The Loading Problem

The loading problem is defined as the allocation of given items with known magnitude to boxes with constrained capacity, so as to minimize the number of boxes required. Two methods of solution are considered: The first is by a zero-one programming model, for which the solution procedure is described; the second is by a heuristic algorithm. Fifty problems were solved by the two methods and in all but two the second method yielded the optimal solution with significantly less computing time than that needed by the first method.