A Group Theoretic Tabu Search Methodology for Solving the Theater Distribution Vehicle Routing and Scheduling Problem

The application of Group Theory to Tabu Search is a new and exciting field of research. This dissertation applies and extends some of Colletti's (1999) seminal work in group theory and metaheuristics in order to solve the theater distribution vehicle routing and scheduling problem (TDVRSP). This research produced a robust, efficient, effective and flexible generalized theater distribution model that prescribes the routing and scheduling of multi-modal theater transportation assets to provide economically efficient time definite delivery of cargo to customers. In doing so, advances are provided in the field of group theoretic tabu search and its application to difficult combinatorial optimization problems, e.g., the multiple trip multiple services vehicle routing and scheduling problem with hubs and other defining constraints.