The Location-Distribution Problem in Humanitarian Operations

• Grant number: 15/07986-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2015
• End date: March 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering - Operational Research
• Principal Investigator: Douglas José Alem Junior
• Grantee: Renan de Oliveira Sedano
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências em Gestão e Tecnologia (CCGT). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Campus de Sorocaba. Sorocaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The recent natural disasters around the world have exposed the complications of organizations in managing efficiently post-disaster operations. These difficulties reflect the complexity of these situations and, simultaneously, the deficiency of scientific methods applied to operations planning in preparation and response. Among numerous decisions that need to be made quickly in disaster situations, there are the location of relief centers and the distribution of essential supplies to the affected community's survival. Although many studies have developed mathematic models to support these decisions, only a few authors have integrated both decisions to products prepositioning in an attempt to more efficient solutions from a practical viewpoint. Therefore, the aim of this scientific initiation project is the development of a mathematic model of location-distribution considering the possibility of prepositioning products and the uncertainty of the number of victims. The developed model will be analyzed based on the recent disaster in the state of Acre in March 2015.