Operation Effort Optimization for Planning Performance-Based Snow-Removal Projects

Bid proposals for performance-based snow-removal projects are evaluated based on estimated operation efforts and service areas of proposed shop locations and quantities. Dispatch shop location and quantity must be sufficient to ensure that projects can be delivered on time, yet should be minimized to ensure bid competitiveness and project profitability. This study proposes a novel quantitative framework based on network analyses for planning shop locations, quantities, and shop-road assignments, such that project operation effort is optimized. The optimization framework, consisting of (1) calculations of plow and sand time with consideration of field and managerial constraints, (2) optimizations of plow and sand time based on the modified Floyd-Warshall algorithm, and (3) shop-road assignments based on plowing and sanding operation efforts, is formulated. The optimum solution generated by the framework minimized the operation effort of shop-associated work content. An example case study is included to demonstrate the calculation steps. Finally, to illustrate application of the framework method in a practical setting, a snow-removal project conducted in Alberta, Canada is presented.