Location-Allocation Modeling

Though often used to refer to more general location-theoretic constructs, location-allocation modeling is a specific class of spatial optimization model where two simultaneous decisions are being made about where a facility should be sited (location) and what entities/areas should be served by the facility (allocation). Geographers have made important and sustained contributions to this area of research, developing and extending mathematical models, devising effective solution techniques, and applying models to public and private sector planning problems. Prominent geographers working in the area include Charles ReVelle, Gerard Rushton, Michael Goodchild, and Richard Church, among others.

A location-allocation model locates a multiple number of facilities and allocates the demand served by these facilities so that access and/or system service is as efficient as possible. This definition recognizes the ...