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In this paper, work concerning robust D-stability analysis is considered for discrete descriptor systems with structured uncertainties and multiple time delays. A genetic algorithm is used to make the stability test of the main result more efficient. A delay-dependent robust D-stability criterion is proposed to ensure that all poles of the discrete multiple time-delay descriptor systems subject to uncertainties are located within a disk contained in the unit circle. It will be seen that the system considered in this paper is more general and the proposed robust D-stability criterion is less conservative and easier to check than those presented in recent research. Moreover, a delay-dependent criterion is derived to guarantee that the system is regular, impulse-free, and D-stable. Since the boundary test occurs during the check of the criteria, a genetic algorithm is used to make it more precise. Finally, an example is introduced to illustrate our main results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Estimation of distribution algorithms (EDAs) are a wide-ranging family of evolutionary algorithms whose common feature is the way they evolve by learning a probability distribution from the best individuals in a population and sampling it to generate the next one. Although they have been widely applied to solve combinatorial optimization problems, there are also extensions that work with continuous variables. In this paper [this paper is an extended version of delaOssa et al. Initial approaches to the application of islands-based parellel EDAs in continuous domains, in: Proceedings of the 34th International Conference on Parallel Processing Workshops (ICPP 2005 Workshops), Oslo, 2005, pp. 580–587] we focus on the solution of the latter by means of island models. Besides evaluating the performance of traditional island models when applied to EDAs, our main goal consists in achieving some insight about the behavior and benefits of the migration of probability models that this framework allow. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper is devoted to the numerical resolution of unit-commitment problems, with emphasis on the French model optimizing the daily production of electricity. The solution process has two phases. First a Lagrangian relaxation solves the dual to find a lower bound; it also gives a primal relaxed solution. We then propose to use the latter in the second phase, for a heuristic resolution based on a primal proximal algorithm. This second step comes as an alternative to an earlier approach, based on augmented Lagrangian (i.e. a dual proximal algorithm). We illustrate the method with some real-life numerical results. A companion paper is devoted to a theoretical study of the heuristic in the second phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The component pick-and-place sequence is one of the key factors to affect the working efficiency of the surface mounting machine in the printed circuit board assembly. In this paper, an improved Shuffled Frog-leaping Algorithm was presented by improving the basic Shuffled Frog-leaping Algorithm (SFLA) with the strategy of letting all frogs taking part in memetic evolution and adding the self-variation behavior to the frog. The objective function of component pick-and-place sequence of the gantry multi-head component surface mounting machine was established. Parameters selection is critical for SFLA. In this study, Three-way ANOVA was used in parameters analyzing of the new improved SFLA. The parameters like memeplex numbers m, the frogs' number P and local evolution numbers iPart were found having notable effects on the mounting time (time spent for components picking and placing), but the interactions among these parameters were not obvious. Multiple comparison procedures were adopted to determine the best parameter settings. In order to test the performance of the new algorithm, several experiments were carried out to compare the performance of improved SFLA with the basic SFLA and the genetic algorithm (GA) in solving the component pick-and-place sequence optimization problems. The experiment results indicate that improved SFLA can solve the optimization problem efficiently and outperforms SFLA and GA in terms of convergence accuracy, although more CPU time is undeniably needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the design of efficiently computable incentive-compatible mechanisms for combinatorial optimization problems with single-minded agents each possibly having multiple private parameters. We focus on approximation algorithms for NP-hard mechanism design problems. These algorithms need to satisfy certain monotonicity properties to ensure truthfulness. Since most of the known approximation techniques do not fulfill these properties, we study alternative techniques. Our first contribution is a quite general method to transform a pseudopolynomial algorithm into a monotone fully polynomial time approximation scheme (FPTAS). This can be applied to various problems like, e.g., knapsack, constrained shortest path, or job scheduling with deadlines. For example, the monotone FPTAS for the knapsack problem gives a very efficient, truthful mechanism for single-minded multiunit auctions. The best previous result for such auctions was a 2-approximation. In addition, we present a monotone PTAS for the generalized assignment problem with any constant number of private parameters per agent. The most efficient way to solve packing integer programs (PIPs) is linear programming-based randomized rounding, which also is in general not monotone. We show that primal-dual greedy algorithms achieve almost the same approximation ratios for PIPs as randomized rounding. The advantage is that these algorithms are inherently monotone. This way, we can significantly improve the approximation ratios of truthful mechanisms for