TY - JOUR
T1 - Advancements in continuous approximation models for logistics and transportation systems
T2 - 1996–2016
AU - Ansari, Sina
AU - Başdere, Mehmet
AU - Li, Xiaopeng
AU - Ouyang, Yanfeng
AU - Smilowitz, Karen
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Christine Rhoades who helped with collecting and summarizing some of the references. We sincerely thank the three anonymous reviewers for their invaluable comments which enabled us to improve our work. Dr. Xiaopeng Li’s work was supported by the US National Science Foundation through Grant CNS # 1638355 . Part of Yanfeng Ouyang's work was supported by the US National Science Foundation through Grants CMMI #1234085 and CMMI #1662825.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2018/1
Y1 - 2018/1
N2 - Continuous approximation (CA) is an efficient and parsimonious technique for modeling complex logistics problems. In this paper, we review recent studies that develop CA models for transportation, distribution and logistics problems with the aim of synthesizing recent advancements and identifying current research gaps. This survey focuses on important principles and key results from CA models. In particular, we consider how these studies fill the gaps identified by the most recent literature reviews in this field. We observe that CA models are used in a wider range of applications, especially in the areas of facility location and integrated supply chain management. Most studies use CA as an alternative and a complement to discrete solution approaches; however, CA can also be used in combination with discrete approaches. We conclude with promising areas of future work.
AB - Continuous approximation (CA) is an efficient and parsimonious technique for modeling complex logistics problems. In this paper, we review recent studies that develop CA models for transportation, distribution and logistics problems with the aim of synthesizing recent advancements and identifying current research gaps. This survey focuses on important principles and key results from CA models. In particular, we consider how these studies fill the gaps identified by the most recent literature reviews in this field. We observe that CA models are used in a wider range of applications, especially in the areas of facility location and integrated supply chain management. Most studies use CA as an alternative and a complement to discrete solution approaches; however, CA can also be used in combination with discrete approaches. We conclude with promising areas of future work.
KW - Continuous approximation
KW - Distribution and transit
KW - Facility location
KW - Logistics
KW - Supply chain management
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U2 - 10.1016/j.trb.2017.09.019
DO - 10.1016/j.trb.2017.09.019
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85030685134
SN - 0191-2615
VL - 107
SP - 229
EP - 252
JO - Transportation Research, Series B: Methodological
JF - Transportation Research, Series B: Methodological
ER -