CONTENT
defination of optimization
ACO concept
ACO system
ACO system cont.
ANT foraging
Implementation
Applications
Advantages & Disadvantages
Sources
conclusions
References
What is Optimization?
Procedure to make a system or design as
effective, especially the mathematical
techniques involved. (Meta-Heuristics)
Finding Best Solution
Minimal Cost (Design)
Minimal Error (Parameter Calibration)
Maximal Profit (Management)
Maximal Utility (Economics)
4
ACO Concept
Ants (blind) navigate from nest to food source
Shortest path is discovered via pheromone trails
First ant moves at random
pheromone is deposited on path
ants detect lead ant’s path, inclined to follow
more pheromone on path increases probability of path
being followed
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ACO System
Virtual “trail” accumulated on path segments
Starting node selected at random
Path selected at random
based on amount of “trail” present on possible paths
from starting node
higher probability for paths with more “trail”
Ant reaches next node, selects next path
Continues until reaches starting node
Finished “tour” is a solution
6
ACO System, cont.
A completed tour is analyzed for optimality
“Trail” amount adjusted to favor better solutions
better solutions receive more trail
worse solutions receive less trail
higher probability of ant selecting path that is part of a better-performing tour
New cycle is performed
Repeated until most ants select the same tour on every cycle (convergence to solution)
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Implementation
Can be used for both Static and Dynamic
Combinatorial optimization problems
Convergence is guaranteed, although the
speed is unknown
Value
Solution
13
Applications
Efficiently Solves NP hard Problems
Routing TSP (Traveling Salesman Problem)
Vehicle Routing
Sequential Ordering
Assignment QAP (Quadratic Assignment Problem)
Graph Coloring
Generalized Assignment
Frequency Assignment
University Course Time Scheduling
43
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1
14
Applications
Other Shortest Common Sequence
Constraint Satisfaction
2D-HP protein folding
Bin Packing
Machine Learning Classification Rules
Bayesian networks
Fuzzy systems
Network Routing Connection oriented network routing
Connection network routing
Optical network routing
15
Advantages and Disadvantages,
cont.
Can be used in dynamic applications (adapts to
changes such as new distances, etc.)
Has been applied to a wide variety of applications
As with GAs, good choice for constrained discrete
problems (not a gradient-based algorithm)
16
Sources
Dorigo, Marco and Stützle, Thomas. (2004) Ant Colony Optimization,Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Dorigo, Marco, Gambardella, Luca M., Middendorf, Martin. (2002) “Guest Editorial,” IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation,6(4): 317-320.
Thompson, Jonathan, “Ant Colony Optimization.” http://www.orsoc.org.uk/region/regional/swords/swords.ppt, accessed April 24, 2005.
Camp, Charles V., Bichon, Barron, J. and Stovall, Scott P. (2005) “Design of Steel Frames Using Ant Colony Optimization,” Journal of Structural Engineeering, 131 (3):369-379.
Fjalldal, Johann Bragi, “An Introduction to Ant Colony Algorithms.” http://www.informatics.sussex.ac.uk/research/nlp/gazdar/teach/atc/1999/web/johannf/ants.html, accessed April 24, 2005.
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Advantages and Disadvantages
For TSPs (Traveling Salesman Problem), relatively efficient
for a small number of nodes, TSPs can be solved by exhaustive search
for a large number of nodes, TSPs are very computationally difficult to solve (NP-hard) – exponential time to convergence
Performs better against other global optimization techniques for TSP (neural net, genetic algorithms, simulated annealing)
Compared to GAs (Genetic Algorithms):
retains memory of entire colony instead of previous generation only
less affected by poor initial solutions (due to combination of random path selection and colony memory)
Estimation and simulation, end
users; field work – tracer studies,
pressure tests, case studies;
contaminant and water security –
detection, source identification,
response; network vulnerability –
security assessments, network
reliability,
CONCLUSION
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