Symmetry breaking in population-based optimization

Argues that the performance of evolutionary algorithms working on hard optimization problems depends strongly on how the population breaks the "symmetry" of the search space. The splitting of the search space into widely separate regions containing local optima is a generic property of a large class of hard optimization problem. This phenomenon is discussed by reference to two well studied examples, the Ising perceptron and the satisfiability problem (K-SAT). A finite population will quickly concentrate on one region of the search space. The cost of crossover between solutions in different regions of search space can accelerate this symmetry breaking. This, in turn, can dramatically reduce the amount of exploration, leading to suboptimal solutions being found. An analysis of symmetry breaking using diffusion model techniques borrowed from classical population genetics is presented. This shows how symmetry breaking depends on parameters such as the population size and selection rate.     

Multiple meta-models based design space differentiation method for expensive problems

Meta-models and meta-models based global optimization methods have been commonly used in design optimizations of expensive problems. In this work, a multiple meta-models based design space differentiation (MDSD) method is proposed. In the proposed method, an important region will be constructed using the expensive points inside the whole design space. Then, quadratic function (QF) will be employed in the search of the constructed important region. To avoid the local optima, kriging is employed in the search of the whole design space simultaneously. The MDSD method employs different meta-models in the different design space instead of space reduction, which preserves the advantages of high efficiency of the space reduction methods and avoids their shortcomings of removing the global optimum by mistake in theory. Through extensive test and comparison with three meta-model based algorithms, efficient global optimization (EGO), Mode-pursuing sampling method (MPS) and hybrid and adaptive meta-modeling method (HAM) using several benchmark math functions and an engineering problem involving finite element analysis (FEA), the proposed method shows excellent performance in search efficiency and accuracy.     

Design of airfoils in incompressible viscous flows by numerical optimization

A method is outlined for the design of airfoils in incompressible viscous flows by numerical optimization wherein a reduced number of design coordinates are used to define the airfoil shape. The optimization problem is formulated as a nongradient search in a finite constrained parameter space. The approach is to define the airfoil as a linear combination of basic shapes which may be analytically or numerically defined. The design problem is to determine the participation of each of these basic shapes in defining the optimum airfoil. The aerodynamic analysis program is specially developed to fit the requirements of the optimization program and is based on the vortex singularity method for inviscid flow analysis and the momentum integral method for boundary layer analysis. Four examples have been worked out to illustrate the proposed design method. In these, modifications to four different airfoil geometries are made to achieve either a minimum drag coefficient or a minimum pitching moment coefficient under prescribed constraints. The results show that significant drag or pitching moment reduction is possible through shape manipulation alone.     

基于差分进化的线谱对码本设计

线谱对（LSF）的码本设计常采用经典的LBG算法,由于该算法容易陷入局部最优,提出了一种结合差分进化（DE）和LBG算法的混合算法（DELBG）,通过引入一加权因子,利用其染色体表示很短、易于被差分进化优化的特点不断改变LBG算法的搜索路径,最大可能地使之逃离局部最优,同时也避免了差分进化在单独设计LSF码本中达到全局最优解前搜索空间过大的问题。实验表明提出的DELBG算法相比LBG算法较好地实现了全局最优。     

A hybrid variable neighborhood search for solving the hybrid flow shop scheduling problem

This paper proposes a hybrid variable neighborhood search (HVNS) algorithm that combines the chemical-reaction optimization (CRO) and the estimation of distribution (EDA), for solving the hybrid flow shop (HFS) scheduling problems. The objective is to minimize the maximum completion time. In the proposed algorithm, a well-designed decoding mechanism is presented to schedule jobs with more flexibility. Meanwhile, considering the problem structure, eight neighborhood structures are developed. A kinetic energy sensitive neighborhood change approach is proposed to extract global information and avoid being stuck at the local optima. In addition, contrary to the fixed neighborhood set in traditional VNS, a dynamic neighborhood set update mechanism is utilized to exploit the potential search space. Finally, for the population of local optima solutions, an effective EDA-based global search approach is investigated to direct the search process to promising regions. The proposed algorithm is tested on sets of well-known benchmark instances. Through the analysis of experimental results, the high performance of the proposed HVNS algorithm is shown in comparison with four efficient algorithms from the literature.     

