EURO 2025 Leeds
Abstract Submission

2178. Cost Effective Tactical Pre-Disaster Relief Supply Planning under Time-Phased Networks

Invited abstract in session TC-55: Humanitarian Supply Chain and Network Design, stream Humanitarian Operations.

Tuesday, 12:30-14:00
Room: Liberty 1.09

Authors (first author is the speaker)

1. Halit Uster
Operations Research and Engineering Management, Southern Methodist University
2. Vala Rahmati
Operations Research and Engineering Management, Southern Methodist University

Abstract

We consider emergency preparedness for foreseen disaster such as hurricanes and flooding. Proper preparation and planning for timely relief supply in a cost-effective manner can be a crucial determinant of how quickly the recoveries take place and with least suffering of the affected populations. Assuming a host of shelter locations aggregated locally, we are interested in determining supply locations (DCs) and routing of supply through the transfer nodes on a time-phased network from the DCs to the shelters for timely delivery under cost considerations.
We present a mixed integer optimization model to address this problem under the assumption of covering worst-case demand at the shelters. To solve our model, we develop an efficient Benders Decomposition (BD) based algorithm that handles the challenges associated with obtaining optimality cuts via master problem solution modifications and various surrogate constraints among other enhancement techniques. We test the performance of the enhancement techniques on an extensive randomly generated test data set to identify the most effective approach. We finally use our model and the solution algorithm on a real case study in southern Texas data incorporated and managed by Geographical Information System (GIS) to examine the impact various input parameters on the design and tactical operation of the relief networks as well as for further model verification and validation.

Keywords

Status: accepted

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