COMPARISON OF SOLUTION METHODS FOR SOLVING TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS

Abstract

This project studied methods to find the initial basic feasible solution of transportation problem using best candidates’, lowest allocation and Vogel‘s approximation methods and the optimal solution using modified distribution method and stepping stone method. The initial basic feasible solutions obtained by the three methods were compared and a comparison of optimal solutions obtained by the two methods was also made. To compare the efficiency of these methods computational experiments were performed by selecting three balanced transportation problems. The analysis was performed by comparing the number of iterations required to produce the optimal solution. LINDO software (version 6) was used to find the optimal solution of transportation problems with its number of iteration to reach optimal value and the comparison graph of each methods plotted by Microsoft Excel. The result of this study showed that lowest allocation method provides a better solution than best candidates’ method and Vogel’s approximation method in solving feasible solution of transportation problems and giving optimal solution with minimum number of iterations and sometimes gives optimal solution directly. Finally, as a result of simplicity and reducing computational complexity the modified distribution method is better than stepping stone method in providing the optimal solution of transportation problems