Multi-route planning of multimodal transportation for oversize and heavyweight cargo based on reconstruction

Abstract This paper investigates the multi-route planning problem of multimodal transportation for oversize and heavyweight cargo based on reconstruction (MM-OHC-R). Considering required reconstruction of lines or nodes, a reconstruction model for route planning of OHC is proposed. The model aims to simultaneously determine the transportation route, modes of transport as well as the lines or nodes required to be reconstructed to minimize the total cost. To attain multiple solutions, the K shortest paths algorithm is introduced and improved to solve MM-OHC-R problem. The proposed algorithm is derived from a virtual network named multi-prism network and Yen algorithm. Moreover, the algorithm is improved by introducing improved A* algorithm. A case study is conducted to validate the feasibility of the proposed model and algorithms. The results demonstrate that the usage of reconstruction measurements is able to optimize the transportation schemes and the proposed algorithm is capable of developing multiple transportation schemes to provide the support of decision making and risk prevention and control for the carrier. For the constrained MM-OHC-R problem, the improvement of the A* algorithm enhances the computation performance by reducing the size of the candidate path set effectively.