Multi-Period Optimization Model for Siting Capacitated Intermodal Facilities

The objective of this study is to design an intermodal transport network considering multiple planning periods and accounting for product volume, mode, budget, and inventory at intermodal terminals (IMTs). A mixed integer linear programming model is developed. An experimental study is conducted for the State of South Carolina using the Freight Analysis Framework Version 4.5 (FAF(4)) dataset. Sensitivity analyses are performed to study the impact of budget, the maximum number of IMTs allowed, and increasing demand on the intermodal network design. The experimental results indicate that Columbia as an IMT location has a significantly effects on the total network cost and intermodal shipping share. Increasing the budget and number of IMTs allowed improved the network performance non-linearly.