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Subject: search.filters.subject.genetic algorithms

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    Some improved genetic-algorithms based heuristics for global optimization with innovative applications
    (2010-09-07) Adewumi, Aderemi Oluyinka
    The research is a study of the efficiency and robustness of genetic algorithm to instances of both discrete and continuous global optimization problems. We developed genetic algorithm based heuristics to find the global minimum to problem instances considered. In the discrete category, we considered two instances of real-world space allocation problems that arose from an academic environment in a developing country. These are the university timetabling problem and hostel space allocation problem. University timetabling represents a difficult optimization problem and finding a high quality solution is a challenging task. Many approaches, based on instances from developed countries, have been reported in the literature. However, most developing countries are yet to appreciate the deployment of heuristics and metaheuristics in handling the timetabling problem. We therefore worked on an instance from a university in Nigeria to show the feasibility and efficiency of heuristic method to the timetabling problem. We adopt a simplified bottom up approach in which timetable are build around departments. Thus a small portion of real data was used for experimental testing purposes. As with similar baseline studies in literature, we employ genetic algorithm to solve this instance and show that efficient solutions that meet stated constraints can be obtained with the metaheuristics. This thesis further focuses on an instance of university space allocation problem, namely the hostel space allocation problem. This is a new instance of the space allocation problems that has not been studied by metaheuristic researchers to the best of our knowledge. The problem aims at the allocation of categories of students into available hostel space. This must be done without violating any hard constraints but satisfying as many soft constraints as possible and ensuring optimum space utilization. We identified some issues in the problem that helped to adapt metaheuristic approach to solve it. The problem is multi-stage and highly constrained. We first highlight an initial investigation based on genetic algorithm adapted to find a good solution within the search space of the hostel space allocation problem. Some ideas are introduced to increase the overall performance of initial results based on instance of the problem from our case study. Computational results obtained are reported to demonstrate the effectiveness of the solution approaches employed. Sensitivity analysis was conducted on the genetic algorithm for the two SAPs considered to determine the best parameter values that consistently give good solutions. We noted that the genetic algorithms perform well specially, when repair strategies are incorporated. This thesis pioneers the application of metaheuristics to solve the hostel space allocation problem. It provides a baseline study of the problem based on genetic algorithms with associated test data sets. We report the best known results for the test instances. It is a known fact that many real-life problems are formulated as global optimization problems with continuous variables. On the continuous global optimization category therefore, we focus on improving the efficiency and reliability of real coded genetic algorithm for solving unconstrained global optimization, mainly through hybridization with exploratory features. Hybridization has widely been recognized as one of the most attractive approach to solving unconstrained global optimization. Literatures have shown that hybridization helps component heuristics to taking advantage of their individual strengths while avoiding their weaknesses. We therefore derived three modified forms of real coded genetic algorithm by hybridizing the standard real-coded genetic algorithm with pattern search and vector projection. These are combined to form three new algorithms namely, RCGA-PS, RCGA-P, and RCGA-PS-P. The hybridization strategy used and results obtained are reported and compared with the standard real-coded genetic algorithm. Experimental studies show that all the modified algorithms perform better than the original algorithm.
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    A computational intelligence approach to modelling interstate conflict : Forecasting and causal interpretations
    (2008-12-03T12:28:41Z) Tettey, Thando
    The quantitative study of conflict management is concerned with finding models which are accurate and also capable of providing a causal interpretation of results. This dissertation applies computational intelligence methods to study interstate disputes. Both multilayer perceptron neural networks and Takagi-Sugeno neuro-fuzzy models are used to model interstate interactions. The multilayer perceptron neural network is trained in the Bayesian framework, using the Hybrid Monte Carlo method to sample from the posterior probabilities. It is found that the network is able to forecast conflict with an accuracy of 77.3%. A hybrid machine learning method using the neural network and the genetic algorithm is then presented as a method of suggesting how conflict can be brought under control. The automatic relevance determination approach and the sensitivity analysis are used as methods of extracting causal information from the neural network. The Takagi-Sugeno neuro-fuzzy model is optimised, using the Gustafson-Kessel clustering algorithm to partion the input space. It is found that the neuro-fuzzy model predicts conflict with an accuracy of 80.1%. The neuro-fuzzy model is also incorporated into the hybrid machine learning method to suggest how the identified conflict cases can be avoided. The casual interpretation is then formulated by a linguistic approximation of the fuzzy rules extracted from the neuro-fuzzy model. The major finding in this work is that the interpretations drawn from both the neural network and the neuro-fuzzy model are consistent.
