Machine scheduling using the Bees algorithm

Phrueksanant, Janyarat 2013. Machine scheduling using the Bees algorithm. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Single-machine scheduling is the process of assigning a group of jobs to a machine. The jobs are arranged so that a performance measure, such as the total processing time or the due date, may be optimised. Various swarm intelligence techniques as well as other heuristic approaches have been developed for machine scheduling. Previously, the Bees Algorithm, a heuristic optimisation procedure that mimics honeybee foraging, was successfully employed to solve many problems in continuous domains. In this thesis, the Bees Algorithm is presented to solve various single-machine scheduling benchmarks, all of which, chosen to test the performance of the algorithm, are NP-hard and cannot be solved to optimality within polynomially-bounded time. To apply the Bees Algorithm for machine scheduling, a new neighbourhood structure is defined. Several local search algorithms are combined with the Bees Algorithm. This work also introduces an enhanced Bees Algorithm. Several additional features are considered to improve the efficiency of the algorithm such as negative selection, chemotaxis, elimination and dispersal which is similar to the ‘site abandonment’ strategy used in the original algorithm, and neighbourhood change. A different way to deploy neighbourhood procedures is also presented. ii Three categories of machine scheduling problems, namely, single machine with a common due date, total weighted tardiness, and total weighted tardiness with sequence-dependent setup are used to test the enhanced Bees Algorithm’s performance. The results obtained compare well with those produced by the basic version of the algorithm and by other well-known techniques.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Engineering
Subjects:	T Technology > TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
Uncontrolled Keywords:	The bees algorithm; Job scheduling; Single machine; Common due date; Total weighted tardiness; Combinatorial domain.
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	19 Mar 2016 23:37
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/58594

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