Solving facility-layout optimization problems with clustering constraints

Most facility-layout problems are at present solved by heuristic methods, which are not suitable for treating layout problems if some facilities need to be placed together. In this paper we add the constraints of clustering facilities and thus propose an optimization model for facility-layout problems. The advantages of introducing clustering constraints are: first, they fit the more practical rationale of facility layouts; second, they can help improve the computational efficiency owing to the reduction in nonoverlapping constraints among the facilities.