Multi objective node routing problem with time windows: an alternate approach to solid waste collection and disposal in developing countries
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Date
2015-04-15
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Abstract
This thesis is concerned with the collection and disposal of solid waste in the
developing countries where logistics for collection and improper road network is a
challenge. This problem is modeled as a Capacitated Node Routing Problem with Time
Windows (CNRPTW), the effect of smell from uncollected waste on the environment and
the cost of transportation to the disposal sites. The first part of the study investigates the
generation of waste per person per day in third class communities; the second part provides
a proposed location model to optimally assign customers unto a zone base d on two primary
parameters. The third part of the study provides a meta-heuristic method, which takes into
account the vehicle capacity and time of collection. This is based on the improved Ant
Colony Heuristic, enhanced by three parameters. The introduction of soft windows
incorporates vehicle breaking time, crew lunch break and drop-off time. The fourth part of
the study modeled the effect of smell from uncollected waste by incorporating factors such
time and fraction of biodegradable component, the fifth part considered the implementation
of a proposed model on fuel consumption in addition to the existing fuel consumption
models. Computational testing is carried out on the test problems used in the literature on
our improved models gave competitive results. The final part of the study deals with the
implementation of our models on the real life solid waste generation, collection and
transportation which exists in one of the nine sub-metropolitan areas in Kumasi
Metropolitan Assembly in Kumasi. Competing results were obtained compared with the
existing practices on the ground.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Department of Mathematics, School of Sciences,
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in fulfillment of the
requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics.