New Advances and Applications Operational Research and Scheduling Theory

A special issue of Mathematics (ISSN 2227-7390). This special issue belongs to the section "D: Statistics and Operational Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 137

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Facultad de Ingeniería, Arquitectura y Diseño, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile
Interests: operational research; modeling and simulation; supply chain management; healthcare logistics; vehicle routing; machine and personnel scheduling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Operational research and scheduling theory have seen remarkable progress, tackling increasingly complex challenges across various industries. This Special Issue aims to present the latest advancements in methodologies, models, and applications that enhance decision making and efficiency in scheduling, resource allocation, and optimization. Topics of interest include machine scheduling, vehicle routing, supply chain optimization, workforce planning and scheduling, stochastic models, heuristics, and metaheuristics. Special emphasis will be placed on the integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and hybrid approaches in solving scheduling and optimization problems. We welcome theoretical studies, novel algorithms, and case studies that demonstrate real-world applications. By bringing together state-of-the-art research, this Special Issue aims to enhance collaboration between academia and industry, fostering joint efforts to tackle modern scheduling and optimization challenges and devise impactful solutions.

Dr. Felipe F. Baesler
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • operational research
  • scheduling theory
  • resource allocation
  • machine scheduling
  • workforce planning
  • vehicle routing
  • supply chain optimization
  • heuristics and metaheuristics
  • artificial intelligence in scheduling

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 1152 KiB  
Article
Coordinated Truck Loading and Routing Problem: A Forestry Logistics Case Study
by Cristian Oliva, Manuel Cepeda and Sebastián Muñoz-Herrera
Mathematics 2025, 13(15), 2537; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13152537 - 7 Aug 2025
Abstract
This study addresses a real-world logistics problem in forestry operations: the distribution of plants from cultivation centers to planting sites under strict delivery time windows and limited depot resources. We introduce the Coordinated Truck Loading and Routing Problem (CTLRP), an extension of the [...] Read more.
This study addresses a real-world logistics problem in forestry operations: the distribution of plants from cultivation centers to planting sites under strict delivery time windows and limited depot resources. We introduce the Coordinated Truck Loading and Routing Problem (CTLRP), an extension of the classical Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW) that integrates routing decisions with truck loading schedules at a single depot with constrained capacity. To solve this NP-hard problem, we develop a metaheuristic algorithm based on Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), enhanced with a global memory system and a novel stochastic return rule that allows trucks to return to the depot when additional deliveries are suboptimal. Parameter calibration experiments are conducted to determine optimal values for the return probability and ant population size. The algorithm is tested on a real forestry dispatch scenario over six working days. The results show that an Ant Colony System (ACS–CTLRP) algorithm reduces total distance traveled by 23%, travel time by 22%, and the number of trucks used by 13 units, while increasing fleet utilization from 54% to 83%. These findings demonstrate that the proposed method significantly outperforms current company planning and offers a transferable framework for depot-constrained routing problems in time-sensitive distribution environments. Full article
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