A Hybrid Multi-Population Reinitialization Strategy to Tackle Dynamic Optimization Problems

In conventional optimization problems, it is assumed that all relevant parametric constraints remain stationary. In contrast, optimization problems encountered in practical applications are dynamic and supervened by uncertainties. The research community has evinced a keen interest in multi-population approaches combined with nature-inspired algorithms to manage dynamic optimization problems efficiently. Applying multi-population approaches to solve dynamic optimization problems engenders specific vital issues, such as reproducing sub-populations in new environments influenced by archival information. Moreover, over-partitioning the population may lead to aberrant utilization of computational resources among the sub-populations. These impediments are addressed using the proposed hybrid multi-population reinitialization strategy, which is a combination of distributed differential evolution algorithmic framework and re-initialization strategy. This scheme relies on simple reinitialization to surmount the dynamism. This framework was assessed on different instances in a moving peak benchmark problem, a proven benchmarking function in the domain of dynamic optimization. Furthermore, this study encompasses a comparative and statistical analysis to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in comparison to cutting-edge algorithms in solving dynamic optimization problems efficiently. The experimental results consistently show that the hybrid multi-population reinitialization strategy outperforms conventional Differential Evolution algorithms across various parameter configurations. This hybrid multi-population reinitialization strategy showcases its effectiveness in the successful handling of increased shift lengths and number of peaks, which are pivotal parameters in solving moving peak benchmark function.