Integrating and accelerating tabu search,simulated annealing,and genetic algorithms

We integrate tabu search, simulated annealing, genetic algorithms, and random restarting. In addition, while simulating the original Markov chain (defined on a state space tailored either to stand-alone simulated annealing or to the hybrid scheme) with the original cooling schedule implicitly, we speed up both stand-alone simulated annealing and the combination by a factor going to infinity as the number of transitions generated goes to infinity. Beyond this, speedup nearly linear in the number of independent parallel processors often can be expected.This research was (partially) supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Office of Naval Research Contract #F49620-90-C-0033.     

Solving a manpower scheduling problem for airline catering using metaheuristics

We study a manpower scheduling problem with job time windows and job-skills compatibility constraints. This problem is motivated by airline catering operations, whereby airline meals and other supplies are delivered to aircrafts on the tarmac just before the flights take-off. Jobs (flights) must be serviced within a given time-window by a team consisting of a driver and loader. Each driver/loader has the skills to service some, but not all, of the airline/aircraft/configuration of the jobs. Given the jobs to be serviced and the roster of workers for each shift, the problem is to form teams and assign teams and start-times for the jobs, so as to service as many flights as possible. Only teams with the appropriate skills can be assigned to a flight. Workload balance among the teams is also a consideration. We present model formulations and investigate a tabu search heuristic and a simulated annealing heuristic approach to solve the problem. Computational experiments show that the tabu search approach outperforms the simulated annealing approach, and is capable of finding good solutions.     

Good solutions to discrete noxious location problems via metaheuristics

An implementation of simulated annealing and tabu search is described for discrete versions of two noxious facility location problems —p-dispersion andp-defense-sum. A series of computational experiments leading to good choices of the parameters that drive simulated annealing and tabu search are presented for a 33-node data set. Using these parameter settings, the performance of simulated annealing and tabu search are compared to a semi-greedy heuristic for thirty randomly generated 25-node data sets.     

Simulated annealing and tabu search approaches to unidirectional flowpath design for Automated Guided Vehicle Systems

In this paper, we address the flowpath design issue of Automated Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVSs). In particular, we concentrate on the design of unidirectional flowpaths (i.e. vehicles are restricted to travel only in one direction along a given segment of the flowpath). We have developed intelligent heuristics — simulated annealing and tabu search algorithms for the design of unidirectional AGVSs. Different versions of simulated annealing and tabu search algorithms are implemented. Our extensive computational results indicate that both simulated annealing and tabu search yield solutions of adequate quality for all practical purposes. A tabu search implementation with the use of a frequency-based memory structure dominates all tested heuristics in terms of solution quality (i.e. percent deviation from optimality), with an impressive average performance over 45 test problems of less than 0.85% deviation from optimality.     

Constructing covering codes by tabu search

The problem of finding good covering codes in Hamming spaces is considered. Many different local search methods have been used to find packing codes (the dual problem), whereas practically all published results on searches for covering codes are based on simulated annealing. In this article tabu search is evaluated and compared against the simulated annealing method. A novel neighborhood function is also presented. The combination of a new optimization method and a new neighborhood function turns out to speed up the search for covering codes remarkably compared to the traditional simulated annealing approach. Using the new approach, the best known upper bound for the football pool problem for 9 matches is improved to 1341. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Developing effective meta-heuristics for a probabilistic location model via experimental design

This article employs a statistical experimental design to guide and evaluate the development of four meta-heuristics applied to a probabilistic location model. The meta-heuristics evaluated include evolutionary algorithm, tabu search, simulated annealing, and a hybridized hill-climbing algorithm. Comparative results are analyzed using ANOVA. Our findings show that all four implementations produce high quality solutions. In particular, it was found that on average tabu search and simulated annealing find their best solutions in the least amount of time, with relatively small variability. This is especially important for large-size problems when dynamic redeployment is required.     

A one-step tabu search algorithm for manufacturing cell design

As part of the cellular manufacturing design process, machines must be grouped in cells and the corresponding part families must be assigned. Limits on both the number of machines per cell and the number of parts per family can be considered. A weighted sum of intracell voids and intercellular moves is used to evaluate the quality of the solutions. We present a tabu search algorithm that systematically explores feasible machine cells configurations determining the corresponding part families using a linear network flow model. The performance of this tabu search is benchmarked against two simulated annealing approaches, another tabu search approach and three heuristics: (ZODIAC, GRAFICS and MST).     

Integrating Interval Estimates of Global Optima and Local Search Methods for Combinatorial Optimization Problems

The problem of estimating the global optimal values of intractable combinatorial optimization problems is of interest to researchers developing and evaluating heuristics for these problems. In this paper we present a method for combining statistical optimum prediction techniques with local search methods such as simulated annealing and tabu search and illustrate the approach on a single machine scheduling problem. Computational experiments show that the approach yields useful estimates of optimal values with very reasonable computational effort.     

