Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Deadlock prevention for automated guided vehicles in automated container terminals

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
OR Spectrum Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are an important component for automating container terminals. When utilizing AGVs to transport containers from one position to another in a container terminal, deadlocks are a serious problem that must be solved before real operations can take place. This study assumes that the traveling area for AGVs is divided into a large number of grid-blocks, and, as a method of traffic control, grid-blocks are reserved in advance when AGVs are running. The first purpose of the reservation is to make room between AGVs and to prevent deadlocks. The objective of this study is to develop an efficient deadlock prediction and prevention algorithm for AGV systems in automated container terminals. Because the size of an AGV is much larger than the size of a grid-block on a guide path, this study assumes that an AGV may occupy more than one grid-block at a time. This study proposes a method for reserving grid-blocks in advance to prevent deadlocks. A graphical representation method is suggested for a reservation schedule and a priority table is suggested to maintain priority consistency among grid-blocks. It is shown that the priority consistency guarantees deadlock-free reservation schedules for AGVs to cross the same area at the same time. The proposed method was tested in a simulation study.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aho AV, Hopcroft JE, Ullman JD (1974) The design and analysis of computer algorithms. Addison-Wesley, Reading, pp 189–195

    Google Scholar 

  • Banaszak ZA, Krogh BH (1990) Deadlock avoidance in flexible manufacturing systems with concurrently competing process flows. IEEE Trans Robot Autom 6(6):724–734

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cho HB, Kumaran TK, Wysk RA (1995) Graph theoretic deadlock detection and resolution for flexible manufacturing systems. IEEE Trans Robot Autom 11(3):413–421

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duinkerken MB, Evers JJM, Ottjes JA (1999) TRACES: traffic control engineering system. Proceedings of the 31st Summer Computer Simulation Conference, pp 461–465

  • Evers JJM, Koppers SAJ (1996) Automated guided vehicle traffic control at a container terminal. Transp Res Part A Policy Pract 30(1):21–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fanti MP (2002) Event-based controller to avoid deadlock and collisions in zone-control AGVS. Int J Prod Res 40(6):1453–1478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fanti MP, Maione B, Mascolo S, Turchiano B (1997) Event-based feedback control for deadlock avoidance in flexible production systems. IEEE Trans Robot Autom 13(3):347–363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grunow M, Günther H-O, Lehmann M (2004) Dispatching multi-load AGVs in highly automated seaport container terminals. OR Spectr 26(2):211–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim CW, Tanchoco JMA (1991) Conflict-free shortest-time bi-directional AGV routing. Int J Prod Res 29(12):2377–2391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim CW, Tanchoco JMA (1993) Operational control of bi-directional AGV system. Int J Prod Res 31(9):2123–2138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee CC, Lin JT (1995) Deadlock prediction and avoidance based on Petri nets for zone control Automated Guided Vehicle Systems. Int J Prod Res 33(12):3239–3265

    Google Scholar 

  • Möhring RH, Köhler E, Gawrilow E, Stenzel B (2004) Conflict-free real-time AGV routing. Preprint 026-2004. Technical University Berlin, Institute of Mathematics

  • Rajeeva LM, Wee HG, Ng WC, Teo CP, Yang NS (2003) Cyclic dead-lock prediction and avoidance for zone-controlled AGV system. Int J Prod Econ 83:309–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reveliotis SA (2000) Conflict resolution in AGV system. IIE Trans 32:647–659

    Google Scholar 

  • Viswanadham N, Narahari Y, Johnson TL (1990) Deadlock prediction and deadlock avoidance in flexible manufacturing systems using petri net models. IEEE Trans Robot Autom 6(6):713–723

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vis IFA, Harika I (2004) Comparison of vehicle types at an automated container terminal. OR Spectr 26(1):117–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu NQ (1999) Necessary and sufficient conditions for deadlock-free operation in flexible manufacturing systems using a colored petri net model. IEEE Trans Syst Man Cybern Part C Appl Rev 29:182–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu NQ, Zhou MC (2000) Resource-oriented petri nets for deadlock avoidance in automated manufacturing. Proceedings of 2000 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, San Francisco, pp 3377–3382

  • Yang CH, Choi YS, Ha TY (2004) Simulation-based performance evaluation of transport vehicles at automated container terminals. OR Spectr 26(2):149–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeh MS, Yeh WC (1998) Deadlock prediction and avoidance for zone-control AGVs. Int J Prod Res 36(10):2879–2889

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This research was accomplished as a part of the project “Development of Intelligent Port and Logistics System for Super-Large Container Ships,” which was sponsored by the Ministry of Maritime and Fishery in Korea.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Kumjeong-ku, Busan, 609-735, South Korea

    Kap Hwan Kim & Su Min Jeon

  2. Department of Computer Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Kumjeong-ku, Busan, 609-735, South Korea

    Kwang Ryel Ryu

Authors
  1. Kap Hwan Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Su Min Jeon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kwang Ryel Ryu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kap Hwan Kim.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kim, K.H., Jeon, S.M. & Ryu, K.R. Deadlock prevention for automated guided vehicles in automated container terminals. OR Spectrum 28, 659–679 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00291-006-0055-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00291-006-0055-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation