• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.707-719
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• 2018

In this article, a new method is introduced to improve the local search capability of meta-heuristic algorithms using the projection of the path on the border of constraints. In a mathematical point of view, the Gradient Projection Method is applied through a new approach, while the imposed limitations are removed. Accordingly, the gradient vector is replaced with a new meta-heuristic based vector. Besides, the active constraint identification algorithm, and the projection method are changed into less complex approaches. As a result, if a constraint is violated by an agent, a new path will be suggested to correct the direction of the agent's movement. The presented procedure includes three main steps: (1) the identification of the active constraint, (2) the neighboring point determination, and (3) the new direction and step length. Moreover, this method can be applied to some meta-heuristic algorithms. It increases the chance of convergence in the final phase of the search process, especially when the number of the violations of the constraints increases. The method is applied jointly with the authors' newly developed meta-heuristic algorithm, entitled Star Graph. The capability of the resulted hybrid method is examined using the optimal design of truss and frame structures. Eventually, the comparison of the results with other meta-heuristics of the literature shows that the hybrid method is successful in the global as well as local search.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.321-333
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• 2018

Simplified Dolphin Echolocation (SDE) algorithm is a recently developed meta-heuristic algorithm. This algorithm is an improved and simplified version of the Dolphin Echolocation Optimization (DEO) method, based on the baiting behavior of the dolphins. The main advantage of the SDE algorithm is that it needs no empirical parameter. In this paper, the SDE algorithm is applied for optimization of three well-studied frame structures. The designs are then compared with those of other meta-heuristic methods from the literature. Numerical results show the efficiency of the SDE algorithm and its competitive ability with other well-established meta-heuristics methods.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.297-319
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• 2022

Due to their natural and social revelation, also their ease and flexibility, human collective behavior and teamwork sports are inspired to introduce optimization algorithms to solve various engineering and scientific problems. Nowadays, meta-heuristic algorithms are becoming some striking methods for solving complex real-world problems. In that respect in the present study, the authors propose a novel meta-innovative algorithm based on soccer teamwork sport, suitable for optimization problems. The method may be referred to as the Soccer League Optimization-based Championship Algorithm, inspired by the Soccer league. This method consists of two main steps, including: 1. Qualifying competitions and 2. Main competitions. To evaluate the robustness of the proposed method, six different benchmark mathematical functions, and two engineering design problem was performed for optimization to assess its efficiency in achieving optimal solutions to various problems. The results show that the proposed algorithm may well explore better performance than some well-known algorithms in various aspects such as consistency through runs and a fast and steep convergence in all problems towards the global optimal fitness value.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2018

Software testing is important to determine the reliability of the system, a task that requires a lot of effort and cost. Model-based testing has been proposed as a way to reduce these costs by automating test designs from models that regularly represent system requirements. For each path of model to generate an input value to perform a test, meta-heuristic technique is used to find the test data. In this paper, we propose an automatic test data generation method using a slicing method and a priority policy, and suppress unnecessary computation by excluding variables not related to target path. And then, experimental results show that the proposed method generates test data more effectively than conventional method.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.1093-1117
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• 2016

Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) has been widely used to investigate the sensitivity of the model output with respect to its input parameters. In this paper a new single-solution search optimization algorithm is developed based on the GSA, and applied to the size optimization of truss structures. In this method the search space of the optimization is determined using the sensitivity indicator of variables. Unlike the common meta-heuristic algorithms, where all the variables are simultaneously changed in the optimization process, in this approach the sensitive variables of solution are iteratively changed more rapidly than the less sensitive ones in the search space. Comparisons of the present results with those of some previous population-based meta-heuristic algorithms demonstrate its capability, especially for decreasing the number of fitness functions evaluations, in solving the presented benchmark problems.

• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 2014

Under amazing increase in markets and certain demand on qualified service in the delivery system, global logistic optimization is becoming a keen interest to provide an essential infrastructure coping with modern competitive prospects. As a key technology for such deployment, we have been engaged in the practical studies on vehicle routing problem (VRP) in terms of Weber model, and developed a hybrid approach of meta-heuristic methods and the graph algorithm of minimum cost flow problem. This paper extends such idea to multi-depot VRP so that we can give a more general framework available for various real world applications including those in green or low carbon logistics. We show the developed procedure can handle various types of problem, i.e., delivery, direct pickup, and drop by pickup problems in a common framework. Numerical experiments have been carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Moreover, to enhance usability of the method, Google Maps API is applied to retrieve real distance data and visualize the numerical result on the map.

• Korean Management Science Review
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.209-223
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• 2009

In this paper, an analysis problem of repair levels and spare part allocation for MIME(Multi indenture multi echelon) systems is studied using simulation and meta-heuristics. We suggest a method to determine simultaneously repair levels and spare parts allocation to minimize the life cycle cost of MIME system under availability constraint. A simulated annealing method is used to analyze the repair levels and genetic algorithm is used to obtain the optimal allocation of spare parts. We also develop a simulation system to calculate the life cycle cost and system availability. Some numerical examples are also studied.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.89-95
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• 2006

Planning distributed manufacturing logistics is one of main issues in supply chain management. This paper proposes a hybrid heuristic approach for the Multi-Level, multi-item Capacitated Lot Sizing Problem (MLCLSP) in supply chain network. MLCLSP corresponds to a mixed integer programming (MIP) problem. With integer variable solutions determined by heuristic search, this MIP problem becomes linear program (LP). By repeatedly solving the relaxed MIP problems with a heuristic search method in a hybrid manner, this proposed approach allocates finite manufacturing resources fur each distributed facilities and generates feasible production plans. Meta heuristic search algorithm is presented to solve the MIP problems. The experimental test evaluates the computational performance under a variety of problem scenarios.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers P
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.131-136
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• 2018

Harmony search (HS) is a relatively recently developed meta-heuristic optimization method imitating the music improvisation process where musicians improvise their instruments' pitches searching for a perfect state of harmony. In the conventional HS algorithm, it is necessary to determine the maximum number of iterations with some algorithm parameters. However, there is no criterion for determining the number of iterations, which is a very difficult problem. To solve this problem, a new method is proposed to perform the algorithm without setting the maximum number of iterations in this paper. The new method allows the algorithm to be performed until the desired tuning is achieved. To do this, a new variable bandwidth is introduced. In addition, the types and probability of harmonies composed of variables is analyzed to help to decide the value of HMCR. The performance of the proposed method is investigated and compared with classical HS. The experiments conducted show that the new method generally outperformed conventional HS when applied to seven benchmark problems.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.94-102
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• 2007

In this paper, we consider a line balancing problem in hybrid flowshops where each workstation has identical parallel machines. The number of machines in each workstation is determined in ways of satisfying pre-specified throughput rate of the system. To minimize the total number of machines in the systems, we propose five heuristic methods and one simulated annealing method. Extensive computational experiments found the superiorities of two heuristic methods and the meta-heuristic.