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Robust spotter scheduling in trailer yards

Author

Listed:
  • Giorgi Tadumadze

    (Technische Universität Darmstadt)

  • Nils Boysen

    (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena)

  • Simon Emde

    (Aarhus University)

Abstract

Spotters (also denoted as switchers) are specialized terminal tractors, which are dedicated to the rapid maneuvering of semitrailers between parking lot and dock doors in large trailer yards. This paper is dedicated to spotter scheduling, i.e., the assignment of predefined trailer movements to a given fleet of spotters. The limited number of dock doors for loading and unloading is often the scarce resource during trailer processing, so that idle time of the bottleneck, e.g., caused by unforeseen delay in the yard, is to be avoided. In this setting, we aim to insert time buffers between any pair of subsequent jobs assigned to the same spotter, so that small delays are not propagated and subsequent jobs can still be executed in a timely manner. We formalize two versions of the resulting robust spotter scheduling problem and provide efficient algorithms for finding optimal solutions in polynomial time. Furthermore, we simulate delays during the execution of spotter schedules and show that the right robustness objective can greatly improve yard performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Giorgi Tadumadze & Nils Boysen & Simon Emde, 2020. "Robust spotter scheduling in trailer yards," OR Spectrum: Quantitative Approaches in Management, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research e.V., vol. 42(4), pages 995-1021, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:orspec:v:42:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s00291-020-00599-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s00291-020-00599-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Boysen, Nils & Fliedner, Malte, 2010. "Cross dock scheduling: Classification, literature review and research agenda," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 413-422, December.
    2. Tadumadze, Giorgi & Emde, Simon & Diefenbach, Heiko, 2020. "Exact and heuristic algorithms for scheduling jobs with time windows on unrelated parallel machines," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 120609, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    3. Tadumadze, Giorgi & Boysen, Nils & Emde, Simon & Weidinger, Felix, 2019. "Integrated truck and workforce scheduling to accelerate the unloading of trucks," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 278(1), pages 343-362.
    4. Giorgi Tadumadze & Simon Emde & Heiko Diefenbach, 2020. "Exact and heuristic algorithms for scheduling jobs with time windows on unrelated parallel machines," OR Spectrum: Quantitative Approaches in Management, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research e.V., vol. 42(2), pages 461-497, June.
    5. Tadumadze, Giorgi & Boysen, Nils & Emde, Simon & Weidinger, Felix, 2019. "Integrated truck and workforce scheduling to accelerate the unloading of trucks," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 112842, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    6. Boysen, Nils & Fedtke, Stefan & Weidinger, Felix, 2017. "Truck Scheduling in the Postal Service Industry," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 126193, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    7. Nils Boysen & Stefan Fedtke & Felix Weidinger, 2017. "Truck Scheduling in the Postal Service Industry," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(2), pages 723-736, May.
    8. Dirk Briskorn & Joseph Leung & Michael Pinedo, 2011. "Robust scheduling on a single machine using time buffers," IISE Transactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(6), pages 383-398.
    9. Aytug, Haldun & Lawley, Mark A. & McKay, Kenneth & Mohan, Shantha & Uzsoy, Reha, 2005. "Executing production schedules in the face of uncertainties: A review and some future directions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 161(1), pages 86-110, February.
    10. Lotte Berghman & Roel Leus & Frits Spieksma, 2014. "Optimal solutions for a dock assignment problem with trailer transportation," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 213(1), pages 3-25, February.
    11. Berghman, Lotte & Leus, Roel, 2015. "Practical solutions for a dock assignment problem with trailer transportation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 246(3), pages 787-799.
    12. Nicholas G. Hall & Marc E. Posner, 2001. "Generating Experimental Data for Computational Testing with Machine Scheduling Applications," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 49(6), pages 854-865, December.
    13. Van de Vonder, Stijn & Demeulemeester, Erik & Herroelen, Willy & Leus, Roel, 2005. "The use of buffers in project management: The trade-off between stability and makespan," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 227-240, August.
    14. Battini, Daria & Boysen, Nils & Emde, Simon, 2013. "Just-in-Time supermarkets for part supply in the automobile industry," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 79438, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    15. Ladier, Anne-Laure & Alpan, Gülgün, 2016. "Cross-docking operations: Current research versus industry practice," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 145-162.
    16. Daria Battini & Nils Boysen & Simon Emde, 2013. "Just-in-Time supermarkets for part supply in the automobile industry," Metrika: International Journal for Theoretical and Applied Statistics, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 209-217, July.
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