A rolling horizon heuristic approach for a multi-stage stochastic waste collection problem
Abstract
In this paper we present a multi-stage stochastic optimization model to solve an inventory routing problem for recyclable waste collection. The objective is the maximization of the total expected profit of the waste collection company. The decisions are related to the selection of the bins to be visited and the corresponding routing plan in a predefined time horizon. Stochasticity in waste accumulation is modeled through scenario trees generated via conditional density estimation and dynamic stochastic approximation techniques. The proposed formulation is solved through a rolling horizon approach, providing a worst-case analysis on its performance. Extensive computational experiments are carried out on small- and large-sized instances based on real data provided by a large Portuguese waste collection company. The impact of stochasticity on waste generation is examined through stochastic measures, and the performance of the rolling horizon approach is evaluated. Some managerial insights on different configurations of the instances are finally discussed.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2405.14499,
title = {A rolling horizon heuristic approach for a multi-stage stochastic waste collection problem},
author = {Andrea Spinelli and Francesca Maggioni and Tânia Rodrigues Pereira Ramos and Ana Paula Barbosa-Póvoa and Daniele Vigo},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2405.14499},
year = {2025}
}