Scheduling Problems

Scheduling is defined as the process of assigning operations to resources over time to optimize a criterion. Problems with scheduling comprise both a set of resources and a set of a consumers. As such, managing scheduling problems involves managing the use of resources by several consumers. This book presents some new applications and trends related to task and data scheduling. In particular, chapters focus on data science, big data, high-performance computing, and Cloud computing environments. In addition, this book presents novel algorithms and literature reviews that will guide current and new researchers who work with load balancing, scheduling, and allocation problems

Multi particle swarm optimisation algorithm applied to supervisory power control systems

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University LondonPower quality problems come in numerous forms (commonly spikes, surges, sags, outages and harmonics) and their resolution can cost from a few hundred to millions of pounds, depending on the size and type of problem experienced by the power network. They are commonly experienced as burnt-out motors, corrupt data on hard drives, unnecessary downtime and increased maintenance costs. In order to minimise such events, the network can be monitored and controlled with a specific control regime to deal with particular faults. This study developed a control and Optimisation system and applied it to the stability of electrical power networks using artificial intelligence techniques. An intelligent controller was designed to control and optimise simulated models for electrical system power stability. Fuzzy logic controller controlled the power generation, while particle swarm Optimisation (PSO) techniques optimised the system’s power quality in normal operation conditions and after faults. Different types of PSO were tested, then a multi-swarm (M-PSO) system was developed to give better Optimisation results in terms of accuracy and convergence speed.. The developed Optimisation algorithm was tested on seven benchmarks and compared to the other types of single PSOs. The developed controller and Optimisation algorithm was applied to power system stability control. Two power electrical network models were used (with two and four generators), controlled by fuzzy logic controllers tuned using the Optimisation algorithm. The system selected the optimal controller parameters automatically for normal and fault conditions during the operation of the power network. Multi objective cost function was used based on minimising the recovery time, overshoot, and steady state error. A supervisory control layer was introduced to detect and diagnose faults then apply the correct controller parameters. Different fault scenarios were used to test the system performance. The results indicate the great potential of the proposed power system stabiliser as a superior tool compared to conventional control systems

INCUBATION OF METAHEURISTIC SEARCH ALGORITHMS INTO NOVEL APPLICATION FIELDS

Several optimization algorithms have been developed to handle various optimization issues in many fields, capturing the attention of many researchers. Algorithm optimizations are commonly inspired by nature or involve the modification of existing algorithms. So far, the new algorithms are set up and focusing on achieving the desired optimization goal. While this can be useful and efficient in the short term, in the long run, this is not enough as it needs to repeat for any new problem that occurs and maybe in specific difficulties, therefore one algorithm cannot be used for all real-world problems. This dissertation provides three approaches for implementing metaheuristic search (MHS) algorithms in fields that do not directly solve optimization issues. The first approach is to study parametric studies on MHS algorithms that attempt to understand how parameters work in MHS algorithms. In this first direction, we choose the Jaya algorithm, a relatively recent MHS algorithm defined as a method that does not require algorithm-specific control parameters. In this work, we incorporate weights as an extra parameter to test if Jaya’s approach is actually "parameter-free." This algorithm’s performance is evaluated by implementing 12 unconstrained benchmark functions. The results will demonstrate the direct impact of parameter adjustments on algorithm performance. The second approach is to embed the MHS algorithm on the Blockchain Proof of Work (PoW) to deal with the issue of excessive energy consumption, particularly in using bitcoin. This study uses an iterative optimization algorithm to solve the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP) as a model problem, which has the same concept as PoW and requires extending the Blockchain with additional blocks. The basic idea behind this research is to increase the tour cost for the best tour found for n blocks, extended by adding one more city as a requirement to include a new block in the Blockchain. The results reveal that the proposed concept can improve the way the current system solves complicated cryptographic problems Furthermore, MHS are implemented in the third direction approach to solving agricultural problems, especially the cocoa flowers pollination. We chose the problem in pollination in cacao flowers since they are distinctive and different from other flowers due to their small size and lack of odor, allowing just a few pollinators to successfully pollinate them, most notably a tiny midge called Forcipomyia Inornatipennis (FP). This concept was then adapted and implemented into an Idle-Metaheuristic for simulating the pollination of cocoa flowers. We analyze how MHS algorithms derived from three well-known methods perform when used to flower pollination problems. Swarm Intelligence Algorithms, Individual Random Search, and Multi-Agent Systems Search are the three methodologies studied here. The results shows that the Multi-Agent System search performs better than other methods. The findings of the three approaches reveal that adopting an MHS algorithms can solve the problem in this study by indirectly solving the optimization problem using the same problem model concept. Furthermore, the researchers concluded that parameter settings in the MHS algorithms are not so difficult to use, and each parameter can be adjusted to solve the real-world issue. This study is expected to encourage other researchers to improve and develop the performance of MHS algorithms used to deal with multiple real-world problems.九州工業大学博士学位論文 学位記番号: 情工博甲第367号 学位授与年月日: 令和4年3月25日1 Introduction|2 Traditional Metaheuristic Search Optimization|3 Parametric Study of Metaheuristic Search Algorithms|4 Embedded Metaheuristic Search Algorithms for Blockchain Proof-of-Work|5 Idle-Metaheuristic for Flower Pollination Simulation|6 Conclusion and Future Works九州工業大学令和3年

