Routing Model for Multicommodity Freight in an Intermodal Network Under Disruptions

This paper presents a mathematical model for the routing of multicommodity freight in an intermodal network under disruptions. A stochastic mixed-integer program was formulated to minimize not only operational costs of various modes and transfer costs at terminals but also penalty costs associated with unsatisfied demands. The sample average approximation algorithm was used to solve this challenging problem. The developed model was then applied to two networks—a hypothetical 15-node network and an actual intermodal network in the Gulf Coast, Southeastern, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States—to demonstrate its applicability with explicit consideration of disruptions at links, nodes, and terminals. The model results indicated that during disruptions, goods in the study region should be shipped by road–rail intermodal network because of the built-in redundancy of the freight transport network. Additionally, the routes generated by the model were found to be more robust than those typically used by freight carriers.