Random-Key Optimization for 2D Irregular Packing with Reusable Area Evaluation

The diverse constraints of industrial applications lead to variants of 2D irregular packing problems that require tailored solution methods. This paper addresses a real-world industrial challenge by proposing a new problem definition, the Maximum Reusable Contiguous Area Problem (MRCAP), and a novel metric, the Maximum Contiguous Area, developed to measure and maximize the contiguous unused … Read more

Biased and unbiased random-key genetic algorithms: An experimental analysis

We study the runtime performance of three types of random-key genetic algorithms: the unbiased algorithm of Bean (1994); the biased algorithm of Gonçalves and Resende (2011); and a greedy version of Bean’s algorithm on 12 instances from four types of covering problems: general-cost set covering, Steiner triple covering, general-cost set K-covering, and unit-cost covering by … Read more

A biased random-key genetic algorithm for a 2D and 3D bin packing problem

We present a novel multi-population biased random-key genetic algorithm (BRKGA) for the 2D and 3D bin packing problem. The approach uses a maximal-space representation to manage the free spaces in the bins. The proposed algorithm uses a decoder based on a novel placement procedure within a multi-population genetic algorithm based on random keys. The BRKGA … Read more

Biased random-key genetic algorithms with applications in telecommunications

This paper surveys several applications of biased random-key genetic algorithms (BRKGA) in optimization problems that arise in telecommunications. We first review the basic concepts of BRKGA. This is followed by a description of BRKGA-based heuristics for routing in IP networks, design of survivable IP networks, redundant server location for content distribution, regenerator location in optical … Read more

A biased random-key genetic algorithm for the Steiner triple covering problem

We present a biased random-key genetic algorithm (BRKGA) for finding small covers of computationally difficult set covering problems that arise in computing the 1-width of incidence matrices of Steiner triple systems. Using a parallel implementation of the BRKGA, we compute improved covers for the two largest instances in a standard set of test problems used … Read more

A parallel multi-population biased random-key genetic algorithm for a container loading problem

This paper presents a multi-population biased random-key genetic algorithm (BRKGA) for the Single Container Loading Problem (CLP) where several rectangular boxes of different sizes are loaded into a single rectangular container. The approach uses a maximal-space representation to manage the free spaces in the container. The proposed algorithm hybridizes a novel placement procedure with a … Read more

A biased random-key genetic algorithm for routing and wavelength assignment

The problem of routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks consists in routing a set of lightpaths and assigning a wavelength to each of them, such that lightpaths whose routes share a common fiber are assigned different wavelengths. This problem was shown to be NP-hard when the objective is to … Read more

A Biased Random-Key Genetic Algorithm with Forward-Backward Improvement for the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem

This paper presents a biased random-keys genetic algorithm for the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem. The chromosome representation of the problem is based on random keys. Active schedules are constructed using a priority-rule heuristic in which the priorities of the activities are defined by the genetic algorithm. A forward-backward improvement procedure is applied to all … Read more

Project Scheduling

Nowadays, construction projects grow in complexity and size. So, finding feasible schedules which efficiently use scarce resources is a challenging task within project management. Project scheduling consists of determining the starting and finishing times of the activities in a project. These activities are linked by precedence relations and their processing requires one or more resources. … Read more

A genetic algorithm with random keys for routing and wavelength assignment

The problem of routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks consists in routing a set of lightpaths and assigning a wavelength to each of them, such that lightpaths whose routes share a common fiber are assigned different wavelengths. This problem was shown to be NP-hard when the objective is to … Read more