Ramification Algorithm for Transporting Routes in R2

Abstract

In this work we propose simulated annealing based search algorithm for optimal ramified transportation route in ℝ2. The cost function of the transport network allows the system to merge small roads into larger highways, carry the goods together and separate them near the destination. As a result the transportation route ha multiple branching-in and -out points, to some extend similar to nerve system of the tree leaf. The problem is known to be NP-complete even for finite set of branching points and metric spaces.