Swarm intelligence for scheduling: a review

Swarm Intelligence generally refers to a problem-solving ability that emerges from the interaction of simple information-processing units. The concept of Swarm suggests multiplicity, distribution, stochasticity, randomness, and messiness. The concept of Intelligence suggests that problem-solving approach is successful considering learning, creativity, cognition capabilities. This paper introduces some of the theoretical foundations, the biological motivation and fundamental aspects of swarm intelligence based optimization techniques such Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) and Artificial Bees Colony (ABC) algorithms for scheduling optimization

Chemical-reaction-inspired metaheuristic for optimization

We encounter optimization problems in our daily lives and in various research domains. Some of them are so hard that we can, at best, approximate the best solutions with (meta-) heuristic methods. However, the huge number of optimization problems and the small number of generally acknowledged methods mean that more metaheuristics are needed to fill the gap. We propose a new metaheuristic, called chemical reaction optimization (CRO), to solve optimization problems. It mimics the interactions of molecules in a chemical reaction to reach a low energy stable state. We tested the performance of CRO with three nondeterministic polynomial-time hard combinatorial optimization problems. Two of them were traditional benchmark problems and the other was a real-world problem. Simulation results showed that CRO is very competitive with the few existing successful metaheuristics, having outperformed them in some cases, and CRO achieved the best performance in the real-world problem. Moreover, with the No-Free-Lunch theorem, CRO must have equal performance as the others on average, but it can outperform all other metaheuristics when matched to the right problem type. Therefore, it provides a new approach for solving optimization problems. CRO may potentially solve those problems which may not be solvable with the few generally acknowledged approaches. © 2006 IEEE.published_or_final_versio

Discrete flower pollination algorithm for resource constrained project scheduling problem

YesIn this paper, a new population-based and nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithm, Discrete Flower Pollination Algorithm (DFPA), is presented to solve the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP). The DFPA is a modification of existing Flower Pollination Algorithm adapted for solving combinatorial optimization problems by changing some of the algorithm's core concepts, such as flower, global pollination, Lévy flight, local pollination. The proposed DFPA is then tested on sets of benchmark instances and its performance is compared against other existing metaheuristic algorithms. The numerical results have shown that the proposed algorithm is efficient and outperforms several other popular metaheuristic algorithms, both in terms of quality of the results and execution time. Being discrete, the proposed algorithm can be used to solve any other combinatorial optimization problems.Innovate UKAwarded 'Best paper of the Month

Análise de Performance de Técnicas de Optimização

Real-world complex optimization problems are one of the most complex challenges faced by scientific community. Achieving the best solution for a complex problem in an acceptable time interval is not always possible. In order to solve this problem, metaheuristics are one of the available resources. Having this in mind, finding a technique among others that presents better results in most executions would allow solution choosing to be more directive and assertive. Most used techniques comprise metaheuristics. These allow to find an acceptable solution in an acceptable time interval, even if the achieved solution was not the optimal possible. In this sense, this thesis intends to analyse four optimization techniques. Two population based techniques, one of them based in the behaviour of the bees in colony (Bee Colony) and another based in computational evolution (Genetic Algorithms). And, two single solution techniques, one based in memory structures (Tabu Search) and another based in the metallurgy industry (Simulated Annealing). These techniques were applied to two different optimization problems and computational results were registered and analysed. A prototype was built and used to obtain the results of applying metaheuristics to the Travelling Salesman problem (TSP) and the Knapsack Problem (KP). Evaluating the results, it was not possible to prove either that all algorithms are equivalent or that one of them is better in the majority of the cases.A resolução de problemas de otimização reais complexos constitui um dos grandes desafios científicos atuais. A possibilidade de obter as melhores soluções para os problemas nem sempre é possível em tempo útil e o recurso a técnicas de otimização para os resolver de forma eficaz e eficiente é constante. Neste sentido, encontrar uma técnica que sobressaia por entre as demais permitiria usar essas técnicas de forma mais direcionada e assertiva. Algumas das técnicas de otimização mais usadas são as meta-heurísticas. Estas permitem encontrar uma solução em tempo útil, mesmo não sendo a melhor solução possível. Neste contexto, a presente dissertação tem por vista a análise de quatro técnicas de otimização. Duas populacionais, sendo que uma técnica é baseada no comportamento dos enxames de abelhas (Bee Colony) e outra baseada na computação evolucionária, algoritmos genéticos (Genetic Algorithms). E, por posição, duas de solução única, a pesquisa tabu (Tabu Search), que se baseia nas estruturas de memória e uma técnica baseada na indústria metalúrgica, o arrefecimento simulado (Simulated Anealing). Estas técnicas foram aplicadas a dois problemas de otimização e os resultados computacionais, eficiência e eficácia das técnicas, foram registados e analisados. Um protótipo foi construído e utilizado para obter os resultados da aplicação das metaheurísticas ao problema de caixeiro viajante (TSP) e ao problema da mochila (KP). Após avaliação dos resultados, não foi possível provar que existia um algoritmo que se destacava entre os demais ou que os algoritmos eram equivalentes