The Agile particle swarm optimizer applied to proteomic pattern matching and discovery

Pattern discovery in protein structures is a fundamental task in computational biology, with important applications in protein structure prediction, profiling and alignment. We propose a novel approach for pattern matching and discovery in protein structures using particle swarm-based flying windows over potentially promising regions of the search space. Using a heuristic search, based on particle swarm optimization is, however, easily trapped in local optima due to the sparse nature of the problem search space. Thus, we introduce a novel fitness-based stagnation detection technique that effectively and efficiently restarts the search process to escape potential local optima. The proposed approach predicts an imminent stagnation situation using a novel way that collectively incorporates the already-calculated fitness performances of the swarm particles relative to the objective function, instead of repeatedly calculating their pairwise distances. Our approach is first applied to protein contact maps, which are the 2D compact representation of protein structures. Then, it is generalized to work on classical and advanced (shifted/rotated) benchmark optimization functions. The experimental results show that the proposed fitness-based approach not only demonstrates efficient convergence (up to 3 times faster), but also significantly outperforms the commonly used distance-based method (using Wilcoxon rank-sum test at 95 % confidence level).     

Global optimization using accurate approximations in design synthesis

The design variable space of a design synthesis problem may contain multiple local optima. In the approximation concepts approach to design synthesis, the design objective and constraint functions are approximated in order to reduce the overall cost. If the approximations accurately capture the actural behavior of the objective function and constraints, then the approximate design variable space may also contain local optima. In this work, a multistart optimization algorithm is used to search for the global optimum of the actual design using just a few design cycles. Example problems are presented to illustrate the methodology set forth.     

Force-imitated particle swarm optimization using the near-neighbor effect for locating multiple optima

Multimodal optimization problems pose a great challenge of locating multiple optima simultaneously in the search space to the particle swarm optimization (PSO) community. In this paper, the motion principle of particles in PSO is extended by using the near-neighbor effect in mechanical theory, which is a universal phenomenon in nature and society. In the proposed near-neighbor effect based force-imitated PSO (NN-FPSO) algorithm, each particle explores the promising regions where it resides under the composite forces produced by the “near-neighbor attractor” and “near-neighbor repeller”, which are selected from the set of memorized personal best positions and the current swarm based on the principles of “superior-and-nearer” and “inferior-and-nearer”, respectively. These two forces pull and push a particle to search for the nearby optimum. Hence, particles can simultaneously locate multiple optima quickly and precisely. Experiments are carried out to investigate the performance of NN-FPSO in comparison with a number of state-of-the-art PSO algorithms for locating multiple optima over a series of multimodal benchmark test functions. The experimental results indicate that the proposed NN-FPSO algorithm can efficiently locate multiple optima in multimodal fitness landscapes.     

Sequential approximation optimization assisted particle swarm optimization for expensive problems

In this paper, an efficient sequential approximation optimization assisted particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed for optimization of expensive problems. This algorithm makes a good balance between the search ability of particle swarm optimization and sequential approximation optimization. Specifically, the proposed algorithm uses the optima obtained by sequential approximation optimization in local regions to replace the personal historical best particles and then runs the basic particle swarm optimization procedures. Compared with particle swarm optimization, the proposed algorithm is more efficient because the optima provided by sequential approximation optimization can direct swarm particles to search in a more accurate way. In addition, a space partition strategy is proposed to constraint sequential approximation optimization in local regions. This strategy can enhance the swarm diversity and prevent the preconvergence of the proposed algorithm. In order to validate the proposed algorithm, a lot of numerical benchmark problems are tested. An overall comparison between the proposed algorithm and several other optimization algorithms has been made. Finally, the proposed algorithm is applied to an optimal design of bearings in an all-direction propeller. The results show that the proposed algorithm is efficient and promising for optimization of the expensive problems.     