A hybrid approach for single-machine tardiness problems with sequence-dependent setup times

Scheduling problems in real systems often require sequence-dependent setup times. The topic of sequence-dependent setup times has not been addressed adequately, and improved competitiveness is thus not achieved. This study proposes a hybrid approach that takes advantage of simulated annealing (SA) and tabu search (TS) to solve single-machine tardiness problems with sequence-dependent setup times. To verify the proposed approach, experiments were conducted on benchmark problem sets that included both the weighted and un-weighted tardiness problems. The results show that the performance of the hybrid approach is superior to that of the SA, genetic algorithm, TS and ant colony optimization approaches, and is comparable with the Tabu-VNS approach. And the proposed approach found new upper bound values for many benchmark problems with an acceptable computational time.     

Solving the flight perturbation problem with meta heuristics

When there is a perturbation in a carefully constructed aircraft schedule, e.g. an aircraft breakdown, it is important to minimize the negative consequences of this disturbance. Here, a tabu search and a simulated annealing approach to the flight perturbation problem are presented. The heuristics use a tree-search algorithm to find new schedules for the aircraft, and utilize a path relinking strategy to explore paths between structurally different solutions. The computational results indicate that the solution strategies, especially the tabu search, can be successfully used to solve the flight perturbation problem.     

An adaptive tabu-simulated annealing for concave cost transportation problems

The transportation problem (TP) is one of the most popular network problems because of its theoretical and practical importance. If the transportation cost linearly depends on the transported amount of the product, then TP is solvable in polynomial time with linear programming methods. However, in the real world, the transportation costs are generally nonlinear, frequently concave where the unit cost for transporting products decreases as the amount of products increases. Since concave cost transportation problems (ccTPs) are NP-hard, solving large-scale problems is time consuming. In this study, we propose a hybrid algorithm based on the concepts borrowed from tabu search (TS) and simulated annealing (SA) to solve the ccTP. This algorithm, called ATSA (adaptive tabu-simulated annealing), is an SA approach supplemented with a tabu list and adaptive cooling strategy. The effectiveness of ATSA has been investigated in two stages using a set of TPs with different sizes. The first stage includes performance analysis of ATSA using SA, ASA (adaptive simulated anealing) and TS, which are basic forms of ATSA. In the second stage, ATSA has been compared with the heuristic approaches given in the literature for ccTP. Statistical analysis shows that ATSA exhibits better performance than its basic forms and heuristic approaches.     

A multi-class multi-level capacitated lot sizing model

When demand loading is higher than available capacity, it takes a great deal of effort for a traditional MRP system to obtain a capacity-feasible production plan. Also, the separation of lot sizing decisions and capacity requirement planning makes the setup decisions more difficult. In a practical application, a production planning system should prioritize demands when allocating manufacturing resources. This study proposes a planning model that integrates all MRP computation modules. The model not only includes multi-level capacitated lot sizing problems but also considers multiple demand classes. Each demand class corresponds to a mixed integer programming (MIP) problem. By sequentially solving the MIP problems according to their demand class priorities, this proposed approach allocates finite manufacturing resources and generates feasible production plans. In this paper we experiment with three heuristic search algorithms: (1) tabu search; (2) simulated annealing, and (3) genetic algorithm, to solve the MIP problems. Experimental designs and statistical methods are used to evaluate and analyse the performance of these three algorithms. The results show that tabu search and simulated annealing perform best in the confirmed order demand class and forecast demand class, respectively.     

A novel metaheuristics approach for continuous global optimization

This paper proposes a novel metaheuristics approach to find the global optimum of continuous global optimization problems with box constraints. This approach combines the characteristics of modern metaheuristics such as scatter search (SS), genetic algorithms (GAs), and tabu search (TS) and named as hybrid scatter genetic tabu (HSGT) search. The development of the HSGT search, parameter settings, experimentation, and efficiency of the HSGT search are discussed. The HSGT has been tested against a simulated annealing algorithm, a GA under the name GENOCOP, and a modified version of a hybrid scatter genetic (HSG) search by using 19 well known test functions. Applications to Neural Network training are also examined. From the computational results, the HSGT search proved to be quite effective in identifying the global optimum solution which makes the HSGT search a promising approach to solve the general nonlinear optimization problem.     

