International Physical Internet Conference

Series

International Physical Internet Conference

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https://hdl.handle.net/1853/72223

Series Type

Event Series

Description

The International Physical Internet Conference aims to provide an open forum for researchers, industry representatives, government officials and citizens to together explore, discuss, introduce leading edge concepts, methodologies, recent projects, technological advancements,start-up initiatives, for current and future Physical Internet implementation.Conference topics include Logistics Nodes, Logistics Networks, System of Logistic Networks, Access and Adoption, Governance.

Associated Organization(s)

Organizational Unit

Physical Internet Center

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Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 14

Dynamic Containerized Consolidation in Physical Internet Enabled Parcel Logistics

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Kaboudvand, Sara ; Montreuil, Benoit

Many studies in the parcel logistics literature have accredited the hub-based network structures for better freight consolidation and economies of scale. A downside to this practice, however, is that sorting a large number of parcels at (intermediate) hubs requires a significant investment in real estate, human, and machine resources. Furthermore, the time spent in the hubs for waiting and processing increases the parcels' total in-transit time. Such re-sorting can be bypassed by smartly encapsulating parcels that share common service features and a subsequent destination. In this study, we rely on the capabilities of a Physical Internet enabled logistic network to introduce several decision protocols for dynamic containerized consolidation as pertinent to fast-paced parcel logistic environments. We use agent-based simulation to provide empirical results and elaborate on the benefits of containerized consolidation, specifically in saving handling efforts at hubs.
Spatio-temporal Arrival Prediction over Hyperconnected Logistics Networks

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Xu, Yujia ; Xie, Yao ; Montreuil, Benoit

Arrival prediction is a vital component in supply chain and logistics. Planning and operational decisions depend on predictions. Hyperconnected logistics enable a new opportunity for prediction by capturing interaction and correlation between different locations and over time in the network. Arrivals at one location may have a non-homogeneous influence on future arrivals at other nearby locations. To capture the temporal dependence of past events, we aim to Introduce a simple arrival distribution prediction approach; Propose a novel method to model and predict arrival events from spatio temporal sequential data based on a spatio-temporal interactive Bernoulli process, which can capture the spatio-temporal correlations and interactions without assuming time-decaying influence; Make arrival predictions for any locations at any future time.
Building on Synergies between Freight Logistics and People Mobility in Urban Areas

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Klibi, Walid ; Labarthe, Olivier ; Ahmadi, Ghazaleh ; Deschamps, Jean-Christophe ; Montreuil, Benoit

Investigates the feasibility of goods transshipment with a joint usage of public mobility and freight urban vehicles. Assesses the potential benefit of a joint mobility system for goods delivery in urban areas.
Dynamic Consolidation and Packing of Parcels in Modular Physical Internet Handling Containers

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Grover, Nidhima ; Montreuil, Benoit

Challenges: Emptiness in trucks: They are 40-60% full, 2) Non standardization in unit loads, 3) Unreliable service levels. Objectives: 1) Select appropriate sized containers, 2) Ensure timely departure of parcels, 3) Improve packing in vehicles and containers.
Resilient Hyperconnected Logistics Hub Network Design

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Kulkarni, Onkar ; Cohen, Yaarit ; Dahan, Mathieu ; Montreuil, Benoit

Logistics networks frequently face disruptions inducing an increase in delivery costs and delays. This paper studies the design of resilient hyperconnected logistics hub networks for the Physical Internet, modeled as an integer programming problem. The objective is to open logistics hubs in order to connect each origin and destination using multiple minimum length edge-disjoint paths. To estimate the resilience of the designed networks, we propose graph theoretic measures involving (i) the maximum number of edge-disjoint paths connecting each origin and destination, and (ii) the number of short paths traversing each edge. We develop a case study to design a class of parcel delivery networks in China and evaluate the impact of various disruption scenarios on the resulting distance traveled by parcels. Our results show the relevance of the proposed resilience measures and the increased capability of the designed networks to sustain disruptions in comparison to traditional logistics networks.
Digital Twin Design Requirements for Durable Goods Distribution in Physical Internet

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Campos, Miguel ; Derhami, Shahab ; McGinnis, Leon F. ; Montreuil, Benoit ; Barenji, Ali

Today the practice for distributing large products manufactured at few original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) consists of a dedicated Point-to-Point (PtP) logistics system, typically requiring long haul transport from the factory to the wholesale destination. A growing problem is the shortage of commercial drivers willing to be away from home for several days to move products cross-country. Hub relay network logistics systems are an alternative solution to P2P logistics systems that allow reducing drivers' away-from-home times. Operating a relay-based logistics system requires accounting for multiple interrelated operational decisions that become more complicated as the system becomes larger and encompasses more players. To deal with such complexity we propose utilizing a digital twin of the distribution and logistics system as a decision-making support tool to manage the system and make operational decisions efficiently. This paper explores the design and assessment of a hyperconnected relay network of transport hubs supporting the movement of durable goods from factory to wholesale destinations. It describes requirements and challenges in developing and implementing a digital twin for such systems.
Potential Access Hub Network Design Optimization in Hyperconnected Urban Logistics

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Muthukrishnan, Praveen ; Faugère, Louis ; Montreuil, Benoit

