Memetic algorithms for solving job-shop scheduling problems

The job-shop scheduling problem is well known for its complexity as an NP-hard problem. We have considered JSSPs with an objective of minimizing makespan while satisfying a number of hard constraints. In this paper, we developed a memetic algorithm (MA) for solving JSSPs. Three priority rules were designed, namely partial re-ordering, gap reduction and restricted swapping, and used as local search techniques in our MA. We have solved 40 benchmark problems and compared the results obtained with a number of established algorithms in the literature. The experimental results show that MA, as compared to GA, not only improves the quality of solutions but also reduces the overall computational time.     

Modified extragradient algorithms for solving equilibrium problems

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we introduce some new algorithms for solving the equilibrium problem in a Hilbert space which are constructed around the proximal-like mapping and inertial effect. Also, some convergence theorems of the algorithms are established under mild conditions. Finally, several experiments are performed to show the computational efficiency and the advantage of the proposed algorithm over other well-known algorithms.     

Local elimination algorithms for solving sparse discrete problems

The class of local elimination algorithms is considered that make it possible to obtain global information about solutions of a problem using local information. The general structure of local elimination algorithms is described that use neighborhoods of elements and the structural graph describing the problem structure; an elimination algorithm is also described. This class of algorithms includes local decomposition algorithms for discrete optimization problems, nonserial dynamic programming algorithms, bucket elimination algorithms, and tree decomposition algorithms. It is shown that local elimination algorithms can be used for solving optimization problems.     

Two algorithms for solving systems of inclusion problems

The goal of this paper is to present two algorithms for solving systems of inclusion problems, with all components of the systems being a sum of two maximal monotone operators. The algorithms are variants of the forward-backward splitting method and one being a hybrid with the alternating projection method. They consist of approximating the solution sets involved in the problem by separating half-spaces which is a well-studied strategy. The schemes contain two parts, the first one is an explicit Armijo-type search in the spirit of the extragradient-like methods for variational inequalities. The second part is the projection step, this being the main difference between the algorithms. While the first algorithm computes the projection onto the intersection of the separating half-spaces, the second chooses one component of the system and projects onto the separating half-space of this case. In the iterative process, the forward-backward operator is computed once per inclusion problem, representing a relevant computational saving if compared with similar algorithms in the literature. The convergence analysis of the proposed methods is given assuming monotonicity of all operators, without Lipschitz continuity assumption. We also present some numerical experiments.     

Globally convergent algorithms for solving unconstrained optimization problems

New algorithms for solving unconstrained optimization problems are presented based on the idea of combining two types of descent directions: the direction of anti-gradient and either the Newton or quasi-Newton directions. The use of latter directions allows one to improve the convergence rate. Global and superlinear convergence properties of these algorithms are established. Numerical experiments using some unconstrained test problems are reported. Also, the proposed algorithms are compared with some existing similar methods using results of experiments. This comparison demonstrates the efficiency of the proposed combined methods.     

On DC optimization algorithms for solving minmax flow problems

We formulate minmax flow problems as a DC optimization problem. We then apply a DC primal-dual algorithm to solve the resulting problem. The obtained computational results show that the proposed algorithm is efficient thanks to particular structures of the minmax flow problems.     

Distributed algorithms for weighted problems in sparse graphs

We study distributed algorithms for three graph-theoretic problems in weighted trees and weighted planar graphs. For trees, we present an efficient deterministic distributed algorithm which finds an almost exact approximation of a maximum-weight matching. In addition, in the case of trees, we show how to approximately solve the minimum-weight dominating set problem. For planar graphs, we present an almost exact approximation for the maximum-weight independent set problem.     

Some extragradient-viscosity algorithms for solving variational inequality problems and fixed point problems

Numerical Algorithms - The purpose of this paper is to study and analyze two different kinds of extragradient-viscosity-type iterative methods for finding a common element of the set of solutions...     

Adaptive dynamic cost updating procedure for solving fixed charge network flow problems

We approximate the objective function of the fixed charge network flow problem (FCNF) by a piecewise linear one, and construct a concave piecewise linear network flow problem (CPLNF). A proper choice of parameters in the CPLNF problem guarantees the equivalence between those two problems. We propose a heuristic algorithm for solving the FCNF problem, which requires solving a sequence of CPLNF problems. The algorithm employs the dynamic cost updating procedure (DCUP) to find a solution to the CPLNF problems. Preliminary numerical experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. In particular, it provides a better solution than the dynamic slope scaling procedure in less CPU time. Research was partially supported by NSF and Air Force grants.     

Simplex-inspired algorithms for solving a class of convex programming problems

We consider a class of convex programming problems whose objective function is given as a linear function plus a convex function whose arguments are linear functions of the decision variables and whose feasible region is a polytope. We show that there exists an optimal solution to this class of problems on a face of the constraint polytope of dimension not more than the number of arguments of the convex function. Based on this result, we develop a method to solve this problem that is inspired by the simplex method for linear programming. It is shown that this method terminates in a finite number of iterations in the special case that the convex function has only a single argument. We then use this insight to develop a second algorithm that solves the problem in a finite number of iterations for an arbitrary number of arguments in the convex function. A computational study illustrates the efficiency of the algorithm and suggests that the average-case performance of these algorithms is a polynomial of low order in the number of decision variables. The work of T. C. Sharkey was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. The work of H. E. Romeijn was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DMI-0355533.     

