A new model and solution method for the dynamic sectorization problem

• Main Author: Teymourifar, Aydin
• Publication Date: 2021
• Other Authors: Rodrigues, Ana Maria, Ferreira, José Soeiro
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/38867
• topic: Sectorization; Dynamic problems; Monte Carlo simulation; Python; Pulp; Optimization

In sectorization problems (SPs), a large area is divided into smaller regions for administrative purposes. SPs have applications in many fields. Since real-life problems are often dynamic, in this study, a new model for dynamic SP is proposed. In the problem, points are assigned to service centres and in this way sectors are formed. The sectors must be balanced in terms of distance and demand, which is defined in the objective function and constraints of the model. In the problem, in a certain time period, the coordinates and demands of some points change according to certain statistical distributions. A two-stage solution method is suggested for this problem. In the first stage, the expected values of coordinates and demands of the points are estimated by a Monte Carlo simulation, and in the second stage, the problem is solved like a deterministic optimization problem. The model is nonlinear, but after linearization, it is solved in Python’s Pulp library for benchmarks of different sizes and the results are discussed.