various fundamental mechanism design problems like single-minded combinatorial auctions (CAs), unsplittable flow routing, and multicast routing. Our primal-dual approximation algorithms can also be used for the winner determination in CAs with general bidders specifying their bids through an oracle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the algorithm portfolio concept to solve a combinatorial optimization problem pertaining to a supply chain. The supply chain problem is modeled with capacity constraints and demand variations over different time periods to minimize the total supply chain configuration cost. The algorithm portfolio is implemented over various problem instances to inspect and alleviate the computational expensiveness of a solution strategy. A bunch of five algorithms are utilized hereby viz. AIS, GA, Endosymbiotic Optimization, PSO and Psychoclonal algorithm. The observations reflect the appropriateness and effect of algorithm portfolios over the adopted supply chain, and viability over other optimization problems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent research shows that simulated annealing with orthogonal array based neighbourhood functions can help in the search for a solution to a parametrical problem which is closer to an optimum when compared with conventional simulated annealing. Previous studies of simulated annealing analyzed only the main effects of variables of parametrical problems. In fact, both main effects of variables and interactions between variables should be considered, since interactions between variables exist in many parametrical problems. In this paper, an improved orthogonal array based neighbourhood function (IONF) for simulated annealing with the consideration of interaction effects between variables is described. After solving a set of parametrical benchmark function problems where interaction effects between variables exist, results of the benchmark tests show that the proposed simulated annealing algorithm with the IONF outperforms significantly both the simulated annealing algorithms with the existing orthogonal array based neighbourhood functions and the standard neighbourhood functions. Finally, the improved orthogonal array based simulated annealing was applied on the optimization of emulsified dynamite packing-machine design by which the applicability of the algorithm in real world problems can be evaluated and its effectiveness can be further validated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many techniques have been reported for handwriting-based writer identification. None of these techniques assume that the written text is in Arabic. In this paper we present a new technique for feature extraction based on hybrid spectral-statistical measures (SSMs) of texture. We show its effectiveness compared with multiple-channel (Gabor) filters and the grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), which are well-known techniques yielding a high performance in writer identification in Roman handwriting. Texture features were extracted for wide range of frequency and orientation because of the nature of the spread of Arabic handwriting compared with Roman handwriting, and the most discriminant features were selected with a model for feature selection using hybrid support vector machine-genetic algorithm techniques. Four classification techniques were used: linear discriminant classifier (LDC), support vector machine (SVM), weighted Euclidean distance (WED), and the K nearest neighbours (K_NN) classifier. Experiments were performed using Arabic handwriting samples from 20 different people and very promising results of 90.0% correct identification were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variable neighbourhood search (VNS) is one of the most recent metaheuristics used for solving combinatorial optimization problems in which a systematic change of neighbourhood with a local search is carried out. However, as happens with other metaheuristics, it takes a long time to reach some useful solutions while solving some sort of hard combinatorial problems such as job shop scheduling (JSS). Parallelization is one of the most considerable policies to overcome this matter. In this paper, firstly, a number of VNS algorithms are examined for JSS problems and then four different parallelization policies are taken into account to determine efficient parallelization for VNS algorithms. The experimentation reveals the performance of various VNS algorithms and the efficiency of policies to follow in parallelization. In the end, the unilateral-ring topology, a noncentral parallelization method, is found as the most efficient policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss are causing many species to become locally extinct. The need to restore or conserve biodiversity has initiated plans in Europe—and, more specifically, in the Netherlands—to create networks of nature areas for the improvement of spatial coherence. In this paper spatial coherence is measured by the total boundary length of all nature areas. Spatial optimization is used to optimize the spatial coherence, in order to evaluate the so-called Dutch 2003 plans. The goal of the optimization is therefore to minimize the total sum of boundary lengths for all nature areas, while increasing the total surface area. Potential configurations have been calculated and compared with the 2003 plans, with respect to boundary length and the size of nature areas. The calculations have been performed by allocating increasing amounts of new nature to test if smaller numbers of hectares could yield a comparable perimeter decline. Optimization has been carried out separately (per province) and collectively (for all the Dutch provinces together). So-called genetic algorithms were used to tackle this strongly nonlinear problem. An interesting feature of the method used is its ability to optimize more than half a