Reachability cuts for the vehicle routing problem with time windows

This paper introduces a class of cuts, called reachability cuts, for the Vehicle Routing <p> Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW). Reachability cuts are closely related to cuts derived <p> from precedence constraints in the Asymmetric Traveling Salesman Problem with Time <p> Windows and to k-path cuts for the VRPTW. In particular, any reachability cut dominates <p> one or more k-path cuts. The paper presents separation procedures for reachability cuts <p> and reports computational experiments on well-known VRPTW instances. The computational <p> results suggest that reachability cuts can be highly useful as cutting planes for certain <p> VRPTW instances.