A cycle-based evolutionary algorithm for the fixed-charge capacitated multi-commodity network design problem

Dimitris C. Paraskevopoulos, Tolga Bektaş, Teodor Gabriel Crainic, Chris N. Potts

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Citations (SciVal)
191 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper presents an evolutionary algorithm for the fixed-charge multicommodity network design problem (MCNDP), which concerns routing multiple commodities from origins to destinations by designing a network through selecting arcs, with an objective of minimizing the fixed costs of the selected arcs plus the variable costs of the flows on each arc. The proposed algorithm evolves a pool of solutions using principles of scatter search, interlinked with an iterated local search as an improvement method. New cycle-based neighborhood operators are presented which enable complete or partial re-routing of multiple commodities. An efficient perturbation strategy, inspired by ejection chains, is introduced to perform local compound cycle-based moves to explore different parts of the solution space. The algorithm also allows infeasible solutions violating arc capacities while performing the "ejection cycles", and subsequently restores feasibility by systematically applying correction moves. Computational experiments on benchmark MCNDP instances show that the proposed solution method consistently produces high-quality solutions in reasonable computational times.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)265-279
Number of pages15
JournalEuropean Journal of Operational Research
Volume253
Issue number2
Early online date11 Jan 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2016

Keywords

  • Ejection chains
  • Evolutionary algorithms
  • Iterated local search
  • Multi-commodity network design
  • Scatter search

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A cycle-based evolutionary algorithm for the fixed-charge capacitated multi-commodity network design problem'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this