million variables—that is, potential nature cells. Allocating only half the area allocated in the 2003 plans resulted in a boundary-length decline of 30% compared with the 2003 plans, and yielded many more coherent areas than are found in the 2003 plans. Compared with the optimization per province, the collective optimization resulted nationwide in larger nature areas, across provincial borders. Considering the original aims, we can conclude that carrying out the 2003 plans will not improve the overall spatial coherence in terms either of the boundary length or of the number of areas and total surface area in the largest surface class. An additional advantage of the heuristic method discussed is that slightly different configurations can be found with almost the same characteristics in a relative short time. This will allow the provinces to choose the most suitable configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, genetic algorithms (GAs) and their hybrids have achieved great success in solving difficult combinatorial optimization problems. In this paper, the issues related to the performance of the genetic search in the context of the grey pattern problem (GPP) are discussed. The main attention is paid to the investigation of the solution recombination, i.e., crossover operators which play an important role by developing robust genetic algorithms. We implemented seven crossover operators within the hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA) framework, and carried out the computational experiments in order to test the influence of the recombination operators to the genetic search process. We examined the one point crossover, the uniform like crossover, the cycle crossover, the swap path crossover, and others. A so-called multiple parent crossover based on a special type of recombination of several solutions was tried, too. The results obtained from the experiments on the GPP test instances demonstrate promising efficiency of the swap path and multiple parent crossovers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustering is inherently a difficult problem, both with respect to the construction of adequate objective functions as well as to the optimization of the objective functions. In this paper, we suggest an objective function called the Weighted Sum Validity Function (WSVF), which is a weighted sum of the several normalized cluster validity functions. Further, we propose a Hybrid Niching Genetic Algorithm (HNGA), which can be used for the optimization of the WSVF to automatically evolve the proper number of clusters as well as appropriate partitioning of the data set. Within the HNGA, a niching method is developed to preserve both the diversity of the population with respect to the number of clusters encoded in the individuals and the diversity of the subpopulation with the same number of clusters during the search. In addition, we hybridize the niching method with the k-means algorithm. In the experiments, we show the effectiveness of both the HNGA and the WSVF. In comparison with other related genetic clustering algorithms, the HNGA can consistently and efficiently converge to the best known optimum corresponding to the given data in concurrence with the convergence result. The WSVF is found generally able to improve the confidence of clustering solutions and achieve more accurate and robust results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new strongly polynomial cut canceling algorithm for minimum cost submodular flow. The algorithm is a generalization of our similar cut canceling algorithm for ordinary min-cost flow. The algorithm scales a relaxed optimality parameter and creates a second, inner relaxation that is a kind of submodular max flow problem. The outer relaxation uses a novel technique for relaxing the submodular constraints that allows our previous proof techniques to work. The algorithm uses the min cuts from the max flow subproblem as the relaxed most positive cuts it chooses to cancel. We show that this algorithm needs to cancel only ${\mathrm O}(n^3)$ cuts per scaling phase, where $n$ is the number of nodes. Furthermore, we show how to slightly modify this algorithm to get a strongly polynomial running time. Finally, we briefly show how to extend this algorithm to the separable convex cost case and that the same technique can be used to construct a polynomial time maximum mean cut canceling algorithm for submodular flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an improved genetic algorithm with multiplier updating (IGA•MU) to solve power economic dispatch (PED) problems of units with valve-point effects and multiple fuels. The proposed IGA•MU integrates the improved genetic algorithm (IGA) and the multiplier updating (MU). The IGA equipped with an improved evolutionary direction operator and a migration operation can efficiently search and actively explore solutions, and the MU is employed to handle the equality and inequality constraints of the PED problem. Few FED problem-related studies have seldom addressed both valve-point loadings and change fuels. To show the advantages of the proposed algorithm, which was applied to test FED problems with one example considering valve-point effects, one example considering multiple fuels, and one example addressing both valve-point effects and multiple fuels. Additionally, the proposed algorithm was compared with previous methods and the conventional genetic algorithm (CGA) with the MU (CGA•MU), revealing that the proposed IGA•MU is more effective than previous approaches, and applies the realistic PED problem more efficiently than does the CGA•MU. Especially, the proposed algorithm is highly promising for the large-scale system of the actual FED operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a method of extracting the outline of an arbitrary shape in an image by using a genetic algorithm (GA). The image under consideration is