A Comprehensive Survey on Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm and Its Applications

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a heuristic global optimization method, proposed originally by Kennedy and Eberhart in 1995. It is now one of the most commonly used optimization techniques. This survey presented a comprehensive investigation of PSO. On one hand, we provided advances with PSO, including its modifications (including quantum-behaved PSO, bare-bones PSO, chaotic PSO, and fuzzy PSO), population topology (as fully connected, von Neumann, ring, star, random, etc.), hybridization (with genetic algorithm, simulated annealing, Tabu search, artificial immune system, ant colony algorithm, artificial bee colony, differential evolution, harmonic search, and biogeography-based optimization), extensions (to multiobjective, constrained, discrete, and binary optimization), theoretical analysis (parameter selection and tuning, and convergence analysis), and parallel implementation (in multicore, multiprocessor, GPU, and cloud computing forms). On the other hand, we offered a survey on applications of PSO to the following eight fields: electrical and electronic engineering, automation control systems, communication theory, operations research, mechanical engineering, fuel and energy, medicine, chemistry, and biology. It is hoped that this survey would be beneficial for the researchers studying PSO algorithms

Meta-heuristic based Construction Supply Chain Modelling and Optimization

Driven by the severe competition within the construction industry, the necessity of improving and optimizing the performance of construction supply chain has been aroused. This thesis proposes three problems with regard to the construction supply chain optimization from three perspectives, namely, deterministic single objective optimization, stochastic optimization and multi-objective optimization respectively. Mathematical models for each problem are constructed accordingly and meta-heuristic algorithms are developed and applied for resolving these three problems

Reinforcement Learning-assisted Evolutionary Algorithm: A Survey and Research Opportunities

Evolutionary algorithms (EA), a class of stochastic search methods based on the principles of natural evolution, have received widespread acclaim for their exceptional performance in various real-world optimization problems. While researchers worldwide have proposed a wide variety of EAs, certain limitations remain, such as slow convergence speed and poor generalization capabilities. Consequently, numerous scholars actively explore improvements to algorithmic structures, operators, search patterns, etc., to enhance their optimization performance. Reinforcement learning (RL) integrated as a component in the EA framework has demonstrated superior performance in recent years. This paper presents a comprehensive survey on integrating reinforcement learning into the evolutionary algorithm, referred to as reinforcement learning-assisted evolutionary algorithm (RL-EA). We begin with the conceptual outlines of reinforcement learning and the evolutionary algorithm. We then provide a taxonomy of RL-EA. Subsequently, we discuss the RL-EA integration method, the RL-assisted strategy adopted by RL-EA, and its applications according to the existing literature. The RL-assisted procedure is divided according to the implemented functions including solution generation, learnable objective function, algorithm/operator/sub-population selection, parameter adaptation, and other strategies. Finally, we analyze potential directions for future research. This survey serves as a rich resource for researchers interested in RL-EA as it overviews the current state-of-the-art and highlights the associated challenges. By leveraging this survey, readers can swiftly gain insights into RL-EA to develop efficient algorithms, thereby fostering further advancements in this emerging field.Comment: 26 pages, 16 figure

