A tabu scatter search metaheuristic for the arc routing problem

We consider a special routing problem which has a variety of practical applications. In a graph-theoretic context it is known as the capacitated Chinese postman problem. Given an undirected network in which the demand is located on edges, the goal is to determine a least-cost schedule of routes. The route demands, which must not exceed the vehicle capacity, are serviced by a fleet of vehicles which is located at a single depot node. We present a metaheuristic based on a tabu search procedure that makes use of the scatter search paradigm. The computational results indicate that the algorithms proposed can keep up with other arc routing heuristics. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.