Multiechelon Network Model and Heuristic for the Combat Service Support Supply System (CS4)
Abstract
The Quartermaster School through the Joint Technical Staff (ITS) established the need, through brainstorming, for the development of a multiechelon inventory model of a combat service support supply system (CS4). The participation of the U.S. Army Natick RD&E Center's Sustainability Directorate was instrumental in establishing this need. The model will have the potential to enhance the logistical capabilities in any given theater of operations. Since the possibility of an intense and prolonged military conflict is always present in any theater of operations, supply/distribution logistics systems must be able to respond effectively to enable the troops to initiate and sustain the required military operations. Preparedness and sustainability can be enhanced by lowering the overall inventory levels through more efficient transportation scheduling; this would increase the overall rate of rotation of perishable rations in inventories within the theater. The method of dynamic flows and a minimum-cost flow network algorithm were employed to model the logistics system. A heuristic was developed to determine feasible and efficient solutions to the multicommodity flows of the network model. Since the application of the model is multiobjective, it can also be useful in reducing pre-positioning inventory levels in addition to reducing the burden on transportation systems within a given theater
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA284292
Entities
People
- Steven J. Yuhaski Jr.
Organizations
- United States Army Soldier Systems Center