Strategic bidding using fuzzy adaptive gravitational search algorithm in a pool based electricity market

A novel stochastic optimization approach to solve optimal bidding strategy problem in a pool based electricity market using fuzzy adaptive gravitational search algorithm (FAGSA) is presented. Generating companies (suppliers) participate in the bidding process in order to maximize their profits in an electricity market. Each supplier will bid strategically for choosing the bidding coefficients to counter the competitors bidding strategy. The gravitational search algorithm (GSA) is tedious to solve the optimal bidding strategy problem because, the optimum selection of gravitational constant (G). To overcome this problem, FAGSA is applied for the first time to tune the gravitational constant using fuzzy “IF/THEN” rules. The fuzzy rule-based systems are natural candidates to design gravitational constant, because they provide a way to develop decision mechanism based on specific nature of search regions, transitions between their boundaries and completely dependent on the problem. The proposed method is tested on IEEE 30-bus system and 75-bus Indian practical system and compared with GSA, particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA). The results show that, fuzzification of the gravitational constant, improve search behavior, solution quality and reduced computational time compared against standard constant parameter algorithms.     

Niching Without Niching Parameters: Particle Swarm Optimization Using a Ring Topology

Niching is an important technique for multimodal optimization. Most existing niching methods require specification of certain niching parameters in order to perform well. These niching parameters, often used to inform a niching algorithm how far apart between two closest optima or the number of optima in the search space, are typically difficult to set as they are problem dependent. This paper describes a simple yet effective niching algorithm, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm using a ring neighborhood topology, which does not require any niching parameters. A PSO algorithm using the ring topology can operate as a niching algorithm by using individual particles' local memories to form a stable network retaining the best positions found so far, while these particles explore the search space more broadly. Given a reasonably large population uniformly distributed in the search space, PSO algorithms using the ring topology are able to form stable niches across different local neighborhoods, eventually locating multiple global/local optima. The complexity of these niching algorithms is only $ {cal O}(N)$, where $N$ is the population size. Experimental results suggest that PSO algorithms using the ring topology are able to provide superior and more consistent performance over some existing PSO niching algorithms that require niching parameters.      

A Bi-population Cooperative Optimization Algorithm Assisted by an Autoencoder for Medium-scale Expensive Problems

This study presents an autoencoder-embedded optimization (AEO) algorithm which involves a bi-population cooperative strategy for medium-scale expensive problems (MEPs). A huge search space can be compressed to an informative low-dimensional space by using an autoencoder as a dimension reduction tool. The search operation conducted in this low space facilitates the population with fast convergence towards the optima. To strike the balance between exploration and exploitation during optimization, two phases of a tailored teaching-learning-based optimization (TTLBO) are adopted to coevolve solutions in a distributed fashion, wherein one is assisted by an autoencoder and the other undergoes a regular evolutionary process. Also, a dynamic size adjustment scheme according to problem dimension and evolutionary progress is proposed to promote information exchange between these two phases and accelerate evolutionary convergence speed. The proposed algorithm is validated by testing benchmark functions with dimensions varying from 50 to 200. As indicated in our experiments, TTLBO is suitable for dealing with medium-scale problems and thus incorporated into the AEO framework as a base optimizer. Compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms for MEPs, AEO shows extraordinarily high efficiency for these challenging problems, thus opening new directions for various evolutionary algorithms under AEO to tackle MEPs and greatly advancing the field of medium-scale computationally expensive optimization.      

