Search

ACO is a metaheuristic inspired in the behavior of natural ant colonies to solve combinatorial optimization problems, based on simple agents that work cooperatively communicating by artificial pheromone trails. In this paper a model to solve the municipal waste collection problem by containers is presented, which applies a concept of partial collection sequences that must be joined to minimize the total collection distance. The problem to join the partial collection sequences is represented as a TSP, which is solved by an ACO algorithm. Based on the literature, algorithm parameters are experimentally calibrated and range of variations that represents good average solutions are recommended. The model is applied to a waste collection sector of the San Pedro de la Paz commune in Chile, obtaining recollection routes with less total distance with respect to the actual route utilized and to the solution obtained by a previously developed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]