Heuristic for the rectangular strip packing problem with rotation of items

• Published in: Computers & operations research Vol. 40; no. 4; pp. 1094 - 1099
• Main Authors: Cui, Yaodong, Yang, Liu, Chen, Qiulian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2013; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Algorithms; Applied sciences; Benchmarking; Benchmarks; Cutting stock; Exact sciences and technology; Flows in networks. Combinatorial problems; Heuristic; Heuristic methods; Mathematical models; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Operations research; Packing problem; Sequential grouping; Sequential heuristic procedure; Simple block patterns; Strip; Strip packing; Studies; Value correction; Simple block patterns; Sequential heuristic procedure; Cutting stock; Value correction; Strip packing; Sequential grouping; Cutting stock problem; Bin packing problem; Grouping; Overlap; Rotation; Multiple solution; Heuristic method; Height
• ISSN: 0305-0548; 1873-765X; 0305-0548
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cor.2012.11.020

This paper presents a heuristic algorithm for the rectangular strip packing problem, where a set of rectangular items are packed orthogonally into a strip of definite width and infinite height, so as to minimize the required height. The items cannot overlap and rotation by 90 degrees is allowed. The solution contains several sections. The algorithm is based on a sequential grouping and value correction procedure that considers multiple candidate solutions. It generates each next section using a subset of the remaining items and then corrects the values of the included items. The algorithm is used to solve 13 groups of benchmark instances. It is able to improve the solution quality for all groups.