Time-Window Constraints

Route optimization is one of most effective measures for reducing the hazardous materials transportation risk by road. This paper discusses the problem related to route optimization for hazardous materials transportation with multiple time-windows constraints and time-varying attributes and for a given OD pair. Based on establishing a mathematical model for the above-mentioned route optimization problem, the proposed mathematical model is equivalently transformed into a static multi-objective shortest route problem reconstructed by the space-time network techniques, and an efficient dynamic labeling algorithm which can identify the most satisfied route is then developed. Finally, an example is taken for analyzing the effectiveness and practicability of the above-proposed method and algorithm. The result shows that the established route optimization model and algorithm have better operability in solving such complexity problem, which can provide technical support to decision-making of the government authorities and the road hazmat transport enterprises.