Abstract

AbstractIn the last few years researchers have shown how insect colonies can be seen as a natural model of collective problem solving. The analogy between the behaviour of ants looking for food and the well known travelling salesman problem has recently given rise to promising solution methods. We present in this paper an evolutionary search procedure for tackling assignment type problems. The algorithm repeatedly constructs feasible solutions of the problem under study by taking account of two complementary notions, namely the trace factor and the desirability factor. The use of such search principles will be illustrated for graph colouring problems. The results obtained have proven satisfactory when compared with those existing in the literature.Keywords: ant algorithmassignment type problemcollective performanceevolutionary methodgraph colouring

Keywords

Travelling salesman problemAnalogyComputer scienceGraphScheduling (production processes)Mathematical optimizationOperations researchTheoretical computer scienceArtificial intelligenceMathematicsAlgorithmEpistemology

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Publication Info

Year
1997
Type
article
Volume
48
Issue
3
Pages
295-305
Citations
500
Access
Closed

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Davide Costa, Alain Hertz (1997). Ants can colour graphs. Journal of the Operational Research Society , 48 (3) , 295-305. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jors.2600357

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DOI
10.1057/palgrave.jors.2600357