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Within the transportation-engineering field, transportation optimization is a paramount concept of the utmost importance for the minimization of costs and maximization of efficiency. This research focuses on the intermodal transportation environment involving truck and barge transportation modes with a particular emphasis on the Mid-Ohio River Valley Region. The study was conducted with the primary objective of optimizing minor port locations within this region by utilizing containers on barge shipping to alleviate highway traffic congestion. In order to determine the optimal minor port locations, a mixed integer mathematical model (MIP) was developed to minimize the transportation and fixed costs associated with opening each potential port. In addition to the developed mixed integer mathematical model, a new heuristic model was specifically developed for this particular problem. The developed heuristic model resulted in similar solutions compared to the mathematical model thereby allowing it to be used as a solution methodology for transportation route optimization. The model considered warehousing freight transferred from major ports in Cincinnati, OH and Huntington, WV to the Heartland Corridor intermodal terminals of Belpre, OH, South Point, OH, and Wellsville, OH. This study considers various potential port locations with different capacities. The optimization results indicated that proposed ports should be opened in the following three locations: Proctorville, OH, Ripley, OH, and Ironton, OH. Additionally, according to the sensitivity analysis, the Proctorville, OH minor port facility provided the highest total cost savings since it was located in a critical location for intermodal transportation. This research was unique in the sense of developing and implementing optimizing approaches to solve real life intermodal transportation problem observed in Ohio River’s Inland Waterway System. |
