In recent years, soft computing methods have generated a large research interest. The synthesis of the fuzzy logic and the evolutionary algorithms is one of these methods. A particular evolutionary algorithm (EA) is differential evolution (DE). As for any EA, DE algorithm also requires parameters tuning to achieve desirable performance. In this paper tuning the perturbation factor vector of DE ...

Though critics of traditional epistemology agree that we need to account for the role that social factors play in inquiry, developing a viable social epistemology has proved to be difficult. According to Helen Longino, it is the processes that make inquiry possible that are social, for they require a number of people to sustain them. These processes facilitate inquiry, and ensure that the resul...

The joint replenishment of inventory problem (JRP) requires independence of minor ordering costs. In this paper we propose an evolutionary algorithm (EA) for a modification of the JRP. The modified JRP allows for interdependence of minor ordering costs. Our proposed EA (EARP) is a nested EA that searches for a solution to minimize the total cost of inventory replenishment. It combines an EA whi...

The overall cost of companies dealing with the distribution tasks is considerably affected by the way that distributing vehicles are procured. In this paper, a more practical version of capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) in which the decision of purchase or hire of vehicles is simultaneously considered is investigated. In CVRP model capacitated vehicles start from a single depot simulta...

This paper considers open-shop scheduling with no intermediate buffer to minimize total tardiness. This problem occurs in many production settings, in the plastic molding, chemical, and food processing industries. The paper mathematically formulates the problem by a mixed integer linear program. The problem can be optimally solved by the model. The paper also develops a novel metaheuristic base...

This paper presents a comparative study of two stochastic optimization methods: the electromagnetism-like algorithm (EMA) and the multilevel ant stigmergy algorithm (MASA) in computer-assisted design of universal electric motor rotor/stator geometry. The design goal was to minimize the power losses. The output of this study can be summarized in several important findings. Above all, both compar...

In order to increase the reliability of the nation’s power grid, this paper proposes using an Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) to optimize the placement of a limited number of Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) devices on power lines. We benchmark against a brute-force placement and compare our EA approach with a greedy algorithm approach suggested by previous research to show that the EA appro...