An artificial immune system algorithm for the resource availability cost problem

• Published in: Flexible services and manufacturing journal Vol. 25; no. 1-2; pp. 122 - 144
• Main Authors: Van Peteghem, Vincent, Vanhoucke, Mario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.06.2013; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; Availability; Convergence; Cost engineering; Density; Engineering; Genetic algorithms; Heuristic; Immune system; Immune systems; Machines; Manufacturing; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Operations Management; Operations Research/Decision Theory; Processes; Project management; Renewable resources; Schedules; Scheduling; Statistical analysis; Project scheduling; RACP
• ISSN: 1936-6582; 1936-6590
• DOI: 10.1007/s10696-011-9117-0

In this paper, an artificial immune system (AIS) algorithm for the resource availability cost problem (RACP) is presented, in which the total cost of the (unlimited) renewable resources required to complete the project by a pre-specified project deadline should be minimized. The AIS algorithm makes use of mechanisms inspired by the vertebrate immune system and includes different algorithmic components, such as a new fitness function, a probability function for the composition of the capacity lists, and a K - means density function in order to avoid premature convergence. All components are explained in detail and computational results for the RACP are presented.