Methodology for Comparison of Algorithms for Real-World Multi-objective Optimization Problems: Space Surveillance Network Design

Space Situational Awareness (SSA) is an activity vital to protecting national and commercial satellites from damage or destruction due to collisions. Recent research has demonstrated a methodology using evolutionary algorithms (EAs) which is intended to develop near-optimal Space Surveillance Network (SSN) architectures in the sense of low cost, low latency, and high resolution. That research is extended here by (1) developing and applying a methodology to compare the performance of two or more algorithms against this problem, and (2) analyzing the effects of using reduced data sets in those searches. Computational experiments are presented in which the performance of five multi-objective search algorithms are compared to one another using four binary comparison methods, each quantifying the relationship between two solution sets in different ways. Relative rankings reveal strengths and weaknesses of evaluated algorithms empowering researchers to select the best algorithm for their specific needs. The use of reduced data sets is shown to be useful for producing relative rankings of algorithms that are representative of rankings produced using the full set

Fostering regional development in eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece, through road transport projects

The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the extent to which the road transport projects implemented within the Greek National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007–2013 contributed to the economic development of eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. These projects were included in the respective regional operational programs co-financed by the European Union (EU) and national funds. The paper discusses the EU’s regional and cohesion policy which aims at reducing regional inequalities and ensuring social, economic and territorial cohesion. In Greece, cohesion policy implementation for the 2007–2013 period was achieved through the NSRF, 2007–2013, whose training philosophy and the priorities that it set are the focus of the present study. The research area concerns the region of eastern Macedonia and Thrace and, more specifically, the 21 municipalities that it consists of. One of the main conclusions of the study is that public expenditure on the projects is directly associated with the area covered by the municipalities, as well as with the length of the road network improved. However, no correlation with the population of municipalities or the gross domestic product (GDP) of each regional unit has been observed. Our findings suggest that decisions for efficient allocation of infrastructure resources in a region by policy makers should not be based on single characteristics such as regional population density, but rather on more complex considerations, such as existing natural resources, geomorphological characteristics and location