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    MACHINE CONDITION MONITORING USING NEURAL NETWORKS: FEATURE SELECTION USING GENETIC ALGORITHM
    (2007-02-26T12:04:37Z) Hippolyte, Djonon Tsague
    Condition monitoring of machinery has increased in importance as more engineering processes are automated and the manpower required to operate and supervise plants is reduced. The monitoring of the condition of machinery can significantly reduce the cost of maintenance. Firstly, it can allow an early detection of potential catastrophic fault, which could be extremely expensive to repair. Secondly, it allows the implementation of conditions based maintenance rather than periodic or failure based maintenance [1]. In these cases, significant savings can be made by delaying schedule maintenance until convenient or necessary. Although there are numerous efficient methods for modeling of mechanical systems, they all suffer the disadvantage that they are only valid for a particular machine. Changes within the design or the operational mode of the machine normally require a manual adaptation. Using Neural Networks to model technical systems eliminates this major disadvantage. The basis for a successful model is an adequate knowledge base on which the network is "trained". Without prior knowledge of the machines systematic behavior or its history, training of a neural Network is not possible. Therefore, it is a pre-requisite that the knowledge base contains a complete behavior of the machine covering the respective operational modes whereby, not all rather the most important modes are required. Neural networks have a proven ability in the area of nonlinear pattern classification. After being trained, they contain expert knowledge and can correctly identify the different causes of bearing vibration. The capacity of artificial neural networks to mimic and automate human expertise is what makes them ideally suited for handling nonlinear systems. Neural networks are able to learn expert knowledge by being trained using a representative set of data [2]-[6]. At the beginning of a neural network’s training session, the neural network fault detector’s diagnosis of the motor’s condition will not be accurate. An error quantity is measured and used to adjust the neural network’s internal parameters in order to produce a more accurate output. This process is repeated until a suitable error is achieved. Once the network is sufficiently trained and the parameters have been saved, the neural network contains all the necessary knowledge to perform the fault detection. One of the most important aspects of achieving good neural network performance has proven to be the proper selection of training features. The curse of dimensionality states that, as a rule of thumb, the required cardinality of the training set for accurate training increases exponentially with the input dimension [7]. Thus feature selection which is a process of identifying those features that contribute most to the discrimination ability of the neural network is required. Proposed methods for selecting an appropriate subset of features are numerous [8]-[11]. Methods based on generating a single solution, such as the popular forward step wise approach, can fail to select features which do poorly alone but offer valuable information together. Approaches that maintain a population of solutions, such as genetic algorithms (GA) are more likely to speedily perform efficient searches in high dimensional spaces, with strong interdependencies among the features. The emphasis in using the genetic algorithm for feature selection is to reduce the computational load on the training system while still allowing near optimal results to be found relatively quickly. To obtain accurate measure of the condition of machinery, a wide range of approaches can be employed to select features indicative of condition. By comparing these features with features for known normal and probable fault conditions, the machine’s condition can be estimated. The most common approach is that of analysis in the frequency domain by applying a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to the time domain history data. The idea is simply to measure the energy (mean square value) of the vibrations. As the machine condition deteriorates, this measure is expected to increase. The method is able to reveal the harmonics around the fundamental frequency of the machine and other predominant frequency component (such as the cage frequency) [12]. Frequency analysis is well established and may be used to detect, diagnose and discriminate a variety of induction motor faults such as broken rotor bars, cage faults, phase imbalance, inner and outer race faults. However, as common in the monitoring of any industrial machine, background noise in recorded data can make spectra difficult to interpret. In addition, the accuracy of a spectrum is limited due to energy leakage [12- 14]. Like many of the new techniques now finding application in machinery condition monitoring, Higher Order Statistics was originally confined to the realms of non-linear structural dynamics. It has of recent however found successful application to the identification of abnormal operation of diesel engines and helicopter gearboxes [5, 7]. Higher Order Statistics provide convenient basis for comparison of data between different measurement instances and are sufficiently robust for on-line use. They are fast in computation compared with frequency or time-domain analysis. Furthermore, they give a more robust assessment than lower orders and can be used to calculate higher order spectra. This dissertation reports work which attempts to extend this capability to induction motors. The aim of this project is therefore to examine the use of Genetic Algorithms to select the most significant input features from a large set of possible features in machine condition monitoring contexts. The results show the effectiveness of the selected features from the acquired raw and preprocessed signals in diagnosis of machine condition. This project consists of the following tasks:  Using Fast Fourier transform and higher order signals techniques to preprocess data samples.  