Layout Optimization Model of Freight Hubs for Road-Rail Intermodal Transportation Hub-and-Spoke Network

The hub-and-spoke network of road-rail intermodal transportation could produce the different ‘flow-cost’ discount factors and delay factors for consolidation/breakbulk at hubs. In order to improve the scientific nature and rationality of integrated freight hub layout, the layout optimization model of freight hubs with capacity constraints was developed. A tabu search meta-heuristic was used to solve the problem. Finally, this model and algorithm were applied in the coal network which consists of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi and Shaanxi, and further analyzed and resolved. The results show that the proposed model and algorithm are feasible and effective in solving the layout optimization problem of freight hubs for road-rail intermodal transportation hub-and-spoke network, which proposes references for hub planning department.