Introduction to Management Science
Thirteenth Edition, Global Edition
Chapter 6
Transportation,
Transshipment, and
Assignment Problems
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Learning Objectives
6.1 The Transportation Model
6.2 Computer Solution of a Transportation Problem
6.3 The Assignment Model
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Overview
• Part of a class of LP problems known as network flow
models.
• Special mathematical features that permit very efficient, unique
solution methods (variations of traditional simplex procedure).
• Detailed description of methods is contained on the companion
website
• Text focuses on model formulation and solution with Excel and
QM for windows.
• Web site Module B addresses transportation and assignment
solution methods
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Learning Objective 6.1
• The Transportation Model
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The Transportation Model: Characteristics
• A product is transported from a number of sources to a number
of destinations at the minimum possible cost.
• Each source is able to supply a fixed number of units of the
product, and each destination has a fixed demand for the
product.
• The linear programming model has constraints for supply at
each source and demand at each destination.
• All constraints are equalities in a balanced transportation
model where supply equals demand.
• Constraints contain inequalities in unbalanced models where
supply does not equal demand.
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Transportation Model Example: Problem
Definition and Data (1 of 2)
How many tons of wheat to transport from each grain
elevator to each mill on a monthly basis in order to
minimize the total cost of transportation?
Grain Elevator Supply Mill Demand
1. Kansas City 150 A. Chicago 220
2. Omaha 175 B. St. Louis 100
3. Des Moines 275 C. Cincinnati 300
Total 600 tons Total 600 tons
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Transportation Model Example: Problem
Definition and Data (2 of 2)
Transport Cost from Grain Elevator to Mill ($/ton)
Grain Elevator A. Chicago B. St. Louis C. Cincinnati
1. Kansas City $6 $8 $10
2. Omaha 7 11 11
3. Des Moines 4 5 12
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Transportation Model Example:
Transportation Network Routes
Figure 6.1 Network of transportation routes for wheat
shipments
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Transportation Model Example: Model
Formulation
Minimize Z $6 x1A 8 x1B 10 x1C 7 x2A 11x2B 11x2C 4 x3A 5 x3B 12 x3C
subject to:
x1A x1B x1C 150
x2A x2B x2C 175
x3A x3B x3C 275
x1A x2A x3A 200
x1B x2B x3B 100
x1C x2C x3C 300
xij 0
xij = tons of wheat from each grain elevator, i, i = 1, 2, 3, to each mill j,
j = A,B,C
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel (1 of 4)
Exhibit 6.1
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel (2 of 4)
Exhibit 6.2
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel (3 of 4)
Exhibit 6.3
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel (4 of 4)
Figure 6.2 Transportation network solution for wheat-
shipping example
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel QM (1 of 3)
Exhibit
6.4
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel QM (2 of 3)
Exhibit 6.5
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel QM (3 of 3)
Exhibit 6.6
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with QM for Windows (1 of 4)
Exhibit 6.7
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with QM for Windows (2 of 4)
Exhibit 6.8
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with QM for Windows (3 of 4)
Exhibit
6.9
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Transportation Model Example: Computer
Solution with QM for Windows (4 of 4)
Exhibit 6.10 Sensitivity analysis of transportation scenario
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Learning Objective 6.2
• Computer Solution of a Transportation Problem
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The Transshipment Model Characteristics
• Extension of the transportation model.
• Intermediate transshipment points are
added between the sources and
destinations.
• Items may be transported from:
– Sources through transshipment
points to destinations
– One source to another
– One transshipment point to another
– One destination to another
– Directly from sources to destinations
– Some combination of these
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Transshipment Model Example: Problem
Definition and Data
Extension of the transportation model in which intermediate
transshipment points are added between sources and
destinations.
Grain Elevator
Farm 3. Kansas City 4. Omaha 5. Des Moines
1. Nebraska $16 10 12
2. Colorado 15 14 17
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Transshipment Model Example:
Transshipment Network Routes
Figure 6.3 Network of transshipment routes
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Transshipment Model Example: Model
Formulation
Minimize Z $16 x13 10 x14 12 x15 15 x23 14 x24 17 x25 6 x36 8 x37 10 x38
7 x 46 11x 47 11x48 4 x56 5 x57 12 x58
subject to:
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Transshipment Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel (1 of 2)
Exhibit 6.11
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Transshipment Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel (2 of 2)
Exhibit 6.12
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Transshipment Model Example: Network
Solution for Wheat Shipping
Figure 6.4 Transshipment network solution for wheat-
shipping example
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Learning Objective 6.3
• The Assignment Model
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The Assignment Model Characteristics
• Special form of linear programming model similar to the
transportation model.
• Supply at each source and demand at each destination
limited to one unit.
• In a balanced model supply equals demand.
• In an unbalanced model supply does not equal demand.
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Assignment Model Example: Problem
Definition and Data
Problem: Assign four teams of officials to four games in a
way that will minimize the total distance traveled by the
officials. Supply is always one team of officials, demand is
for only one team of officials at each game.
Game Sites
Officials Raleigh Atlanta Durham Clemson
A 210 90 180 160
B 100 70 130 200
C 175 105 140 170
D 80 65 105 120
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Assignment Model Example: Model
Formulation
Minimize Z 210 x AR 90 x AA 180 x AD 160 x AC 100 xBR 70 xBA
130 xBD 200 xBC 175 xCR 105 xCA 140 x CD
170 xCC 80 xDR 65 xDA 105 xDD 120 xDC
subject to:
x AR x AA x AD x AC 1
xBR xBA xBD xBC 1
xCR xCA xCD xCC 1
xDR xDA xDD xDC 1
x AR xBR xCR xDR 1
x AA xBA xCA xDA 1
x AD xBD xCD xDD 1
x AC xBC xCC xDC 1
xij 0
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Assignment Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel (1 of 3)
Exhibit 6.13
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Assignment Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel (2 of 3)
Exhibit 6.14
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Assignment Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel (3 of 3)
Exhibit 6.15
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Assignment Model Example: Assignment
Network Solution
Figure 6.5 Assignment network solution for ACC officials
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Assignment Model Example: Computer
Solution with Excel QM
Exhibit 6.16
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Assignment Model Example: Computer
Solution with QM for Windows (2 of 2)
Exhibit 6.18
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Example Problem Solution: Transportation
Problem Statement
A concrete company transports concrete from three plants to
three construction sites. The supply capacities of the three
plants, the demand requirements at the three sites, and the
transportation costs per ton are as follows:
Construction site
Plant A B C Supply (tons)
1 $8 $5 $6 120
2 15 10 12 80
3 3 9 10 80
Demand (tons) 150 70 100 blank
Determine the linear programming model formulation and solve
using Excel.
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Example Problem Solution: Model
Formulation
Minimize Z $8 x1A 5 x1B 6 x1C 15 x2A 10 x2B 12 x2C
3 x3A 9 x3B 10 x3C
subject to:
x1A x1B x1C 120
x2A x2B x2C 80
x3A x3B x3C 80
x1A x2A x3A 150
x1B x2B x3B 70
x1C x2C x3C 100
xij 0
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Example Problem Solution: Computer
Solution with Excel
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