On the Instances and Application of Routing Problem with Loading Constraints

Packing problem and vehicle routing problem have always been the hot issues in the field of logistics and operations research, and they are NP-hard problems. In order to meet the requirements of practical transport and storage, the integrated problem of these two kinds of problems – vehicle routing problem with loading constraints is constantly targeted. Therefore, scholars continue to explore its models and solutions to meet the increasingly complex transport demand in practice. This article reviews the recent literature of vehicle routing problem with loading constraints, including those practically critical loading-related constraints, variation problems due to new constraints or targets. The solution method for vehicle routing problem with loading constraints is also briefly summarized. Furthermore, the problem instances and application are focused, and some research perspectives are proposed finally.