Rámec pro plánování problémy

Import 22/07/2015Scheduling problems form an important subclass of combinatorial optimisation problems with many applications in manufacturing and logistics. Predominately these problems are NP-complete (decision based) and NP-hard (optimisation based), hence the main course of research in solving them concentrates on the design of efficient heuristic algorithms. Two main categories of these algorithms exist: deterministic algorithms and evolutionary metaheuristics. The deterministic algorithms comprise local improvement techniques, such as k-opt algorithm, which try to improve existing feasible solution, and constructive heuristics, such as NEH, which build a solution starting from scratch, adding one job at a time. Evolutionary metaheuristics have prospered in the past decades, owing to their efficiency and flexibility. Drawing inspiration from the theory of natural evolution or swarm behavioural patterns, the most popular of these algorithms in practice include for instance Genetic Algorithms, Differential Evolution, Particle Swarm Optimisation, amongst others. However, even though these heuristics provide in most cases close to optimal solution at reasonable execution time, this time is still impractically long for many applications. Therefore much effort has been dedicated to accelerating these algorithms. Since the development of hardware turns away from increasing the clock speed towards the parallel processing units, owing to reaching the limits of technology due to the increased power consumption and heat dissipation, this effort goes into parallelisation of the existing algorithms, to enable exploitation of the computing power of multi-core or many-core platforms. This is the goal of the first part of the thesis, accelerating two of the deterministic algorithms, NEH and 2-opt, with interesting results. Another approach has been taken in the second part, with the core premise of exploring the influence of stochasticity on the performance of an evolutionary algorithm, selecting the relatively recent and promising Discrete Artificial Bee Colony algorithm. The pseudo-random number generator has been replaced with the different types of dissipative chaos maps, with some of them improving the algorithm significantly. It has been shown that the population based evolutionary algorithms often form complex networks, taken from the point of view of the information exchange between individual solutions during the course of population development. The final part of this thesis puts this observation into practice by embedding the complex network analysis based self-adaptive mechanism into the ABC algorithm, a continuous optimisation problems solving evolutionary algorithm, which is however the basis for the afore mentioned DABC algorithm, and proving the effectiveness for some of the developed versions, currently on the standard continuous optimisation test functions, with the possibility to extend this modification to the combinatorial optimisations problems in the future being discussed in the conclusion.Rozvrhovací problémy jsou důležitou podtřídou úloh kombinatorické optimalizace s řadou aplikací ve výrobě a logistice. Většina těchto problémů je NP-úplných (rozhodovací forma) a NP-těžkých (optimalizační forma), proto se výzkum zaměřuje na návrh efektivních heuristických algoritmů. Dvě hlavní kategorie těchto algoritmů jsou deterministické algoritmy a evoluční metaheuristiky. Deterministické algoritmy zahrnují techniky lokálního prohledávání, například algoritmus k-opt, jejichž cílem je zlepšení existujícího přípustného řešení problému, dále pak konstruktivní heuristiky, jejichž příkladem je algoritmus NEH, které hledané řešení vytvářejí inkrementálně, bez potřeby znalosti vstupního bodu v prohledávaném prostoru řešení. Evoluční metaheuristiky mají za sebou historii úspěšného vývoje v posledních desetiletích, zejména díky jejich efektivitě a flexibilitě. Jejich inspirací jsou poznatky převzaté z biologie, teorie evoluce a inteligence hejna. Mezi nejpopulárnějšími z těchto algoritmů jsou, mimo jiné, genetické algoritmy, diferenciální evoluce, rojení částic (Particle Swarm Optimisation). Ačkoli tyto heuristiky nalézají ve většině případů řešení blížící se globálnímu optimu v přípustném výpočetním čase, pro řadu aplikací mohou být stále ještě nepřijatelně pomalé. Velké úsilí bylo věnováno zrychlení těchto algoritmů. Protože se vývoj hardware díky dosažení technologických limitů, vzhledem ke zvyšující se spotřebě energie a tepelnému vyzařování, obrací od zvyšování frekvence jednojádrového procesoru k vícejádrovým procesorům a paralelnímu zpracování, je tato snaha většinou orientovaná na paralelizaci existujících algoritmů, aby bylo umožněno využití výpočetní síly vícejádrových platforem (multi-core a many-core). Prvním cílem této práce je tudíž akcelerace dvou deterministických algoritmů, NEH a 2-opt, přičemž bylo dosaženo zajímavých výsledků. Jiný přístup byl zvolen ve druhé části, s hlavní myšlenkou prozkoumání vlivu náhodnosti na výkon evolučního algoritmu. Za tímto účelem byl zvolen relativně nový a slibný algoritmus Discrete Artificial Bee Colony. Generátor pseudonáhodných čísel byl nahrazen několika různými chaotickými mapami, z nichž některé znatelně zlepšily výsledky algoritmu. Bylo ukázáno, že evoluční algoritmy založené na populaci často formují komplexní sítě, vzato z pohledu výměny informací mezi jednotlivými řešeními v populaci během jejího vývoje. Závěrečná část práce aplikuje toto pozorování vložením samo přizpůsobivého mechanismu založeném na analýze komplexní sítě do algoritmu ABC, který je evolučním algoritmem pro spojitou optimalizaci a zároveň základem dříve zmíněného DABC algoritmu. Efektivita několika verzí algoritmu založeném na této myšlence je dokázána na standardní sadě testovacích funkcí pro spojitou optimalizaci. Možnost rozšíření této modifikace na kombinatorické optimalizační problémy je diskutována v závěru práce.460 - Katedra informatikyvýborn

The Three-Objective Optimization Model of Flexible Workshop Scheduling Problem for Minimizing Work Completion Time, Work Delay Time, and Energy Consumption

In recent years, the optimal design of the workshop schedule has received much attention with the increased competition in the business environment. As a strategic issue, designing a workshop schedule affects other decisions in the production chain. The purpose of this thesis is to design a three-objective mathematical model, with the objectives of minimizing work completion time, work delay time and energy consumption, considering the importance of businesses attention to reduce energy consumption in recent years. The developed model has been solved using exact solution methods of Weighted Sum (WS) and Epsilon Constraint (Ɛ) in small dimensions using GAMS software. These problems were also solved in large-scale problems with NSGA-II and SFLA meta-heuristic algorithms using MATLAB software in single-objective and multi-objective mode due to the NP-Hard nature of this group of large and real dimensional problems. The standard BRdata set of problems were used to investigate the algorithms performance in solving these problems so that it is possible to compare the algorithms performance of this research with the results of the algorithms used by other researchers. The obtained results show the relatively appropriate performance of these algorithms in solving these problems and also the much better and more optimal performance of the NSGA-II algorithm compared to the performance of the SFLA algorithm