Abstract:
In the field of operations research, modelling of transportation problems is
fundamental in solving most real life problems as far optimization is
concerned. It is clear that a lot more effort has been put in by many
researchers in seek of appropriate solution methods to such problems.
Vogel’s Approximation Method (VAM), among the class of algorithms
provided to solve the Initial Basic Feasible Solution (IBFS) proved to be the
best. Likewise, Modified Distribution Method is testing the optimality of
the IBFS. However, for some time now, manual calculations and LINDO
are the tools used by most researchers in the application of these efficient
proposed techniques.
No MATLAB function has been written to handle this problem, although is
now obvious that more scientist in the scientific world are into the usage of
MATLAB environment. In this study, a MATLAB function, that is,
vogelModi.m was developed to implement the Vogel Approximation
Method, which helps get the IBFS and Modified Distribution Method,
which also test for the optimality of the IBFS based on the assumption that
the problem is balanced.
It was observed that this program will aid most Operation Researchers
modeling large transportation problem and wish to use Vogel’s
Approximation method and the Modified distribution method as its solution
techniques for arriving at an optimal solution with less effort.
