Hyperconnected urban fulfillment and delivery. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Nayeon; Montreuil, Benoit; Klibi, Walid; Kholgade, Nitish
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 145(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Urban logistics -- Physical internet (PI) -- Hyperconnected logistics system -- Last-mile delivery -- Large-item logistics -- Agent-based simulation; Logistics -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Periodicals; 388.011
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tre.2020.102104
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1366-5545

Abstract

Highlights: A Physical Internet based urban fulfillment and delivery system is designed. Scenarios for gradual transformation show significant marginal impacts. We modeled a comprehensive system and decision architecture. We built an optimization supported agent-based simulation platform. The potential benefits of hyperconnected system is assessed via scenario analysis. Abstract: Urban last-mile delivery faces great challenges to satisfy growing customer demand with faster, punctual delivery expectations, under tight budgets and environmental requirements. The recently introduced physical internet (PI) offers a conceptual framework to address these challenges, overcoming low efficiency of current fragmented logistics operations with seamless asset sharing and flow consolidation leveraging hyperconnected systems. This article first provides a decision and system architecture for hyperconnected urban logistics, then investigates its potential at a strategic level through a simulation-based experiment in the context of large-item delivery. The results clearly demonstrate the potential of hyperconnected urban logsitics by concurrently improving often opposing measures: economic efficiency, service capability and sustainability.