| Author: | Yan, Xiaoyuan |
| Title: | Modeling and optimization for autonomous truck operations |
| Advisors: | Xu, Min (ISE) |
| Degree: | Ph.D. |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Subject: | Automated vehicles Trucking -- Management Trucks -- Routes Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering |
| Pages: | xvi, 178 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | The last few years have witnessed explosive development in autonomous driving technology, which holds great potential to reshape future freight transport services. One of the attractive and promising applications of automated driving is the platooning of autonomous trucks (ATs). Touted as the first step towards the implementation of ATs in an open environment, truck platooning, i.e., a convoy of virtually connected trucks driving closely with small headways, is predicted to become mainstream in the next decade. However, the adoption and establishment of AT platoons requires non-trivial coordination and planning, which inevitably brings about a series of modeling and optimization problems that should be carefully addressed such that the truck platooning concept can be operated smoothly. This thesis is devoted to solving some specific issues and real-world problems to prepare the freight transport service providers for the arrival of the emerging AT platooning technology, in which two one-way-trip truck platooning problems and one multi-location-trip truck platooning problem are addressed. We first address the one-way-trip truck routing and platooning problem considering drivers’ mandatory breaks as well as other characteristics such as the state-and-position-dependent fuel-saving rates of platooning and trucks’ designated intermediate relays, for the long-haul freight transportation. The problem is to route the trucks to their respective destinations on time using the least amount of fuel by maximizing the formations of fuel-saving platoons over entire trips while satisfying the break time requirement of drivers. A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model is first developed for the proposed problem. A hybrid algorithm integrating the partial-MILP approach and iterated neighborhood search with tailored search operators is proposed to address the problem. The second part investigates the one-way-trip routing and platooning optimization problem for the electric trucks (ETs). We make the first attempt to investigate the ET routing and platooning problem considering vehicle charging and flexible assignment of the drivers. The objective is to determine the optimal routes and schedules of the trucks and the drivers that minimize the total operational cost. A MILP model that can effectively determine the itineraries of the trucks and drivers and incorporate specific characteristics of ET platooning is formulated for the proposed problem. A tailor-designed arc set covering algorithm specifically devoted to the platooning-related optimization problem is proposed to address the problem. Furthermore, we explore the multi-location-trip truck routing and platooning problem in the context of the local container drayage services. The objective is to determine the numbers and itineraries, i.e., routes and schedules, for the drivers and trucks to complete all the drayage requests of a group of customers using the least operational cost under an improved AT platooning operation mode. A novel MILP model is developed to capture the features pertaining to the proposed truck platooning mode. A heuristic construction method incorporating the simulated annealing scheme is proposed to address the problem. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed models and solution methods in the three investigated problems are all validated by respective extensive numerical experiments and managerial insights are also derived for relevant stakeholders. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | open access |
Copyright Undertaking
As a bona fide Library user, I declare that:
- I will abide by the rules and legal ordinances governing copyright regarding the use of the Database.
- I will use the Database for the purpose of my research or private study only and not for circulation or further reproduction or any other purpose.
- I agree to indemnify and hold the University harmless from and against any loss, damage, cost, liability or expenses arising from copyright infringement or unauthorized usage.
By downloading any item(s) listed above, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the copyright undertaking as stated above, and agree to be bound by all of its terms.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/13129