EXPLICA: An Explorative Imperialist Competitive Algorithm based on the notion of Explorers with an expansive retention policy

Meta-heuristic algorithms are of considerable importance in solving optimization problems. This importance is more highlighted when the problems to be optimized are too complicated to achieve a solution using conventional methods or, the traditional methods are somehow not applicable for solving them. Imperial Competitive Algorithm has been proved to be an efficient and effective meta-heuristic optimization algorithm and it has been successfully applied in many scientific and engineering problems. By introducing the concept of explorers and retention policy, the original algorithm is enhanced with a dynamic population mechanism in this paper and hence, the performance of the Imperial Competitive Algorithm is improved. Performance of the proposed modification is tested with experiments of optimizing real-values functions and results are compared with results obtained with the original Imperialistic Competitive Algorithm, Genetic Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization and Simulated Annealing. Also, the applicability of the proposed improvement is verified by optimizing a ship propeller design problem.     

Ions motion algorithm for solving optimization problems

This paper proposes a novel optimization algorithm inspired by the ions motion in nature. In fact, the proposed algorithm mimics the attraction and repulsion of anions and cations to perform optimization. The proposed algorithm is designed in such a way to have the least tuning parameters, low computational complexity, fast convergence, and high local optima avoidance. The performance of this algorithm is benchmarked on 10 standard test functions and compared to four well-known algorithms in the literature. The results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is able to show very competitive results and has merits in solving challenging optimization problems.     

A modified approach to cross entropy method: Elitist stepped distribution algorithm

This paper introduces a new algorithm named Elitist Stepped Distribution Algorithm (ESDA), which is inspired from the existing Cross Entropy Method (CEM) through the modification of elite sample based normal distribution used in CEM. Considering the natural behavior of normal distribution, ESDA is proposed to enhance the drawbacks of CEM through improving the efficiency in both exploration and exploitation processes when applying for complex function optimization problems. In ESDA, the elite sample percent defined in CEM is separated into two parts: (1) elite sample percent to calculate the mean value, and (2) elite sample percent to calculate standard deviation of normal distribution to construct an applicable balance between exploration and exploitation ability of the algorithm at a reasonable convergence speed. The elite sample percent parameter for the mean guides the algorithm to focus more on the better solutions and therefore improves the exploitation ability, whereas the elite sample percent parameter for the standard deviation controls the length of standard deviation to handle the exploration process more effectively. Performance of ESDA is investigated using unconstrained benchmark problems and compared with CEM, Simple Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization. The comparisons on unimodal and multi-modal functions confirm the efficiency of the algorithm in both exploration and exploitation process. In addition, the performance of ESDA is tested using constrained engineering problems commonly used in literature by comparing its performance with the other ones statistically. The results on engineering problems also prove that ESDA is perfectly applicable in real-world applications.     

最优化问题算法模式的研究

论文在对最优化问题的结构和实例进行严格描述的基础上,提出一种沿算法框架、算法模式再到具体算法的路线来解决最优化算法设计问题的方法。文中对算法模式概念进行了重新定义,给出求解最优化问题的一个算法框架,以及从该算法框架导出算法模式、算法及其实现程序的实例,同时对算法模式的使用步骤,算法框架、算法模式与算法三者之间的关系,算法模式的编程实现技术进行了论述。     

蚁群优化算法及其应用

蚂蚁算法是由意大利学者M．Dorigo等人提出的一种新型的模拟进化算法。该算法首先应用于旅行商问题并获得了极大的成功,其后,又被用于求解指派问题、Job—shop调度问题、图着色问题和网络路由问题等。实践证明,蚂蚁算法是一种鲁棒性强、收敛性好、实用性广的优化算法,但同时也存在一些不足,如收敛速度慢和容易出现停滞现象等。     

An efficient algorithm for constrained global optimization and application to mechanical engineering design: League championship algorithm (LCA)

The league championship algorithm (LCA) is a new algorithm originally proposed for unconstrained optimization which tries to metaphorically model a League championship environment wherein artificial teams play in an artificial league for several weeks (iterations). Given the league schedule, a number of individuals, as sport teams, play in pairs and their game outcome is determined given known the playing strength (fitness value) along with the team formation (solution). Modelling an artificial match analysis, each team devises the required changes in its formation (a new solution) for the next week contest and the championship goes for a number of seasons. In this paper, we adapt LCA for constrained optimization. In particular: (1) a feasibility criterion to bias the search toward feasible regions is included besides the objective value criterion; (2) generation of multiple offspring is allowed to increase the probability of an individual to generate a better solution; (3) a diversity mechanism is adopted, which allows infeasible solutions with a promising objective value precede the feasible solutions. Performance of LCA is compared with comparator algorithms on benchmark problems where the experimental results indicate that LCA is a very competitive algorithm. Performance of LCA is also evaluated on well-studied mechanical design problems and results are compared with the results of 21 constrained optimization algorithms. Computational results signify that with a smaller number of evaluations, LCA ensures finding the true optimum of these problems. These results encourage that further developments and applications of LCA would be worth investigating in the future studies.     

信息共享模型和组外贪心策略的郊狼优化算法

郊狼优化算法(Coyote Optimization Algorithm,COA)是最近提出的一种新颖群智能优化算法,具有较大的应用潜力,但存在运行时间长和搜索能力不足等问题.因此,文中提出了一种改进的COA,即基于信息共享和组外(静态)贪心的COA(COA based on Information sharing a...     