Create an intelligent engine using computational intelligence methods. The aim of this engine will be to recognize faulty bearings and assess the fault severity from sensor data.  Train the neural network using a back propagation algorithm.  Implement a feature selection algorithm using genetic algorithms to minimize the number of selected features and to maximize the performance of the neural network.  Retrain the neural network with the reduced set of features from genetic algorithm and compare the two approaches.  Investigate the effect of increasing the number of hidden nodes in the performance of the computational intelligence engine.  Evaluate the performance of the system using confusion matrices. The output of the design is the estimate of fault type and its severity, quantified on a scale between 0-3. Where, 0 corresponds to the absence of the specific fault and 3 the presence of a severe machine bearing fault. This research should make contribution to many sectors of industry such as electricity supply companies, and the railroad industry due to their need of techniques that are capable of accurately recognizing the development of a fault condition within a machine system component. Quality control of electric motors is an essential part of the manufacturing process as competition increases, the need for reliable and economical quality control becomes even more pressing. To this effect, this research project will contribute in the area of faults detection in the production line of electric motor.
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    Some Population Set-Based Methods for Unconstrained Global Optimization
    (2006-11-16T08:40:11Z) Kaelo, Professor
    Many real-life problems are formulated as global optimization problems with continuous variables. These problems are in most cases nonsmooth, nonconvex and often simulation based, making gradient based methods impossible to be used to solve them. Therefore, efcient, reliable and derivative-free global optimization methods for solving such problems are needed. In this thesis, we focus on improving the efciency and reliability of some global optimization methods. In particular, we concentrate on improving some population set-based methods for unconstrained global optimization, mainly through hybridization. Hybridization has widely been recognized to be one of the most attractive areas of unconstrained global optimization. Experiments have shown that through hybridization, new methods that inherit the strength of the original elements but not their weakness can be formed. We suggest a number of new hybridized population set-based methods based on differential evolution (de), controlled random search (crs2) and real coded genetic algorithm (ga). We propose ve new versions of de. In the rst version, we introduce a localization, called random localization, in the mutation phase of de. In the second version, we propose a localization in the acceptance phase of de. In the third version, we form a de hybrid algorithm by probabilistically combining the point generation scheme of crs2 with that of de in the de algorithm. The fourth and fth versions are also de hybrids. These versions hybridize the mutation of de with the point generation rule of the electromagnetism-like (em) algorithm. We also propose ve new versions of crs2. The rst version modies the point generation scheme of crs2 by introducing a local mutation technique. In the second and third modications, we probabilistically combine the point generation scheme of crs2 with the linear interpolation scheme of a trust-region based method. The fourth version is a crs hybrid that probabilistically combines the quadratic interpolation scheme with the linear interpolation scheme in crs2. In the fth version, we form a crs2 hybrid algorithm by probabilistically combining the point generation scheme of crs2 with that of de in the crs2 algorithm. Finally, we propose ve new versions of the real coded genetic algorithm (ga) with arithmetic crossover. In the rst version of ga, we introduce a local technique. We propose, in the second version, an integrated crossover rule that generates two children at a time using two different crossover rules. We introduce a local technique in the second version to obtain the third version. The fourth and fth versions are based on the probabilistic adaptation of crossover rules. The efciency and reliability of the new methods are evaluated through numerical experiments using a large test suite of both simple and difcult problems from the literature. Results indicate that the new hybrids are much better than their original counterparts both in reliability and efciency. Therefore, the new hybrids proposed in this study offer an alternative to many currently available stochastic algorithms for solving global optimization problems in which the gradient information is not readily available.