Integrated Optimization of the Location–Inventory Problem of Maintenance Component Distribution for High-Speed Railway Operations

Dezhi Zhang, Shuxin Yang, Shuangyan Li, Jiajun Fan and Bin Ji
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Dezhi Zhang: School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
Shuxin Yang: School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
Shuangyan Li: College of Logistics and Transportation, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Jiajun Fan: School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
Bin Ji: School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 13, 1-25

Abstract: Sustainable distribution network design for the maintenance components of electric multiple units (EMUs) is critical to reduce the problem of unreasonable resource allocation and capital occupation of high-speed railway (HSR) operations. Motivated by the above analysis, this study investigates the integrated optimization of the location and inventory of EMU maintenance component distributions. Aiming to improve the sustainable operation for high-speed railway, we proposed a corresponding nonlinear mixed-integer programming model to determine the location of the distribution center (DC) for EMU maintenance component delivery, inventory control strategy, and corresponding service level. The above optimization model is solved by an adaptive improved genetic algorithm. The proposed model and algorithm are applied to a real-world case study on China’s EMU maintenance components. The findings show that a higher service level is not better to achieve the lower total cost in the maintenance component distribution network. The ratios of transportation modes are significant to balance the service level and total cost of the EMU distribution network. Furthermore, the unit out-of-stock cost and the service level both show great impacts on the total costs of the EMU distribution system. Finally, there exists an optimal ratio of different transport modes, which ensures the least total cost of the EMU distribution system.

Keywords: distribution network design; maintenance components of high-speed railway; location–inventory problem; optimization model; adaptive genetic algorithm; case study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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