OPTIMAL LOGISTICS FOR MULTIPLE JEEPS

• Published in: Acta mathematica scientia Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 1429 - 1439
• Main Author: 陈文磊 丁义明 范文涛
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2010; Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China%Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences,P.O. Box 71010, Wuhan 430071, China
• Subjects: 90B; 90C; Abandoned; Caravans; Deserts; Drivers; dynamic program principle; Dynamics; jeep problem; Logistics; Off road vehicles; Optimization; Sport utility vehicles; 动态规划; 吉普车; 最大距离; 目的地; jeep problem; logistics; 90B; 90C; dynamic program principle
• ISSN: 0252-9602; 1572-9087
• DOI: 10.1016/S0252-9602(10)60135-X

We consider variations of the classical jeep problems： the optimal logistics for a caravan of jeeps which travel together in the desert. The main purpose is to arrange the travels for the one-way trip and the round trip of a caravan of jeeps so that the chief jeep visits the farthest destination. Based on the dynamic program principle, the maximum distances for the caravan when only part of the jeeps should return and when all drivers should return are obtained. Some related results such as the efficiency of the abandoned jeeps, and the advantages of more jeeps in the caravan are also presented.