a binary image containing a disconnected outline and noise. The proposed method extracts the outline from such a binary image as visually recognized by a human observer. First, the single outline extraction method is proposed, which extracts a single outline from the image. In the proposed method, Delaunay triangulation is applied to the point set in the binary image, and the graph containing the outline is derived. Then, the points and edges which can be recognized locally as the noise are eliminated. The outline is extracted from the graph after noise elimination using the GA. In the GA, gene coding is applied in which the polygons in the graph correspond to genes. It is shown experimentally that the outline of an arbitrary shape can be extracted by the proposed method. Next, the single outline extraction method is extended to a method by which multiple outlines contained in an image can be extracted. An experimental result is presented in which multiple outlines are extracted from an image. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 88(2): 32–46, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjb.20146 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) are stochastic search methods that mimic the natural biological evolution and/or the social behavior of species. Such algorithms have been developed to arrive at near-optimum solutions to large-scale optimization problems, for which traditional mathematical techniques may fail. This paper compares the formulation and results of five recent evolutionary-based algorithms: genetic algorithms, memetic algorithms, particle swarm, ant-colony systems, and shuffled frog leaping. A brief description of each algorithm is presented along with a pseudocode to facilitate the implementation and use of such algorithms by researchers and practitioners. Benchmark comparisons among the algorithms are presented for both continuous and discrete optimization problems, in terms of processing time, convergence speed, and quality of the results. Based on this comparative analysis, the performance of EAs is discussed along with some guidelines for determining the best operators for each algorithm. The study presents sophisticated ideas in a simplified form that should be beneficial to both practitioners and researchers involved in solving optimization problems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Typically for a real optimization problem, the optimal solution to a mathematical model of that real problem may not always be the 'best' solution when considering unmodeled or unquantified objectives during decision-making. Formal approaches to explore efficiently for good but maximally different alternative solutions have been established in the operations research literature, and have been shown to be valuable in identifying solutions that perform expectedly well with respect to modeled and unmodeled objectives. While the use of evolutionary algorithms (EAs) to solve real engineering optimization problems is becoming increasingly common, systematic alternatives-generation capabilities are not fully extended for EAs. This paper presents a new EA-based approach to generate alternatives (EAGA), and illustrates its applicability via two test problems. A realistic airline route network design problem was also solved and analyzed successfully using EAGA. The EAGA promises to be a flexible procedure for exploring alternative solutions that could assist when making decisions for real engineering optimization problems riddled with unmodeled or unquantified issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic algorithms (GAs) have been widely applied for many non-polynomial hard optimisation problems, such as flow shop and job shop scheduling. It is well known that the efficiency and effectiveness of a GA is highly depend on its control parameters, but setting suitable parameters often involves tedious trial and error. Currently, setting optimal parameters is still a substantial problem and is one of the most important and promising areas for GAs. In this paper, the determination of optimal GA control parameters with limited computational effort and simulation replication constraints, namely, population size, crossover and mutation probabilities, is firstly formulated as a stochastic optimisation problem. Then, the ordinal optimisation (OO) and the optimal computing budget allocation (OCBA) are applied to select the optimal GA control parameters, thereby providing a reasonable performance evaluation for hard flow shop scheduling problems. The effectiveness of the methodology is demonstrated by simulation results based on benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a methodology based on genetic algorithms (GA) and experiments plan to optimize the availability and the cost of reparable parallel-series systems. It is a NP-hard problem of multi-objective combinatorial optimization, modeled with continuous and discrete variables. By using the weighting technique, the problem is transformed into a single-objective optimization problem whose constraints are then relaxed by the exterior penalty technique. We then propose a search of solution through GA, whose parameters are adjusted using experiments plan technique. A numerical example is used to assess the method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dantzig, Fulkerson, and Johnson (1954) introduced the cutting-plane method as a means of attacking the traveling salesman problem; this method has been applied to broad classes of problems in combinatorial optimization and integer programming. In this paper we discuss an implementation of Dantzig et al.'s method that is suitable for TSP instances having 1,000,000 or more cities. Our aim is to use the study of the TSP as a step towards understanding the applicability and limits of the general cutting-plane method in large-scale applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]