ABSTRACT: To pursue the greatest time benefit and the least costin emergency logistics, an improved emergency logistics system is designed andan operation process in emergency logistics system is proposed by comparing thedifferences between emergency logistics and common commercial logistics. Amulti-material dispatching model is constructed, based on the double objectiveof the earliest emergency start time and the least cost of emergency logistics.The optimal solution for the model is obtained by an adaptive genetic algorithm(AGA), which has proven to be an effective algorithm. An application examplesimulated by MATLAB is presented, which shows that AGA has better optimizingresistance than GA; thus, the emergency material dispatching model can beeffectively used in the emergency logistics field.

Key words:  Emergency logistics; material dispatching; adaptivegenetic algorithm (AGA) 

PREFACE

Chinais a country, in which natural disasters occurfrequently, and previous earthquakes, floods, etc., have caused tremendousloss, e.g., building damage, personnel casualties, and so on. Massive disasterrelief equipment and materials cannot be supplied and distributed in a timelymanner due to traffic impediments caused by the disaster.  The process of time effects and space effectsin logistics is difficult to realize in disaster relief. To minimize losses createdby the disaster and to operate the emergency logistics system, there is anurgent need to optimize the dispatching scheme of emergency materials.

In recent years, many domestic and foreignscholars have conducted research on emergency material dispatch problems underdifferent constraints. Hale and Moberg (2005) mainly studied the choice of emergencylogistics supply nodes, especially according to the emergency material storage ofthe nodes, and established a quantitative model. Chunlin et al. (2001)discussed the urgent material dispatch problem under the material demand constraintsat several rescue points. This paper, based on the status of China’s emergencylogistics system construction, presents the design for an improved emergencylogistics system and solves the emergency material dispatching problem and selectsthe appropriate emergency points between them and the transportation line.

ANALYSIS OF EMERGENCY LOGISTICS CHARACTERISTICS 

Emergency logistics is a specializedlogistics activity for the purpose of providing emergency materials for naturaldisasters, public health incidents, emergencies, etc., and the pursuit ofmaximizing time efficiency and minimizing losses in disasters. 

Emergency logistics, like common commerciallogistics, have space effects, time effects, and form quality effects. However,emergency logistics also has characteristics that are different from commoncommercial logistics, including paroxysm, uncertainty, emergency of timeconstraints, and weak economic factors. This study conducted a comparativeanalysis between emergency logistics and common commercial logistics at the pointsof purpose, logistics distribution network, and the external environment. Thespecific content is shown in Table 1.