A Unified View on Hybrid Metaheuristics

Manifold possibilities of hybridizing individual metaheuristics with each other and/or with algorithms from other fields exist. A large number of publications documents the benefits and great success of such hybrids. This article overviews several popular hybridization approaches and classifies them based on various characteristics. In particular with respect to low-level hybrids of different metaheuristics, a unified view based on a common pool template is described. It helps in making similarities and different key components of existing metaheuristics explicit. We then consider these key components as a toolbox for building new, effective hybrid metaheuristics. This approach of thinking seems to be superior to sticking too strongly to the philosophies and historical backgrounds behind the different metaheuristic paradigms. Finally, particularly promising possibilities of combining metaheuristics with constraint programming and integer programming techniques are