大型全回转浮式起重机平衡系统优化数学模型

针对大型全回转浮式起重机的结构和工况特点,在满足抗倾覆稳定性要求下,将浮式起重机自重产生的不平衡力矩与起升货物产生的不平衡力矩之和的均方根力矩作为目标函数值,建立以平衡系统主要构件强度、刚度、结构尺寸和回转轮压合理性为约束条件的多目标设计优化数学模型,运用遗传算法优化浮式起重机平衡系统,最终得出优化数据.该数学模型在具体优化过程中取得较为满意的优化结果,为大型全回转浮式起重机的设计优化提供有效方法.     

A DE-based approach to no-wait flow-shop scheduling

This paper proposes an effective hybrid differential evolution (HDE) for the no-wait flow-shop scheduling problem (FSSP) with the makespan criterion, which is a typical NP-hard combinational optimization problem. Firstly, a largest-order-value (LOV) rule is presented to transform individuals in DE from real vectors to job permutations so that the DE can be applied for solving FSSPs. Secondly, the DE-based parallel evolution mechanism and framework is applied to perform effective exploration, and a simple but efficient local search developed according to the landscape of FSSP is applied to emphasize problem-dependent local exploitation. Thirdly, a speed-up evaluation method and a fast Insert-based neighborhood examining method are developed based on the properties of the no-wait FSSPs. Due to the hybridization of DE-based evolutionary search and problem-dependent local search as well as the utilization of the speed-up evaluation and fast neighborhood examining, the no-wait FSSPs can be solved efficiently and effectively. Simulations and comparisons based on well-known benchmarks demonstrate the efficiency, effectiveness, and robustness of the proposed HDE.     

A hybrid approach for data clustering based on modified cohort intelligence and K-means

Clustering is an important and popular technique in data mining. It partitions a set of objects in such a manner that objects in the same clusters are more similar to each another than objects in the different cluster according to certain predefined criteria. K-means is simple yet an efficient method used in data clustering. However, K-means has a tendency to converge to local optima and depends on initial value of cluster centers. In the past, many heuristic algorithms have been introduced to overcome this local optima problem. Nevertheless, these algorithms too suffer several short-comings. In this paper, we present an efficient hybrid evolutionary data clustering algorithm referred to as K-MCI, whereby, we combine K-means with modified cohort intelligence. Our proposed algorithm is tested on several standard data sets from UCI Machine Learning Repository and its performance is compared with other well-known algorithms such as K-means, K-means++, cohort intelligence (CI), modified cohort intelligence (MCI), genetic algorithm (GA), simulated annealing (SA), tabu search (TS), ant colony optimization (ACO), honey bee mating optimization (HBMO) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The simulation results are very promising in the terms of quality of solution and convergence speed of algorithm.     

Comparison of nine meta-heuristic algorithms for optimal design of truss structures with frequency constraints

Structural optimization with frequency constraints is a challenging class of optimization problems characterized by highly non-linear and non-convex search spaces. When using a meta-heuristic algorithm to solve a problem of this kind, exploration/exploitation balance is a key feature to control the performance of the algorithm. An excessively exploitative algorithm might focus on certain areas of the search space ignoring the others. On the other hand, an algorithm that is too explorative overlooks high quality solutions as a result of not performing adequate local search.This paper compares nine multi-agent meta-heuristic algorithms for sizing and layout optimization of truss structures with frequency constraints. The variation of the diversity index during the optimization history is analyzed in order to inspect exploration/exploitation properties of each algorithm. It appears that there is a significant relationship between the algorithm efficiency and the evolution of the diversity index.     

自适应中心引力优化算法

针对函数全局优化问题,提出了一种自适应中心引力算法,以平衡全局探测能力和局部搜索能力。首先定义粒子的适应值函数,然后根据与平均适应值的比较,更新粒子运动时间,并引进交叉操作更新当前粒子位置,从而提高算法的收敛速度。最后选择8个典型测试函数进行测试,并与中心引力优化算法和其他粒子群优化算法进行比较。结果表明,该算法得到的结果十分精确,鲁棒性强,优于其他算法。     

A novel discrete particle swarm optimization algorithm for meta-task assignment in heterogeneous computing systems

Optimal assignment of a meta-task in heterogeneous computing systems is NP-complete in the general case. Therefore, heuristic approaches must be employed to find good solutions within a reasonable time. We propose a novel discrete particle swarm optimization (DPSO) algorithm for this problem. Firstly, to make particle swarm optimization algorithm more suitable for solving task assignment problems, particles are represented as integer vectors and a new position update method is developed based on discrete domain. Secondly, an effective variable neighborhood descent algorithm is applied to emphasize exploitation. In addition, migration mechanism is introduced with the hope to escape from possible local optimum and to balance the exploration and exploitation. Computational simulations and comparisons based on a set of benchmark instances indicate that the proposed DPSO algorithm is a viable approach for the task assignment problem.     

Joint operations algorithm for large-scale global optimization

Large-scale global optimization (LSGO) is a very important but thorny task in optimization domain, which widely exists in management and engineering problems. In order to strengthen the effectiveness of meta-heuristic algorithms when handling LSGO problems, we propose a novel meta-heuristic algorithm, which is inspired by the joint operations strategy of multiple military units and called joint operations algorithm (JOA). The overall framework of the proposed algorithm involves three main operations: offensive, defensive and regroup operations. In JOA, offensive operations and defensive operations are used to balance the exploration ability and exploitation ability, and regroup operations is applied to alleviate the problem of premature convergence. To evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm, we compare JOA with six excellent meta-heuristic algorithms on twenty LSGO benchmark functions of IEEE CEC 2010 special session and four real-life problems. The experimental results show that JOA performs steadily, and it has the best overall performance among the seven compared algorithms.