Machine Learning with Metaheuristic Algorithms for Sustainable Water Resources Management

The main aim of this book is to present various implementations of ML methods and metaheuristic algorithms to improve modelling and prediction hydrological and water resources phenomena having vital importance in water resource management

Applications of Computational Intelligence to Power Systems

In power system operation and control, the basic goal is to provide users with quality electricity power in an economically rational degree for power systems, and to ensure their stability and reliability. However, the increased interconnection and loading of the power system along with deregulation and environmental concerns has brought new challenges for electric power system operation, control, and automation. In the liberalised electricity market, the operation and control of a power system has become a complex process because of the complexity in modelling and uncertainties. Computational intelligence (CI) is a family of modern tools for solving complex problems that are difficult to solve using conventional techniques, as these methods are based on several requirements that may not be true all of the time. Developing solutions with these “learning-based” tools offers the following two major advantages: the development time is much shorter than when using more traditional approaches, and the systems are very robust, being relatively insensitive to noisy and/or missing data/information, known as uncertainty

Nature-inspired Methods for Stochastic, Robust and Dynamic Optimization

Nature-inspired algorithms have a great popularity in the current scientific community, being the focused scope of many research contributions in the literature year by year. The rationale behind the acquired momentum by this broad family of methods lies on their outstanding performance evinced in hundreds of research fields and problem instances. This book gravitates on the development of nature-inspired methods and their application to stochastic, dynamic and robust optimization. Topics covered by this book include the design and development of evolutionary algorithms, bio-inspired metaheuristics, or memetic methods, with empirical, innovative findings when used in different subfields of mathematical optimization, such as stochastic, dynamic, multimodal and robust optimization, as well as noisy optimization and dynamic and constraint satisfaction problems

Intelligent Processing in Wireless Communications Using Particle Swarm Based Methods

There are a lot of optimization needs in the research and design of wireless communica- tion systems. Many of these optimization problems are Nondeterministic Polynomial (NP) hard problems and could not be solved well. Many of other non-NP-hard optimization problems are combinatorial and do not have satisfying solutions either. This dissertation presents a series of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based search and optimization algorithms that solve open research and design problems in wireless communications. These problems are either avoided or solved approximately before. PSO is a bottom-up approach for optimization problems. It imposes no conditions on the underlying problem. Its simple formulation makes it easy to implement, apply, extend and hybridize. The algorithm uses simple operators like adders, and multipliers to travel through the search space and the process requires just five simple steps. PSO is also easy to control because it has limited number of parameters and is less sensitive to parameters than other swarm intelligence algorithms. It is not dependent on initial points and converges very fast. Four types of PSO based approaches are proposed targeting four different kinds of problems in wireless communications. First, we use binary PSO and continuous PSO together to find optimal compositions of Gaussian derivative pulses to form several UWB pulses that not only comply with the FCC spectrum mask, but also best exploit the avail- able spectrum and power. Second, three different PSO based algorithms are developed to solve the NLOS/LOS channel differentiation, NLOS range error mitigation and multilateration problems respectively. Third, a PSO based search method is proposed to find optimal orthogonal code sets to reduce the inter carrier interference effects in an frequency redundant OFDM system. Fourth, a PSO based phase optimization technique is proposed in reducing the PAPR of an frequency redundant OFDM system. The PSO based approaches are compared with other canonical solutions for these communication problems and showed superior performance in many aspects. which are confirmed by analysis and simulation results provided respectively. Open questions and future Open questions and future works for the dissertation are proposed to serve as a guide for the future research efforts

Strategic Technology Maturation and Insertion (STMI): a requirements guided, technology development optimization process

This research presents a Decision Support System (DSS) process solution to a problem faced by Program Managers (PMs) early in a system lifecycle, when potential technologies are evaluated for placement within a system design. The proposed process for evaluation and selection of technologies incorporates computer based Operational Research techniques which automate and optimize key portions of the decision process. This computerized process allows the PM to rapidly form the basis of a Strategic Technology Plan (STP) designed to manage, mature and insert the technologies into the system design baseline and identify potential follow-on incremental system improvements. This process is designated Strategic Technology Maturation and Insertion (STMI). Traditionally, to build this STP, the PM must juggle system performance, schedule, and cost issues and strike a balance of new and old technologies that can be fielded to meet the requirements of the customer. To complicate this juggling skill, the PM is typically confronted with a short time frame to evaluate hundreds of potential technology solutions with thousands of potential interacting combinations within the system design. Picking the best combination of new and established technologies, plus selecting the critical technologies needing maturation investment is a significant challenge. These early lifecycle decisions drive the entire system design, cost and schedule well into production The STMI process explores a formalized and repeatable DSS to allow PMs to systematically tackle the problems with technology evaluation, selection and maturation. It gives PMs a tool to compare and evaluate the entire design space of candidate technology performance, incorporate lifecycle costs as an optimizer for a best value system design, and generate input for a strategic plan to mature critical technologies. Four enabling concepts are described and brought together to form the basis of STMI: Requirements Engineering (RE), Value Engineering (VE), system optimization and Strategic Technology Planning (STP). STMI is then executed in three distinct stages: Pre-process preparation, process operation and optimization, and post-process analysis. A demonstration case study prepares and implements the proposed STMI process in a multi-system (macro) concept down select and a specific (micro) single system design that ties into the macro design level decision