Arnoldi versus nonsymmetric Lanczos algorithms for solving matrix eigenvalue problems

We present theoretical and numerical comparisons between Arnoldi and nonsymmetric Lanczos procedures for computing eigenvalues of nonsymmetric matrices. In exact arithmetic we prove that any type of eigenvalue convergence behavior obtained using a nonsymmetric Lanczos procedure may also be obtained using an Arnoldi procedure but on a different matrix and with a different starting vector. In exact arithmetic we derive relationships between these types of procedures and normal matrices which suggest some interesting questions regarding the roles of nonnormality and of the choice of starting vectors in any characterizations of the convergence behavior of these procedures. Then, through a set of numerical experiments on a complex Arnoldi and on a complex nonsymmetric Lanczos procedure, we consider the more practical question of the behavior of these procedures when they are applied to the same matrices.This work was supported by NSF grant GER-9450081 while the author was visiting the University of Maryland.     

Efficient algorithms for solving multiconstraint zero-one knapsack problems to optimality

The multiconstraint 0–1 knapsack problem is encountered when one has to decide how to use a knapsack with multiple resource constraints. Even though the single constraint version of this problem has received a lot of attention, the multiconstraint knapsack problem has been seldom addressed. This paper deals with developing an effective solution procedure for the multiconstraint knapsack problem. Various relaxation of the problem are suggested and theoretical relations between these relaxations are pointed out. Detailed computational experiments are carried out to compare bounds produced by these relaxations. New algorithms for obtaining surrogate bounds are developed and tested. Rules for reducing problem size are suggested and shown to be effective through computational tests. Different separation, branching and bounding rules are compared using an experimental branch and bound code. An efficient branch and bound procedure is developed, tested and compared with two previously developed optimal algorithms. Solution times with the new procedure are found to be considerably lower. This procedure can also be used as a heuristic for large problems by early termination of the search tree. This scheme was tested and found to be very effective.     

Two improved harmony search algorithms for solving engineering optimization problems

This paper describes two new harmony search (HS) meta-heuristic algorithms for engineering optimization problems with continuous design variables. The key difference between these algorithms and traditional (HS) method is in the way of adjusting bandwidth (bw). bw is very important factor for the high efficiency of the harmony search algorithms and can be potentially useful in adjusting convergence rate of algorithms to optimal solution. First algorithm, proposed harmony search (PHS), introduces a new definition of bandwidth (bw). Second algorithm, improving proposed harmony search (IPHS) employs to enhance accuracy and convergence rate of PHS algorithm. In IPHS, non-uniform mutation operation is introduced which is combination of Yang bandwidth and PHS bandwidth. Various engineering optimization problems, including mathematical function minimization problems and structural engineering optimization problems, are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of these algorithms. In all cases, the solutions obtained using IPHS are in agreement or better than those obtained from other methods.     

Numerical analysis through algorithms for solving problems of ideal hydrodynamics

Translated from Chislennye Metody Resheniya Obratnykh Zadach Matematicheskoi Fiziki, pp. 97–105.     

A gradient based iterative algorithm for solving model updating problems of gyroscopic systems

Model updating should be correlated with experimental data to ensure that it models the dynamics of the real structure and the updated model predicts the dynamics of a structure more accurately. Considering that the iterative methods for model updating have aroused little public attention, this paper studies an iterative algorithm for quadratic model updating problems which can incorporate the measured modal data into the finite element model to produce an adjusted finite element model on the mass, gyroscopic and stiffness matrices that closely match the experimental modal data. By this method, the best approximation symmetric and skew-symmetric solutions can be obtained by choosing a convergence factor. Numerical example shows that the introduced iterative algorithm is quite efficient.     

Interactive TOPSIS algorithms for solving multi-level non-linear multi-objective decision-making problems

This paper extended the concept of the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) to develop a methodology for solving multi-level non-linear multi-objective decision-making (MLN-MODM) problems of maximization-type. Also, two new interactive algorithms are presented for the proposed TOPSIS approach for solving these types of mathematical programming problems. The first proposed interactive TOPSIS algorithm includes the membership functions of the decision variables for each level except the lower level of the multi-level problem. These satisfactory decisions are evaluated separately by solving the corresponding single-level MODM problems. The second proposed interactive TOPSIS algorithm lexicographically solves the MODM problems of the MLN-MOLP problem by taking into consideration the decisions of the MODM problems for the upper levels. To demonstrate the proposed algorithms, a numerical example is solved and compared the solutions of proposed algorithms with the solution of the interactive algorithm of Osman et al. (2003) [4]. Also, an example of an application is presented to clarify the applicability of the proposed TOPSIS algorithms in solving real world multi-level multi-objective decision-making problems.     

Two algorithms for solving single-valued variational inequalities and fixed point problems

In this paper, we suggest two new iterative methods for finding a common element of the solution set of a variational inequality problem and the set of fixed points of a contraction mapping in Hilbert space. We also present weak and strong convergence theorems for these new methods, provided that the fixed point mapping is a θ-strict pseudocontraction and the mapping associated with the variational inequality problem is monotone. The results presented in this paper improve and unify important recent results announced by many authors.     

Running time experiments on some algorithms for solving propositional satisfiability problems

Satisfiability problems are of importance for many practical problems. They are NP-complete problems. However, some instances of the SAT problem can be solved efficiently. This paper reports on a study concerning the behaviour of a variety of algorithmic approaches to this problem tested on a set of problems collected at FAW. The results obtained give a lot of insight into the algorithms and problems, yet also show some general technical and methodological problems associated with such comparisons.