Weighted Sum-based Genetic Algorithm for Bicriteria Network Design Problem

This paper proposes a new Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) approach for Bicriteria Network Design (BND) Problem. The objectives are to maximize flow and minimize cost. The proposed method adopts priority-based encoding method to represent a path in the network. Different from other encoding methods, such as path oriented encoding method, priority-based encoding method can be applied for different network design problems, i.e., Shortest Path Problem (SPP), Maximum Flow Problem (MXF), Minimum Cost Flow Problem (MCF), etc. In the proposed method, while weighted-sum approach is employed to evaluate solutions found in the search process, nondominated sorting technique is used to obtain Pareto optimal solutions. Numerical analysis shows the efficiency and effectiveness of the MOGA approach on the BND problem.