Real-parameter constrained optimization using enhanced quality-based cultural algorithm with novel influence and selection schemes

Abstract Hybridization in context to Evolutionary Computation (EC) strives to combine operators, components, and the best merits of different EC paradigms, to form a new evolutionary algorithm that enjoys a statistically superior performance, compared to its ancestors, over a wide range of application-specific optimization problems. In this paper, we propose a simple yet powerful amalgam composed of a modified Cultural Algorithm (CA) that is supported with an Enhanced Levy Flight Search (ELFS) to guide the search and further promote the harmony between the explorative and exploitative capacities of the conventional techniques. The novel amalgam, denoted by q-aCA + mIS, utilizes a balanced search scheme where it employs an adapted Influence Function (IF) with a novel quality function that establishes a harmony between the Knowledge Sources (KSs) in the Belief Space (BS), and between the BS and other components in the hybrid to produce the most suitable knowledge needed for a certain search mode. The CA framework is reinforced with an updated Selection Function (SF) that employs a successful selection strategy that uses the extended situational knowledge for the future selection of individuals. The proposed algorithm is tested using more than 50 benchmark functions that are taken from the IEEE CEC’06, and the IEEE CEC’19 competitions on constrained real-parameter optimization. Moreover, three well-known engineering design problems are used to test the validity of the algorithm for the solution of complex real-life problems. The comparative study indicates that the q-aCA + mIS algorithm was able to obtain a statistically superior performance and scalability behavior over most of the considered functions in comparison with other state-of-the-art algorithms.