Learning the Search Range for Evolutionary Optimization in Dynamic Environments

Conventional evolutionary algorithms operate in a fixed search space with limiting parameter range, which is often predefined via a priori knowledge or trial and error in order to ‘guess’ a suitable region comprising the global optimal solution. This requirement is hard, if not impossible, to fulfil in many real-world optimization problems since there is often no clue of where the desired solutions are located in these problems. Thus, this paper proposes an inductive–deductive learning approach for single- and multi-objective evolutionary optimization. The method is capable of directing evolution towards more promising search regions even if these regions are outside the initial predefined space. For problems where the global optimum is included in the initial search space, it is capable of shrinking the search space dynamically for better resolution in genetic representation to facilitate the evolutionary search towards more accurate optimal solutions. Validation results based on benchmark optimization problems show that the proposed inductive–deductive learning is capable of handling different fitness landscapes as well as distributing nondominated solutions uniformly along the final trade-offs in multi-objective optimization, even if there exist many local optima in a high-dimensional search space or the global optimum is outside the predefined search region. Received 15 January 2001 / Revised 8 June 2001 / Accepted in revised form 24 July 2001     

Multi-objective genetic local search algorithm using Kohonen’s neural map

Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are population based global search methods that can escape from local optima traps and find the global optima regions. However, near the optimum set their intensification process is often inaccurate. This is because the search strategy of GAs is completely probabilistic. With a random search near the optimum sets, there is a small probability to improve current solution. Another drawback of the GAs is genetic drift. The GAs search process is a black box process and no one knows that which region is being searched by the algorithm and it is possible that GAs search only a small region in the feasible space. On the other hand, GAs usually do not use the existing information about the optimality regions in past iterations.In this paper, a new method called SOM-Based Multi-Objective GA (SBMOGA) is proposed to improve the genetic diversity. In SBMOGA, a grid of neurons use the concept of learning rule of Self-Organizing Map (SOM) supporting by Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) learn from genetic algorithm improving both local and global search. SOM is a neural network which is capable of learning and can improve the efficiency of data processing algorithms. The VNS algorithm is developed to enhance the local search efficiency in the Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs). The SOM uses a multi-objective learning rule based-on Pareto dominance to train its neurons. The neurons gradually move toward better fitness areas in some trajectories in feasible space. The knowledge of optimum front in past generations is saved in form of trajectories. The final state of the neurons determines a set of new solutions that can be regarded as the probability density distribution function of the high fitness areas in the multi-objective space. The new set of solutions potentially can improve the GAs overall efficiency. In the last section of this paper, the applicability of the proposed algorithm is examined in developing optimal policies for a real world multi-objective multi-reservoir system which is a non-linear, non-convex, multi-objective optimization problem.     

Immune-based algorithms for dynamic optimization

The main problem with biologically inspired algorithms (like evolutionary algorithms or particle swarm optimization) when applied to dynamic optimization is to force their readiness for continuous search for new optima occurring in changing locations. Immune-based algorithm, being an instance of an algorithm that adapt by innovation seem to be a perfect candidate for continuous exploration of a search space. In this paper we describe various implementations of the immune principles and we compare these instantiations on complex environments.     

A two‐phase harmony search algorithm for continuous optimization

Harmony search (HS) algorithm is inspired by the music improvisation process in which a musician searches for the best harmony and continues to polish the harmony to improve its aesthetics. The efficiency of evolutionary algorithms depends on the extent of balance between diversification and intensification during the course of the search. An ideal evolutionary algorithm must have efficient exploration in the beginning and enhanced exploitation toward the end. In this paper, a two‐phase harmony search (TPHS) algorithm is proposed that attempts to strike a balance between exploration and exploitation by concentrating on diversification in the first phase using catastrophic mutation and then switches to intensification using local search in the second phase. The performance of TPHS is analyzed and compared with 4 state‐of‐the‐art HS variants on all the 30 IEEE CEC 2014 benchmark functions. The numerical results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed TPHS algorithm in terms of accuracy, particularly on multimodal functions when compared with other state‐of‐the‐art HS variants; further comparison with state‐of‐the‐art evolutionary algorithms reveals excellent performance of TPHS on composition functions. Composition functions are combined, rotated, shifted, and biased version of other unimodal and multimodal test functions and mimic the difficulties of real search spaces by providing a massive number of local optima and different shapes for different regions of the search space. The performance of the TPHS algorithm is also evaluated on a real‐life problem from the field of computer vision called camera calibration problem, ie, a 12‐dimensional highly nonlinear optimization problem with several local optima.     

