The container loading problem with cargo stability: a study on support factors, mechanical equilibrium and grids

Abstract

Approaches based on mechanical equilibrium are described for handling cargo stability in the container loading problem. This problem is expressed as an integer programming model and solved with a branch-and-cut algorithm. Cutting planes are added to avoid generating unstable packings. Three grids of points are used to pack items, and then their weakness and advantages, when combined with the cargo stability, are discussed. Computational results on 180 instances from the literature show that the support factor underestimates the solution, as the proposed approaches allowed stable packings with a higher volume.

Keywords:

• Container loading problem
• cargo stability
• equilibrium of material bodies
• support factor
• integer linear programming

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The work reported in this article was supported by the National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq) [Grant numbers 311499/2014-7, 308312/2016-3, 425340/2016-3 and 314366/2018-0], the State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) [Grant numbers 2015/11937-9 and 2016/01860-1] and the State of Goiás Research Foundation (FAPEG).