A hybrid genetic algorithm with a new packing strategy for the three-dimensional bin packing problem

The three-dimensional bin packing problem is a practical problem faced in modern industrial processes such as container ship loading, pallet loading, plane cargo management, and warehouse management. This article considers a three-dimensional bin packing problem in which objects of various volumes are packed into a single bin to maximize the number of objects packed. The bin packing problem initially appears fairly simple; however, scholars have found its behavior rather complex. The formulated packing strategy seeks to minimize the number of cuboid spaces generated during the packing process by matching the object's height, length, or width with the dimensions of the packing space. A hybrid genetic algorithm was used to solve the three-dimensional bin packing problem with this packing strategy. The results under the proposed algorithm were compared to various sets of computational results found in academic papers related to this subject. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.