Design and Analysis of Algorithms

Heuristics Technique
Dr. Lê Nguyên Khôi
The VNU University of Engineering and Technology
Contents

 Exact method
 Heuristics technique
 Optimization problems
 Class of heuristics

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 1

Exact Method

 Optimal solution could be found

 Long search time
 Not suitable for complex problems
 Due to long search time
 Real-world problems
 Search time plays an important role

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 2

Heuristics Technique

 A practical method
 Based on trial and error
 Run within a reasonable time
 Suitable for:
 Complex problems
 Real-world problems
Finding feasible solutions is sufficient

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 3

Optimization Problem

 Find optimal solution within feasible solutions

 Feasible solutions:
 Satisfy all hard constraints
 Feasible solution evaluation:
 Optimize violations on soft constraints
 Based on objective functions

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 4

Heuristics Technique for
Optimization Problem

 Feasible solution construction:

 From an empty solution to satisfy hard constraints
 From random solution to repair hard constraints
 Feasible solution evaluation:
 Based on objective function value
 To compare feasible solutions
 Near-optimal solution estimation
 Search time
 Objective function value
 Improvement on objective function value

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 5

Optimization Problems

 Timetabling
 Job shop scheduling
 Bin packing
 Employee scheduling
 Vehicle Routing
 Logistics

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 6

Timetabling

 Find suitable slots to allocate courses

 Limited resource / Constraints
 Lecturers availability
 Classroom constraints
 Time slot constraints
 Course constraints
 02 types
 Curriculum-based course timetabling
 Examination timetabling

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 7

Job Shop Scheduling

 Determine a sequence of jobs

 Each job could contain sub-jobs
 Sub-jobs must be performed in order
 Sub-jobs could require machine tools
 Sub-jobs / Jobs could be performed in parallel
 Objective:
 Optimize the production process
 Optimize the part storage (completed jobs)

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 8

Bin Packing

 Determine a set of item to be packed

 Each item has weight (or volume)
 Container has maximum weight (or volume)
 Objective
 Maximize the total weight (or volume) of the
container
 Example: Knapsack problem

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 9

Employee Scheduling

 Construct a schedule for employees (3 shifts

per day, 7 days per week)
 Factory
 Hospital
 Typical constraints
 Shift constraint
 Work regulation
 Personnel qualification
 Personnel preference

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 10

Vehicle Routing

 Determine efficient routes for vehicle transport

to serve customer needs
 Typical constraints
 Customer requirement
 Vehicle availability / constraint
 Objective:
 Satisfy all customer needs
 Minimize the total cost of transportation

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 11

Logistics

 Consumer goods produced by factories

 Based on demands, consumer goods are
delivered to general warehouses
 At general warehouse, consumer goods are
packed and delivered to distribution points
 Combination of:
 Job shop scheduling
 Bin packing
 Employee scheduling
 Vehicle routing
Design and Analysis of Algorithms 12
Heuristics Technique

 Estimate near-optimal solutions due to

 Huge data, many constraints, limited search time
 Heuristics
 Design to solve a specific problem
 Could not be applied for other problems
 Metaheuristics
 Design to solve general optimization problems
 Could be applied for different problems
 Hyperheuristics
 Design to solve a class of problems
Design and Analysis of Algorithms 13
Heuristics

 Algorithm design based on

 Study the set of constraints
 Techniques to satisfy constraints
 Order to apply techniques
 Advantage
 Find solution quickly
 High solution quality
 Disadvantage
 Could not be applied for other problems

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 14

Metaheuristics

 Algorithm design based on

 Construct acceptable quality solutions
 Optimize solution quality
based on objective function values
 Advantage
 Could be applied for different problems
 Disadvantage
 Low quality solutions

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 15

Metaheuristics

 Local search
 Tabu Search
 Simulated Annealing
 Neighborhood Search
 Learning mechanism
 Ant Colony Optimization
 Neural Network
 Population-based
 Genetic Algorithm
 Swarm Optimization

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 16

Hyperheuristics

 Algorithm design based on

 Study a set of problems
 Study heuristics to solve these problems
 Method to combine these heuristics
 Method to evaluate these heuristics
 Categories
 Heuristic to choose heuristics
 Heuristic to create heuristics

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 17

Other Issues

 Multiobjective
 Satisfying constraints is not simple
 Evaluate violation of constraints as objective
functions
 Evaluate objective functions
In parallel
In sequential order

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 18

Other Issues

 Phenotype – Genotype
 Phenotype:
 Determine better solutions based on objective
function values
 Provide less information about solution

 Genotype:
 Determine better solutions based on the structure
of solutions
 Provide more information about solution

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 19

Other Issues

 Real-time data
 The need to find optimal solution
 New data intake could change recently found
solutions
 Re-optimization

Design and Analysis of Algorithms 20