Application of Composite Ant Colony Optimization in Logistics Distribution Center Location

A new model called location, routing, production and sale problem(LRPSP) is proposed for logistics distribution center location in the paper. In this model vehicle routing problem(VRP) and the balance or imbalance problem of production and sale are considered, because all these would influence the selection of locations of logistics distribution centers. And also ant colony optimization(ACO) for clustering and ACO for finding the shortest route are introduced to assign clients to distribution centers and solve VRP respectively for the model. Through designing the transition probability, the tabu list and the way to update pheromones reasonably, the composite algorithm of ACO for clustering and ACO for finding the shortest route(CACO) for LRPSP is realized and the computer program is designed by Java. Finally, it's proved by a simulation case that CACO is feasibility and scientific effectiveness for LRPSP.