An Advanced Tabu Search Approach to Solving the Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning Problem

<p>This paper presents a new tabu search based two-dimensional bin packing algorithm which produces high quality solutions to the Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning (MPALP) problem using C-5 and C-17 aircraft. This algorithm called Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning Tabu Search (MPALPTS) surpasses previous research conducted in this area because in addition to pure pallet cargo loads MPALPTS can accommodate rolling stock cargo (i.e. tanks trucks HMMMVs etc.) while still maintaining aircraft feasibility with respect to aircraft center of balance mandatory cargo separations aircraft floor structural limitations etc. Furthermore while this research is currently restricted to C-5 and C-17 aircraft MPALPTS is capable of modeling nearly any type of cargo aircraft and requires a limited number of assumptions thereby making it applicable to operational missions. To demonstrate its effectiveness the load plans generated by MPALPTS are directly compared to those generated by the Automated Air Load Planning Software (AALPS) for a given cargo set; AALPS is the load planning software currently mandated for use in all Department of Defense load planning. While more time consuming than AALPS MPALPTS required the same or fewer aircraft than AALPS in all test scenarios.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>