Using VRPSolver to efficiently solve the Differential Harvest Problem. (January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Volte, Gabriel; Bourreau, Eric; Giroudeau, Rodolphe; Naud, Olivier
• Is Part Of: Computers & operations research. Volume 149(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-01
• Subjects: OR in agriculture -- Hybrid method -- Exact methods -- Branch-cut-and-price; Operations research -- Periodicals; Electronic digital computers -- Periodicals; 004.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cor.2022.106029
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-0548

Abstract

Abstract: Precision farming in viticulture raises challenging combinatorial issues such as the Differential Harvest Problem . This problem might appear at first as similar to a simple Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem but it exhibits problem-specific constraints that make this problem much harder to solve and which are discussed in this article. Our objective was to develop efficient exact methods using column generation and VRPSolver™ based models. In order to investigate possibilities of hybridization, two other models were designed: a constraint programming model and a local search model using LocalSolver™ . In order to reach good scalability, new valid inequalities and a hybrid solving scheme are proposed. Extensive experiments were performed both on simulated and real data sets. The results are discussed from operational cost point of view and also performance. Highlights: Precision farming raises challenging combinatorial problems. Differential Harvest Problem can be seen as a complex capacitated vehicle routing problem. Several optimization paradigms were implemented, compared and hybridized. With adequate modeling, VRPSolver can be used efficiently to solve the problem. For the first time a realistic instance with 24 rows was solved optimally.