Application of Metaheuristics for Facility Location Optimization

Albina  Basholli; Elda  Maraj; Denisa  Kaçorri; Aida  Bendo

doi:10.24297/jam.v24i.9807

Authors

Albina Basholli Department of Mathematical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Tirana, ALBANIA
Elda Maraj Department of Mathematical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Tirana, ALBANIA
Denisa Kaçorri Department of Mathematical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Tirana, ALBANIA
Aida Bendo Aida Bendo, Department of Movement and Health, Sports University of Tirana, ALBANIA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24297/jam.v24i.9807

Keywords:

Metaheuristics, Facility Location, Genetic Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization

Abstract

Facility location problems are a fundamental component of supply chain optimization, particularly in agriculture, where collection centers must be strategically positioned to minimize transportation costs and improve accessibility for producers. Traditional mathematical programming techniques are suitable for small-scale problems but become computationally expensive as the problem size increases. To overcome these limitations, this study applies metaheuristic approaches, specifically Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), to determine the optimal siting of agricultural collection centers in Elbasan, Albania. The case study considers thirteen administrative areas with annual production volumes used as demand weights, while distances are calculated using geographic coordinates. The proposed algorithms aim to minimize the weighted travel distance between farmers and assigned collection facilities. Results show that both GA and PSO successfully identify near-optimal solutions with significantly reduced total transportation costs compared to single-facility baselines.

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Conflicts of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.