Configuring Traditional Multi-Dock, Unit-Load Warehouses Mahmut Tutam University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
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University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ScholarWorks@UARK Theses and Dissertations 8-2018 Configuring Traditional Multi-Dock, Unit-Load Warehouses Mahmut Tutam University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd Part of the Industrial Engineering Commons, and the Operational Research Commons Recommended Citation Tutam, Mahmut, "Configuring Traditional Multi-Dock, Unit-Load Warehouses" (2018). Theses and Dissertations. 2871. http://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2871 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Configuring Traditional Multi-Dock, Unit-Load Warehouses A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering with a concentration in Industrial Engineering by Mahmut Tutam Gazi University Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, 2011 University of Arkansas Master of Science in Industrial Engineering, 2015 August 2018 University of Arkansas This dissertation is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council. ____________________________________ John Austin White, Jr., Ph.D. Dissertation Director ____________________________________ ____________________________________ Letitia M. Pohl, Ph.D. Ashlea B. Milburn, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member ____________________________________ Russell D. Meller, Ph.D. Ex-Officio Member Abstract The development of expected-distance formulas for multi-dock-door, unit-load warehouse configurations is the focus of the dissertation. From formulations derived, the width-to-depth ratios minimizing expected distances are obtained for rectangle-shaped, unit-load warehouse configurations. Partitioning the storage region in the warehouse into three classes, the performance of a multi-dock-door, unit-load warehouse is studied when storage regions can be either rectangle-shaped or contour-line-shaped. Our first contribution is the development of formulas for expected distance traveled in storing and retrieving unit loads in a rectangle-shaped warehouse having multiple dock doors along one warehouse wall and storage racks aligned perpendicular to that wall. Two formulations of the optimization problem of minimizing expected distance are considered: a discrete formulation and a continuous formulation with decision variables being the width and depth of the warehouse for single- and dual-command travel. Based on dock door configurations treated in the literature and used in practice, three scenarios are considered for the locations of dock doors: 1) uniformly distributed over the entire width of a wall; 2) centrally located on a wall with a fixed distance between adjacent dock doors; and 3) not centrally located on a wall, but with a specified distance between adjacent dock doors. Our second contribution is the investigation of the effect on the optimal width-to-depth ratio (shape factor) of the number and locations of dock doors located along one wall or two adjacent walls of the warehouse. Inserting a middle-cross-aisle in the storage area, storage racks are aligned either perpendicular or parallel to warehouse walls containing dock doors. As with the warehouse having storage racks aligned perpendicular to the warehouse wall, discrete and continuous formulations of the optimization problem are developed for both single- and dual- command travel and three scenarios for dock-door locations are investigated. Our final contribution is the analysis of the performance of a unit-load warehouse when a storage region or storage regions can be either rectangle-shaped or contour-line-shaped. Particularly, we consider two cases for the locations of dock doors: equally spaced over an entire wall of the warehouse and centrally located on a wall, but with a specified distance between adjacent dock doors. Minimizing expected distance, the best rectangle-shaped configuration is determined and its expected distance is compared with the expected distance in its counterpart contour-line-shaped configuration. ©2018 by Mahmut Tutam All Rights Reserved Acknowledgements I would like to express my appreciation to all who contributed to this research effort. In particular, I would like to express my deep gratitude and thanks to my dissertation advisor, Dr. John A. White, for being a tremendous mentor through the completion of my doctoral studies. His contribution to my research and to my education in general are immense. Without his support and encouragement to pursue my Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas (UofA), I would have missed a life-changing experience. I will always be grateful to him for not allowing me to return to my home country and being regretful during my lifetime. I hope that one day I will become as good an advisor, teacher, leader, researcher and motivator to my students as Dr. White has been to me. Furthermore, I am thankful to his wife, Mary Elizabeth Quarles White, for her understanding and allowing us to study during long hours. She proves the adage, “Behind every great man there is a great woman”. I would like also to thank my committee members: Dr. Letitia M. Pohl, Dr. Ashlea B. Milburn and Dr. Russell D. Meller for their thoughtful suggestions, time and attention during my research. My thanks go also to the faculty and staff of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Arkansas for providing a wonderful academic environment. I am grateful to the Ministry of National Education, Republic of Turkey, for providing financial support to me with a full scholarship during my doctoral studies. I am also grateful to my Turkish advisor, Dr. Irfan Kaymaz, for his approval of the plan of my doctoral studies. Thanks to everyone at the Turkish Consulate’s Office in Houston who completed my transactions quickly and smoothly. Finally, my special thanks go to members of my family for their endless support, concern and love during not only my doctoral studies, but also my whole life in all good and tough days. Without their belief and patience, I would never be where I am today. To all friends, especially my guarantors; Kamil Degirmenci, Ozlem Degirmenci and Murat Sahin, friends and others who shared their moral and psychological supports, thank you. Dedication To my beloved parents Mr. Hakki Tutam & Mrs. Vildan Tutam and To my dear sisters Miss. Sumeyya Tutam & Mrs. Melek Tutam and To my little brother & my best friend Mr. M. Emin Tutam for their enormous personal sacrifices and unconditional loves. This humble study is a sign of my love to you! Table of Contents Chapter 1 ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 5 Chapter 2 ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Contribution 1: A Paper on, “A Multi-Dock, Unit-Load Warehouse Design” ........................... 6 2.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 7 2.2. Literature Review ........................................................................................................... 12 2.3. Notation .......................................................................................................................... 16 2.4. Basic Scenarios .............................................................................................................. 18 2.5. Discrete Formulations .................................................................................................... 19 2.5.1. Single-command travel ........................................................................................... 21 2.5.2. Dual-command travel.............................................................................................. 22 2.5.3. Discrete optimization problem ................................................................................ 24 2.6. Continuous Approximations .......................................................................................... 25 2.6.1. Single-command travel ........................................................................................... 25 2.6.2. Dual-command travel.............................................................................................. 28 2.7. Computational Results ................................................................................................... 32 2.7.1. Single-command travel ........................................................................................... 34 2.7.2. Dual-command travel.............................................................................................. 39 2.8. Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................. 44 Bibliography .............................................................................................................................. 47 Appendix ..................................................................................................................................