In the context of Hyperconnected Logistics Network, access hubs are first-tier consolidation and transshipment points which facilitate direct transfer of parcels between unit zones via couriers. These hubs can foster resiliency by being assigned to multiple unit zones when located at their intersections. In this paper, we propose an optimization based approach leveraging modularity to design a potential access hub network that need not be implemented as designed, but rather fed into large scale network design and clustering optimization models to improve its solvability when accounting for comprehensive inter-hub flow. Then, we study the efficiency and robustness of the proposed model through a set of experiments performed with an illustrative case representative of world’s megacity inspired from a large parcel express carriers’ operation. Results indicate that we should leverage on the capability of an access hub to serve more unit zones given its capacity restrictions. Finally, we identify promising future avenues for research and innovation enabling Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) in achieving their goals of serving efficiently and sustainably while offering fast and precise delivery services
Introducing Services and Protocols for Inter-Hub Transportation in the Physical Internet

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Shaikh, Sahrish Jaleel ; Montreuil, Benoit ; Hodjat-Shamami, Moussa ; Gupta, Ashish

The Physical Internet (PI) puts high emphasis on enabling logistics to reliably perform at the speed mandated by and promised to customers, and to do so efficiently and sustainably. To do so, goods to be moved are encapsulated in modular containers and these are flowed from hub to hub in relay mode. At each hub, PI enables fast and efficient dynamic consolidation of sets of containers to be shipped together to next hubs. Each consolidated set is assigned to an appropriate vehicle so to enact the targeted transport. In this paper, we address the case where transportation service providers are available to provide vehicles and trailers of distinct dimensions on demand according to openly agreed and/or contracted terms. We describe the essence of such terms, notably relative to expected frequency distribution of transport requests, and expectations about time between request and arrival at hub. In such a context, we introduce rigorous generic protocols that can be applied at each hub so as to dynamically generate consolidation sets of modular containers and requests for on-demand transportation services, in an efficient, resilient, and sustainable way ensuring reliable pickup and delivery within the promised time windows. We demonstrate the performance of such protocols using a simulation based experiment for a national intercity express parcel logistic network. We finally provide conclusive remarks and promising avenues for field implementation and further research.
Predictive Demand Modeling for New Services in Hyperconnected Urban Parcel Logistics

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Bahrami-Bidoni, Zeynab ; Montreuil, Benoit

The rapid growth of demand and fierce competition are encouraging logistics service providers towards expanding their competency in terms of offering novel and faster services and reinventing their logistics system so as to profitably and sustainably gain market shares. However, analyzing customer behavior and the underlying causes of demand variability for new services are complex tasks. This paper is dealing with customer behavior modeling for a service provider who wants to extend its offering system to much faster delivery service than ever done before. To adjust its logistic capacities with future demand, it needs to estimate the volume and geographical distribution of demand for new offered services. By capturing customers’ sensitivities to the delivery-time observed in historical sales data and geo categorization of orders in different time factors, a scenario-based demand generation methodology and tool are introduced for generating a wide range of demand scenarios with probabilistic patterns for customer behavior over all service offers with dynamic pricing. These are used to feed a simulator which models large-scale urban logistics networks service and offerings. In an application, it enables testing service capability improvements achievable by leveraging Physical Internet aligned transformation in a Chinese megacity.
Reduction of Food wastage in Supermarkets due to Expiration

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-06) Srinivas, Apoorva Nuggehalli ; Montreuil, Benoit

Food disparity is one of the most widespread social problems, which can also be addressed as a supply chain problem. This paper focuses on methods to prevent wastage of food products due to expiry at the supermarket level, which contributes to almost 40% of the total food wastage in developed countries such as the US and Canada. With a literature review and a pertinent case study on the current methods in practice in supermarkets, the paper attempts to model an interconnected retail center which aggregates unsold prod ucts due for expiry in a region.The Interconnected retail center, termed ReIntegrate, helps in streamlining demand from the weaker economic strata and enables them to afford quality packaged and processed food. In today’s retail sector, where there is a constant hustle to maximize profitability, it is often ignored that food is beyond a replaceable retail commodity. Based on the increasing focus on the overlap and interaction between different supply chains, the model focuses on the interaction between the channels of distribution at the supermarkets. By efficient collaboration and coordination in terms of logistics and information sharing, different retail chains can coalesce their products due for expiry and find an ideal customer base. Technology has been continually improving to allow for greater ease of inventory tracking, yet the de mand volatility in the FMCG(Fast Moving Consumer Goods) sector renders the ideal algorithmic approach less efficient. By aggregating the products perceived as less desirable for consumption, and pricing based on perishability parameters, the proposed model accounts for the shift of customers towards delivery to home options, and preference to more affordable choices in the market. We go on to discuss the different elements of the integrated retail distribution center’s supply chain network, and its implications in terms of cost and operation. Modelled on the likes of a distribution center, the infrastructure lays a greater emphasis on categorizing and prioritization of picking to ensure minimum spoilage before reaching the customer . The paper also discusses other secondary methods such as efficient bar coding, on demand stocking for premium products and dynamic discounting guided by products' perishability and rate of degradation.