Evaluating different distance metrics for calculating distances of last mile deliveries in urban areas for integration into supply chain simulation

This paper describes how last mile deliveries can be considered in a supply chain simulation using distance metrics. A brief overview of urban morphologies and their characteristics will be presented, with a focus on traffic-relevant characteristics. Also, different distance metrics are investigated with respect to their suitability for urban logistics. After a short characterisation, common distance metrics will be applied and compared to the presented urban morphologies, taking into account their interrelationships, properties and peculiarities by means of example cases. The aim here is to determine whether existing approximations for supply chain simulation models are sufficient, even against the background of changing urban design forms, or whether adjustments need to be made. Subsequently, it will be explained how the findings gained for the improved simulation of urban distribution networks can be integrated into simulation tools. The authors will propose a distance metric and name a rescaling factor that can be applied independently of the cityscape.