Integrated scheduling in automated container terminals considering AGV conflict-free routing

ABSTRACT

In automated container terminals, effectively scheduling quay cranes (QCs), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), automated stacking cranes (ASCs) and AGV routing are two important problems. This paper studies the combinatorial optimization of two problems in the synchronous loading and unloading operation mode of the automated container terminal. First, a bi-level programming model for integrated scheduling problems is established with the goal of minimizing the completion time of all containers. Secondly, in order to solve the model, we design two bi-level optimization algorithms based on conflict resolution strategy: bi-level adaptive genetic algorithm based on conflict resolution strategy (CRS-BAGA) and bi-level genetic algorithm based on conflict resolution strategy (CRS-BGA). Finally, the effectiveness of the two optimization algorithms is verified by numerical experiments. Experimental results show that the proposed optimization algorithms are effective. They can coordinate the scheduling of three equipments and solve the conflict congestion problem of AGV.

KEYWORDS:

• Automated container terminal
• integrated scheduling
• synchronous loading and unloading
• combinatorial optimization
• genetic algorithm

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Project under [grant number 2017YFE0134600].