A hybridized tabu search approach for the minimum weight vertex cover problem

The minimum weight vertex cover problem is a basic combinatorial optimization problem defined as follows. Given an undirected graph and positive weights for all vertices the objective is to determine a subset of the vertices which covers all edges such that the sum of the related cost values is minimized. In this paper we apply a modified reactive tabu search approach for solving the problem. While the initial concept of reactive tabu search involves a random walk we propose to replace this random walk by a controlled simulated annealing. Numerical results are presented outperforming previous metaheuristic approaches in most cases.     

Search Heuristics for Resource Constrained Project Scheduling

We develop a search procedure for project scheduling problems with multiple resource constraints as well as precedence constraints. The procedure is applied to three popular search heuristics, simulated annealing, tabu search and genetic algorithms. In the heuristics, a solution is represented with a string of numbers each of which denotes priority of each activity. The priorities are used to select an activity for scheduling among competing ones. The search heuristics with this encoding method can always generate feasible neighbourhood solutions for a given solution. Moreover, this encoding method is very flexible in that problems with objective functions of a general functional form (such as a nonlinear function) and complex constraints can be considered without much difficulty. Results of computational tests on the performance of the search heuristics showed that the search heuristics, especially the simulated annealing and tabu search algorithms worked better than existing heuristics.     

Bayesian variable selection in generalized linear models using a combination of stochastic optimization methods

In this paper the usage of a stochastic optimization algorithm as a model search tool is proposed for the Bayesian variable selection problem in generalized linear models. Combining aspects of three well known stochastic optimization algorithms, namely, simulated annealing, genetic algorithm and tabu search, a powerful model search algorithm is produced. After choosing suitable priors, the posterior model probability is used as a criterion function for the algorithm; in cases when it is not analytically tractable Laplace approximation is used. The proposed algorithm is illustrated on normal linear and logistic regression models, for simulated and real-life examples, and it is shown that, with a very low computational cost, it achieves improved performance when compared with popular MCMC algorithms, such as the MCMC model composition, as well as with “vanilla” versions of simulated annealing, genetic algorithm and tabu search.     

Tabu search for large location–allocation problems

Recently it has been demonstrated that the use of simulated annealing is a good alternative for solving the minisum location–allocation problem with rectilinear distances compared with other popular methods. In this study it is shown that the same solution quality and a great saving of computational time can be achieved by using tabu search. It is also possible to transfer this method to location–allocation problems with euclidean distances.     

Dynamic tabu list management using the reverse elimination method

Tabu search is a metastrategy for guiding known heuristics to overcome local optimality. Successful applications of this kind of metaheuristic to a great variety of problems have been reported in the literature. However, up to now mainly static tabu list management ideas have been applied. In this paper we describe a dynamic strategy, the reverse elimination method, and give directions on improving its computational effort. The impact of the method will be shown with respect to a multiconstraint version of the zero-one knapsack problem. Numerical results are presented comparing it with a simulated annealing approach.     

A hyper-heuristic approach to sequencing by hybridization of DNA sequences

In this paper we investigate the use of hyper-heuristic methodologies for predicting DNA sequences. In particular, we utilize Sequencing by Hybridization. We believe that this is the first time that hyper-heuristics have been investigated in this domain. A hyper-heuristic is provided with a set of low-level heuristics and the aim is to decide which heuristic to call at each decision point. We investigate three types of hyper-heuristics. Two of these (simulated annealing and tabu search) draw their inspiration from meta-heuristics. The choice function hyper-heuristic draws its inspiration from reinforcement learning. We utilize two independent sets of low-level heuristics. The first set is based on a previous tabu search method, with the second set being a significant extension to this basic set, including utilizing a different representation and introducing the definition of clusters. The datasets we use comprises two randomly generated datasets and also a publicly available biological dataset. In total, we carried out experiments using 70 different combinations of heuristics, using the three datasets mentioned above and investigating six different hyper-heuristic algorithms. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of a hyper-heuristic approach to this problem domain. It is necessary to provide a good set of low-level heuristics, which are able to both intensify and diversify the search but this approach has demonstrated very encouraging results on this extremely difficult and important problem domain.     

Tabu Search directed by direct search methods for nonlinear global optimization

In recent years, there has been a great deal of interest in metaheuristics in the optimization community. Tabu Search (TS) represents a popular class of metaheuristics. However, compared with other metaheuristics like genetic algorithm and simulated annealing, contributions of TS that deals with continuous problems are still very limited. In this paper, we introduce a continuous TS called Directed Tabu Search (DTS) method. In the DTS method, direct-search-based strategies are used to direct a tabu search. These strategies are based on the well-known Nelder–Mead method and a new pattern search procedure called adaptive pattern search. Moreover, we introduce a new tabu list conception with anti-cycling rules called Tabu Regions and Semi-Tabu Regions. In addition, Diversification and Intensification Search schemes are employed. Numerical results show that the proposed method is promising and produces high quality solutions.