Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm for a Reliable Location-Allocation of Hubs among the Clients

Hubs are critical elements of transportation networks. Location of hubs and allocation of demands to them are of high importance in the network design. The most important purpose of these models is to minimize the cost, but path reliability is also another important factor which can influence the location of hubs. In this paper, we propose a P-center hub location model with full interconnection among hubs while there are different paths between origins and destinations. The purpose of the model is to determine the reliable path with lower cost. Unlike the prior studies, the number of hubs in the path is not limited to two hubs. The presented model in this paper is bi-objective and includes cost and reliability to determine the best locations for hubs, allocation of the demands to hubs and the best path. In order to illustrate our model, a numerical example is presented and solved using the Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm.