Less-than-Volume Container Loading Problem of Single Size Boxes

When the number of boxes is small in each order or the volume of total boxes should be loaded less than the volume of container because of the limit of carrying capacity, we will face the less-than-volume container loading problems. It is often met in the transporting practice. Algorithms in the available literatures always make maximum utilization of volume of containers as the optimizing objectives so that they are not fit for the problems discussed in this paper. This paper reduces the three-dimensional problem of less-than-volume container loading problem to a two-dimensional loading problem. It is solved by pallet loading methods according to the actual demands of transporting. The paper presents a heuristic loading method to deal with the less-than-volume container loading problem of single size boxes. The method consists of determining the layout of container floor and stacking pattern along the height of container. Extension and utilization of Bischoff and Dowsland's heuristic in container loading problem can rapidly find a better layout of container floor which is convenient for loading. The final scheme can be determined after stacking layer by layer the same as the layout of floor and loading the remainder boxes on some rules. Finally, computational results show that the heuristic can find better stable loading and convenient for loading schemes when loading 20 foot ISO containers.