Vehicle Routing Problem Approach for Improving Fuel Delivery Scheduling to Austere Test Sites
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Research
Fuel Delivery Optimization, Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), Logistics
Abstract
The 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida conducts an average of 55 million gallons of annual refueling operations across the 464,000-acre Eglin Reservation. Currently, ground refueling operations plans generate suboptimal refueling routes, negatively affecting fuel consumption and operational costs. To improve the efficiency of the refueling operations, we created a data-driven scheduling tool inspired by the Vehicle Routing Problem. The study focuses on 20 key field test sites across the reservation. When applying our scheduling tool to historical refueling operations, we find there are opportunities to significantly reduce mileage on refueling vehicles. The study aims to validate the effectiveness of the proposed tool by comparing suggested routes with current operations and offering actionable recommendations for future fuel distribution logistics. The analysis revealed an average of 6,650 miles saved per year. The scheduling tool's flexibility enables application across diverse installations and operations.
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References
Doerner, K. F., Hartl, R. F., & Lucka, M. (2005). A parallel version of the d-ant algorithm for the vehicle routing problem. Parallel Numerics, 5, 109-118.
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Qian, J., & Eglese, R. (2016). Fuel emissions optimization in vehicle routing problems with time-varying speeds. European Journal of Operational Research, 248(3), 840-848.
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