一类用于函数优化的基于混沌搜索的免疫算法

将混沌优化算法与克隆选择算法相结合,提出了一类基于混沌搜索的免疫算法．首先利用解空间变换将优化变量表示为混沌变量,并将混沌变量编码为抗体．然后,利用混沌变量的遍历性和随机性特点,通过在高亲和力抗体的邻域内进行混沌搜索以实现局部寻优,通过在整个解空间内的混沌搜索来避免陷入局部最优解．数值仿真结果表明该算法具不易陷入局部最优、解的精度高和操作简单等优点．     

Evolutionary multiobjective industrial design: the case of a racing car tire-suspension system

When dealing with multiobjective optimization (MO) of the tire-suspension system of a racing car, a large number of design variables and a large number of objectives have to be taken into account. Two different models have been used, both validated on data coming from an instrumented car, a differential equation-based physical model, and a neural network purely numerical model. Up to 23 objective functions have been defined, at least 14 of which are in strict conflict of each other. The equivalent scalar function based and the objective-as-constraint formulations are intentionally avoided due to their well-known limitations. A fuzzy definition of optima, being a generalization of Pareto optimality, is applied to the problem. The result of such an approach is that subsets of Pareto optimal solutions (on such a problem, a big portion of the entire search space) can be properly selected as a consequence of input from the designer. The obtained optimal solutions are compared with the reference vehicle and with the optima previously obtained with design of experiment techniques and different MO optimization strategies. The proposed strategy improves both the reference (actual) car and previously obtained optima (scalar preference function) in the majority of objectives with technically significant improvements. Moreover, the strategy offers an univoque criterion for the choice among tradeoff solutions in the 14-dimensional objective space. The problem is used as a test of a proposed optimal design strategy for industrial problems, integrating differential equation and neural networks modeling, design of experiments, MO, and fuzzy optimal-based decision making. Such a linked approach gives also a unified view of where to concentrate the computational effort.     

A metaheuristic approach for optical network optimization problems

Two of the most complex optimization problems encountered in the design of third generation optical networks are the dynamic routing and wavelength assignment (DRWA) problem under the assumptions of ideal and non-ideal physical layers. Both these problems are NP-complete in nature. These are challenging due to the presence of multiple local optima in the search space. Even heuristics-based algorithms fail to solve these problems efficiently as the search space is non-convex. This paper reports the performance of a metaheuristic, that is, an evolutionary programming algorithm in solving different optical network optimization problems. The primary motivation behind adopting this approach is to reduce the algorithm execution time. It is demonstrated that the same basic approach can be used to solve different optimization problems by designing problem-specific fitness functions. Also, it is shown how the algorithm performance can be improved by integrating suitable soft constraints with the original constraints. Exhaustive simulation studies are carried out assuming the presence of different levels of linear impairments such as switch and demultiplexer crosstalk and non-linear impairments like four wave mixing to illustrate the superiority of the proposed algorithms.     

基于SQP 局部搜索的混沌粒子群优化算法

提出一种基于序贯二次规划(SQP)法的混沌粒子群优化方法(CPSO-SQP).将混沌PSO作为全局搜索器,并用SQP加速局部搜索,使得粒子能够在快速局部寻优的基础上对整个空间进行搜索,既保证了算法的收敛性,又大大增加了获得全局最优的几率.仿真结果表明,算法精度高、成功率大、全局收敛速度快,明显优于现有算法.将所提出的算法用于高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)装置串级反应过程的乙烯单耗优化,根据工业反应机理以及现场操作经验分析可知,所提出的算法是可行的.