A progressive hybrid set covering based algorithm for the traffic counting location problem. (1st December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vieira, Bruno S.; Ferrari, Thayse; Ribeiro, Glaydston M.; Bahiense, Laura; Orrico Filho, Romulo D.; Abramides, Carlos Alberto; Rosa Campos Júnior, Nilo Flavio
• Is Part Of: Expert systems with applications. Volume 160(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12-01
• Subjects: Location -- Traffic counters -- Mathematical programming -- Set covering -- Exact and heuristic methods; Expert systems (Computer science) -- Periodicals; Systèmes experts (Informatique) -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 006.33
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eswa.2020.113641
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-4174

Abstract

Highlights: The Traffic Counting Location Problem (TCLP) locates traffic stations. The TCLP is a Set Covering Problem (SCP) where traffic stations cover paths. A progressive hybrid algorithm is proposed to solve the TCLP as a SCP. This approach is exible to other SCP methods. Real instances are used and our algorithm solves 85% of them optimally. Abstract: This work tackles the Traffic Counting Location Problem (TCLP), where we aim finding the best number and location of counting stations to cover a road network in order to obtain its traffic flows. It is important to reduce deployment, maintenance and operation costs of traffic stations. We propose a progressive hybrid algorithm based on exact, heuristic and hybrid approaches embedded on a set covering framework to solve the TCLP. This algorithm employs a simple and innovative concept which has not yet been explored in the literature. Twenty-six real-world instances obtained from the Brazilian states are used in the computational experiments and the results show that the TCLP can be solved more efficiently than previous approaches, with 84 % of the instances solved optimally, and three new best known solutions found.